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Friday morning was supposed to be a celebratory environment at Prince George’s newest grocery store.
However, opening day of the Buy-Low Foods on 15th Avenue was marred by a shoplifting incident just 40 minutes after the store opened its doors to customers for the first time.
It continued over opening weekend, as police responded to 12 reports of shoplifting at the store, involving a total of 13 people, over its first three days in business.
RCMP Cpl. Jennifer Cooper says theft has become “a common problem” in most retail locations throughout Prince George.
Cooper says police are catching repeat shoplifters at numerous retail locations and many of the suspects in the Buy-Low incidents were known to police.
"Our downtown safety unit has been targeting it for the last two years, it seems to be becoming more and more of a prolific problem that we're dealing with,” she said in an interview Tuesday.
Cooper noted that most of the thefts were for “small dollar value items,” but several people attempted to steal larger amounts of merchandise that led to arrests.
A pair of arrested shoplifters were released on undertakings with conditions, while a third was held in custody until he could attend court.
Charges of possession of a weapon, theft under $5,000 and failure to comply with a release order were approved in that man’s case.