Toronto retail crime unit reports more than 500 arrests
Toronto retail crime unit logs 546 arrests and $1.6M in recovered goods See how police say the crackdown is targeting organized theft networks
Toronto police say their organized retail crime unit has made 546 arrests and laid 4,033 charges since it was created two years ago.
Police said the unit has also uncovered more than $1.6 million in stolen merchandise tied to investigations. The team was launched in 2024 after a rise in retail crime in north Etobicoke.
Chief Myron Demkiw said retail theft hurts businesses, the broader economy and public safety. Police and the Retail Council of Canada said the results support calls for a provincially funded joint task force to help address retail crime and the organized networks behind it.