OVER a four-day period earlier this month, Burnaby RCMP’s Community Response Team (CRT), along with members of the Bike Unit, Police Mental Health Outreach Team, Metrotown security and loss prevention officers, led another boost and bust anti-shoplifting operation at Metrotown.

During the latest initiative, 61 suspects were arrested, resulting in 21 new criminal charges being forwarded and nearly $15,000 worth of stolen merchandise being recovered and returned to local businesses.

As many as 12 of the people arrested had outstanding warrants from across the Lower Mainland, including one individual who was found to have an outstanding warrant for failing to comply with the Sex Offender Registry.

“In many cases, officers arrested individuals known to police. In total, five prolific offenders were arrested, as well as 10 suspects with documented violent criminal histories,” said Cpl. Mike Kalanj with Burnaby RCMP on Thursday.

Clothing was the most commonly stolen item over the four-day period, with one suspect trying to walk away with over $2,800 worth of clothing from a retailer and another attempting to shoplift $840 worth of high-end outerwear.