RICHMOND RCMP have arrested five suspects in an alleged theft from a Richmond toy store.

On May 27, Richmond RCMP responded to a report of a theft in progress at a local toy store in the 6500-block of Minoru Boulevard. According to the report, eight suspects had entered the store and allegedly stolen multiple items.

The complainant followed the suspects at a safe distance while providing updates to the E-Comm 9-1-1 call-taker, which was then shared by dispatch to frontline officers. Richmond RCMP officers arrived on scene and quickly located and arrested five of the suspects, four of whom were youths, in a nearby parkade, and recovered multiple pieces of alleged stolen merchandise.

Three of the suspects were released on police undertakings with conditions. Charges are being pursued. The investigation remains active and ongoing.

“In the fall of 2023 we saw an uptick in reports associated to thefts from local businesses in Richmond,” says Inspector Mike Roberts, Operations Officer Richmond RCMP. “In response, we launched a multi-pronged strategy to combat the rise in retail theft. So far in 2025 we are encouraged to see the numbers trending back down. Retail theft often has a nexus to organized crime, and we take a zero-tolerance approach. We thank members of the public for timely reporting as it makes it easier for our officers to quickly locate and hold offenders to account.”

Richmond RCMP say they encourage anyone who witnesses a potential criminal offence or suspicious behaviour to report it to police.