Downtown Vancouver retailers speak out against habitual shoplifter

Retailers in downtown Vancouver’s Pacific Centre mall are sharing their frustration and safety concerns as they deal with an alleged chronic offender, said to be shoplifting high-end goods.

One retail worker, who wished to remain anonymous, told 1130 NewsRadio that this specific person appears daily, and over the last six months, his behaviour has only gotten worse.

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“Shoplifting is part of retail, so that’s always been there, but this particular guy is super aggressive. He just walks in and takes what he wants, and he is there every day. And after I researched it, it’s not just Pacific Centre, he’s known as a habitual shoplifter,” the worker alleged, adding that the offender is also known to frequent high-end shops outside the mall as well.

Along with other employees, he says he doesn’t feel safe at work.

He says workers at several retailers, in or around the mall, have joined text message groups to help warn each other of the offender’s whereabouts.

“I think everyone is afraid.”

The anonymous worker says stores will close at least one door if the man is on the premises.

“But if we keep our doors closed, traffic is not coming in, and it impacts business. But at the same time, we want to feel safe working in the mall. Stores are just trying to protect their assets.”

“It’s just been escalating… I think everyone is afraid.”

He says retailers have filed complaints with the company that operates the mall, but feels not enough is being done.

“They don’t seem to take it seriously. They said they banned him, but they also say there’s also nothing they can really do to enforce that ban.”

He thinks it’s a matter of time until someone gets hurt.

In a statement to 1130 NewsRadio, Cadillac Fairview, which operates Pacific Centre, didn’t confirm whether the suspect had been banned from the mall, but says the issue reflects a broader trend impacting urban centres across Canada.

“We are taking a proactive, multi-layered approach to address it at our properties. Our strategy combines our own dedicated security teams with close collaboration with police services, including the Vancouver Police Department and its new Retail Crime Task Force, to effectively deter theft and other unwelcome activity,” the statement said.

The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) says it’s aware of the offender and confirms he’s been charged with theft under $5,000 multiple times.

“As of late, we have started up a retail crime task force that solely focuses on prolific shoplifters. We have overt and covert investigations that are ongoing,” said Const. Tania Visintin.

The task force was launched in April in response to a reported rise in retail theft and violence against workers.

In July, new data from Statistics Canada showed the rate of shoplifting had surged in recent years. Nationwide, it found there was an overall drop in crime in 2024, but shoplifting was a notable exception. In Vancouver alone, the number of incidents rose 91 per cent over the past three years.

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