A 60-year-old woman has been arrested at YVR as part of a police crackdown on organized crime.
The woman is alleged to have stolen a purse from a passenger in the international arrivals terminal on Wednesday around 10 a.m.
The suspect, a foreign national, is believed to be part of a larger, organized theft group travelling from airport to airport.
Richmond RCMP’s YVR detachment has been deploying plain-clothes teams to conduct surveillance on these types of crimes originating from March of this year.
Police are looking at the possibility of linking multiple instances of theft to this woman, while a number of law enforcement agencies, besides the RCMP, are interested in the accused.
“Suspects that specialize in this work generally work in teams and employ techniques to divert attention from their true purpose – to steal valuables away from their owners,” said the detachment’s operations officer, Insp. Keith Bramhill.
“They are acute observers of people’s behaviour and their habits. They are often difficult to identify and detect as they are extremely good at their craft.
“If a theft has been reported, it is largely after the fact. The suspect or suspects have long since vanished with police working hard to play catch up.
“We are fortunate to have experienced officers that knew exactly what to look for. Their timing was impeccable.”
Police would like to remind people to be mindful of their personal effects and valuables at all times. Report any suspicious activity immediately to police.
