Seven people are facing charges in connection with an alleged organized crime operation at Chinook Centre. Calgary police say there’s been a “concerning” increase in organized retail crime in the city, prompting the service to work with the Retail Council of Canada and other stakeholders to develop a “coordinated response” to protect stores, staff and shoppers. Investigators conducted targeted enforcement at Chinook between May 3 and 15, arresting five adults and two youths. The adults, who range in age from 21 to 44, and the youth, who cannot be named under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, are charged with theft under $5,000. “Retail crime may seem like a victimless offence, but it has real consequences for our community,” said Insp. Travis Juska in a Friday news release. “It affects business owners, employees and our city’s overall sense of safety.” Police say of the 400 service calls received from retail stores so far in 2025, 142 were related to theft and five were related to robbery. “Retailers are the backbone of our local economy,” said Rui Rodrigues, spokesperson for the Retail Council of Canada. “We must work together to ensure Calgary remains a safe place to shop and do business.”
