Retail theft has transitioned from individual shoplifting to a crime increasingly perpetrated by organized criminal networks, as per Peel Regional Police. Deputy Chief Marc Andrews mentioned in a news conference on Tuesday that the number of retail theft-related charges by police in Peel Region is escalating. In 2025, there were 2,310 such charges, and in the first eight months of this year, 2,241 charges have been laid, indicating a probable surpassing of last year’s total.
Andrews described the shift as more coordinated, sophisticated, sinister, and widespread across Peel and Ontario. He emphasized that organized retail crime involves organized networks profiting from stolen merchandise, exploiting gaps, operating across various jurisdictions, and impacting businesses, workers, consumers, police, and communities. Police investigations revealed seemingly unrelated incidents were often linked to repeat offenders within the same criminal networks.
The comments were made during a news conference at a two-day event in Mississauga, hosted by Peel police, focusing on organized retail crime. Peel police had launched a special enforcement team in Mississauga in September 2025 to combat break-ins and auto theft. Recognizing the need for a coordinated response to tackle organized retail crime, the team’s mandate was expanded in May this year, leading to the formation of the break and enter, auto, and retail (BEAR) unit.
Since spring this year, the BEAR unit has made 53 arrests, filed 263 charges, and recovered over $1 million in stolen goods related to retail theft. Peel police are planning to extend the unit’s operations to Mississauga and Brampton in 2027. Rui Rodrigues, executive advisor of loss prevention and risk management at Retail Council of Canada, highlighted the importance of collaboration between retailers, law enforcement, and prosecutors to apprehend prolific offenders and support frontline workers affected by retail crime.
Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner affirmed the province’s commitment to combat organized retail crime, condemning the exploitation of vulnerable individuals in these criminal activities. The government’s proposed Bill 119, Protecting Ontario’s Streets and Communities Act, aims to establish a specialized prosecution team for organized retail theft, focusing on serious cases and offering early investigative assistance to law enforcement.