Heat pump, laptops, mounds of clothing among items recovered through ‘theft blitz’

CITYnews halifax / By Rachel Morgan

Throughout December 2024, Halifax Regional Police conducted a ‘theft blitz’ to combat retail crime, a trend on the rise, especially around the holidays.

The initiative is supported by the Retail Council of Canada which works with retailers and police forces across Canada to recover stolen goods and provide a disincentive for shoplifters.

“Theft is often thought of as a victimless crime, but it’s not. It costs Canadian retailers billions of dollars a year – costs that are borne by all consumers when they go shopping,” a press release from the Retail Council of Canada states. “In addition to being frustrated by financial losses, business owners are concerned for the safety of their customers and employees,” noting that incidents of retail theft that involve some form of violence have increased 300 per cent between 2019 and 2023.

Extra patrols at retail locations and parking lots were conducted by HRP patrol officers, community response officers, and the mounted unit throughout December while citizens were out doing holiday shopping.

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On Dec. 17, a search warrant was executed on a storage unit in Halifax where a large amount of stolen property was recovered including numerous bikes and electric bikes, laptops, electronics, a variety of tools, a generator, an air compressor, and a pressure washer.  The investigation remains ongoing, and potential charges have not yet been laid.

On Dec. 18, two investigations opened.

A search warrant was executed at a residence on Castle Hill Dr. in Clayton Park. Officers seized over 300 boxes and bags containing stolen merchandise, including clothing, toys, electronics and other general household items.

A 60-year-old woman is scheduled to appear in Halifax provincial court at a later date to face charges of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.

The same day police were advised of a theft that occurred at a retail store on Spring Garden Rd. Minutes later, the officer located a male carrying the stolen items down Brunswick St.

A 27-year-old man will appear at Halifax Provincial Court on Jan. 22 to face charges of theft under $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000.

The next day a search warrant was executed at a residence on Adams Ave. in Halifax. Officers seized numerous stolen items including a heat pump, a large volume of clothing and several thousand dollars’ worth of stolen alcohol.

A 56-year-old man was charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and possession of property for the purpose of trafficking under $5,000. He appeared in Halifax Provincial Court on Dec. 20, 2024.

The man appeared in Halifax Provincial Court on December 20th, 2024.

Shoplifting $5,000 and under has increased across Canada leading to an increase in the CSI Index. (Statistics Canada)

Police reported crime statistics for 2023, released by Statistics Canada in July, found that many types of theft have trended down over the past 25 years including breaking and entering (-72 per cent), motor vehicle theft (-48 per cent), and robbery (-46 per cent). The anomaly to this trend is the rate of shoplifting of $5,000 or under which has increased 28 per cent in the same period.

More specifically, the report notes that following a large decrease at the onset of the pandemic, shoplifting has increased beyond pre-pandemic levels. In 2023, the rate of shoplifting of $5,000 or under was 18 per cent higher than in 2022 and four per cent higher than in 2019.

The same report determines that Nova Scotia has the highest rate of shoplifting nationwide, with 7,167 incidents reported in 2023. HRP say this rate increases around the holidays.

“Retail theft is always a concern, but particularly during the holidays,” Halifax Regional Police Chief Don MacLean said in a press release. “Its effects on business, big and small, are significant. Each offender we are able charge helps send a message that retail theft will not be tolerated in HRM.”