Police warn about the cost of buying stolen goods

If you find some cheap electronics the next time you’re scrolling trough Kijiji, chances are it could actually be stolen.

Organized retail theft is on the rise in the city and the Calgary Police Service launched a new campaign Wednesday to try to stop it.

Major retailers are teaming up with police to warn Calgarians about the cost of buying stolen goods.

“Any of the security requirements that we build in place to maintain our stores, and take care of our staff, and make sure that the public (is) safe when they visit our stores, is ultimately paid for from the sale of goods to consumers,” said London Drugs General Manager of Loss Prevention Tony Hunt.

Const. Andrew Critchley says people are often coerced into theft, sometimes to help fuel a drug addiction.

“A person approaching a drug dealer, or a drug dealer approaching a person and offering drugs in lieu of property. So it’s premeditated. It’s not somebody in a store that just has the impulse to steal. The person enters the store with a clear purpose to steal and quite often they can have a vehicle waiting for them outside,” says Critchley.

People can avoid purchasing stolen goods by:

-Purchasing new goods from licensed, reputable businesses only.

-Comparing the price of goods to their typical market value. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

-Asking sellers how they obtained the property and why they are selling it so cheap. If the answers do not add up, it should be a cause for concern.

-Checking to see what else a seller has for sale when you come across new goods on online classifieds sites. If they are primarily selling new goods and are not a business, it should be considered a red flag.

More information on organized retail crime can be found on the Calgary Police Service website.