Three people face charges in connection with an alleged organized retail theft ring after police recovered $11,500 worth of stolen goods from a vehicle outside the Home Depot on Lansdowne Street.
Peterborough Police say officers responded to reports of two women and a man concealing merchandise in their clothing and leaving the store on the afternoon of November 27th. Police stopped a suspect vehicle attempting to flee the parking lot, and one woman briefly tried to run before being apprehended.
A 27-year-old woman and a 34-year-old man, both from Etobicoke, and a 36-year-old woman from the Greater Toronto Area have been charged with theft under $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
Police allege the trio, who have no ties to Peterborough, are part of an organized crime ring targeting stores across Ontario. Stolen goods from multiple retailers, along with a loss prevention scrambler device and specialized bags, were found in the vehicle.
All three suspects were held in custody and appeared in court on November 27th. They were remanded into custody and are scheduled to appear again on December 3rd.
This marks the third retail theft bust tied to organized crime in the area this month, following the November 12 arrests of two men from Brampton.
Police thanked the Home Depot’s loss prevention officer for promptly alerting authorities.
