Police nab shoplifting suspects in pre-Christmas clampdown
Prince George Canada December 17 2021 A local big box store was anything but a shoplifter’s haven earlier this month.
Prince George RCMP’s downtown safety unit rounded up 21 suspected shoplifters over a three-day “boost and bust” operation at Real Canadian Superstore at the start of December.
Working with Real Canadian loss prevention officers, the unit also recovered $8,000 worth of stolen merchandise during the clampdown.
“Several times,” suspects were found with over $1,000 worth of stolen items on them, RCMP said Thursday, and noted police are familiar with all of the people they arrested.
Of note are Skylar Joseph Peter Jakesta, 25, and Walter Charles Wilson, 31. Both remained in custody as of Thursday with Jakesta facing theft and breach-related counts and Wilson facing a count of resisting arrest and two counts of possessing illicit drugs.
In all, RCMP forwarded 18 counts of theft $5,000 or under to Crown counsel for charge approval.
It’s the third time the downtown safety unit has conducted a boost and bust operation. The previous two were are Pine Centre Mall in March and at London Drugs in the Parkwood Shopping Centre in June.
We will continue to work with local business to target prolific shoplifters. Many of the people arrested during these projects are known to the businesses we collaborate with, so it is an efficient system when we can work with the loss prevention officers on site to catch offenders in the act, said Prince George RCMP Cpl. Kurt Chapman.
Prince George Citizen
