Man arrested for stealing 47 yoga pants has struck again with another robbery

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Three days after being arrested for stealing 47 pairs of yoga pants from a store in downtown Vancouver, a chronic thief returns to police cells.

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This time, the man was arrested, Vancouver police allege, for stealing $ 730 worth of cosmetics from a department store on Robson Street.

Officers re-arrested the 44-year-old man on Monday night, one of nine people arrested as police continue their campaign to crack down on the growing number of shoplifting incidents in the city center that hurt businesses and employees. store owners.

The man was arrested Friday night for the alleged theft of the yoga pants and was released on Saturday. Police are not releasing his name because Crown prosecutors have not approved the charges against him.

He has a long criminal record, with 103 prior criminal convictions, including 38 for robbery.

“People who live and work downtown tell us they are fed up with the chronic thieves and vandals attacking their neighborhoods,” said Sgt., A spokesman for the Vancouver Police Department. Steve Addison in a statement.

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“We hear your frustration loud and clear, which is why we have stepped up patrols and law enforcement throughout the community and are working hard to hold violators accountable.”

Most thefts are committed by repeat offenders living with complex social needs, including addictions, poverty and mental illness, Addison said. Many of the items stolen from stores end up being sold on the street for pennies on the dollar, he added.

Vancouver has seen an increase in theft incidents, particularly violent, since 2019. Last weekend, officers arrested 32 suspected burglars during a weekend crackdown and recommended 71 criminal charges.

In another incident, three people were arrested Monday night after one of them displayed a gun while trying to steal ice cream from a grocery store on Robson Street.

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Police said a 40-year-old man tried to steal three tubs of ice cream worth $ 21. When the personnel tried to arrest him, two other accomplices approached and displayed a weapon.

Officers caught the trio as they tried to leave the area, thanks to multiple 911 calls from people who witnessed the incident.

The 40-year-old man, a 27-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman were arrested for robbery and taken to jail.

This was one of the last incidents of theft cases in the city in which a weapon was involved.

There have been 844 cases of violent shoplifting in Vancouver between January 1 and October 15, a 12% increase from last year and a 550% increase from 2019.

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