Dozens arrested in WPS retail theft crackdown

Winnipeg police officers seen inside CF Polo Park on Dec. 4, 2024. (Jamie Dowsett/CTV News Winnipeg)

A Winnipeg police holiday blitz aimed at busting those shopping for five-finger discounts has bagged dozens of arrests, nearly 200 criminal charges, and tens of thousands of dollars in recovered stolen property.

The Winnipeg Police Service gave an update Friday on its SafeShop Project, an initiative that deployed additional officers to retail areas in a push to curb criminal activity and promote theft prevention during the holiday shopping season.

During the December-long enforcement blitz, Winnipeg police arrested 72 people, 25 of whom were detained in custody, arrested seven from Crime Stopper’s retail theft top 10 most wanted list, apprehended another seven prolific offenders, laid over 196 criminal charges and recovered over $23,000 in stolen property.

The SafeShop initiative was initially launched in 2024, adding 12 new police officers at popular retail areas with the help of provincial funding.