West Kelowna RCMP arrests over 30 people in shoplifting blitz

The West Kelowna RCMP conducted a two-day enforcement initiative known as ‘Project Sticky Fingers’ to combat retail crime and shoplifting. The coordinated operation involved multiple police units and loss prevention officers from local businesses.

The blitz resulted in more than 30 arrests and the recovery of thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise. In addition to shoplifting charges, the operation led to several store bans, referrals to restorative justice, the arrest of an impaired driver, charges against two prohibited drivers, and the seizure of over 150 grams of suspected illegal drugs.

Project Sticky Fingers was supported by the Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement Program (C-STEP), a pilot initiative providing funding to British Columbia police agencies to target high-incident hotspots and major shopping corridors.