Surrey RCMP advises that multiple arrests have been made and charges obtained in separate investigations addressing retail theft in Surrey.
On April 11th, the Surrey RCMP’s Community Response Unit (CRU) and Mobile Street Enforcement Team (MSET) participated in a one-day blitz with local Loss Prevention Officers to target suspected shoplifters in the Surrey Central area. A total of 20 officers and 10 businesses were involved in the project.
The project resulted in 30 arrests being made on individuals alleged to have been committing retail theft in the area. A comprehensive report to crown counsel has been completed with a number of charges being recommended for assessment by the BC Prosecution Service.
In March 2018, the Surrey RCMP’s Community Response Unit initiated an investigation after noting similar descriptors of a suspect for a number of theft complaints.
With the assistance of a Frontline officer, a suspect was identified in multiple shoplifting incidents throughout the city. The alleged suspect was stealing liquor from a number of local business. Between January and March, it is alleged that the suspect committed over a dozen thefts in the City Centre, Guildford, and Newton areas.
On March 30th, 2019, the suspect was arrested in the South Surrey area.
Manvir Dhindsa, 29 years old from Surrey, has now been charged with 12 counts of Theft under $5000 and 3 counts of Breach of Recognizance. Dhindsa remains in custody.
"Working with our business partners to address certain types of criminal activity in our community, such as shoplifting and retail theft, is a priority for our Community Response Units," says Community Support and Safety Officer Inspector Wendy Mehat. "These types of crimes can often have detrimental effects on people’s feelings of safety, and are often a conduit to further crimes in our community. We take these kinds of concerns from our business community seriously as is evident by these investigations."
Anyone with information about these incident is asked to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502, or contact Crime Stoppers if you wish to remain anonymous, at 1-800-222-8477 or www.solvecrime.ca.