Mission RCMP have issued a warning to Lower Mainland retailers after a group of women is believed to have been involved in a series of coordinated thefts in recent weeks.
Police said a trio of well-dressed women entered the Shoppers Drug Mart on Lougheed Highway in Mission, and reportedly stole an entire shelf’s worth of cosmetic products on June 30.
The next day, police say four women — three of whom were the same ones from the Shoppers Drug Mart theft — entered London Drugs in Mission around 2:15 p.m., and worked together to steal a large quantity of perfume.
Then, two women returned to the Shoppers Drug Mart July 5 and stole a number of high-end gift sets.
RCMP said the women are believed to have ties to Ontario and were not previously known to police in Mission.
“At one of the stores, one of the suspects was also pushing a baby stroller, with a small child inside,” police said.
“The women were well-organized, and in at least one of the instances, one of the suspects distracted an employee working in the cosmetics section, while the others reportedly took various items," police said.
Police said retailers in Mission and throughout the Lower Mainland should familiarize themselves and their employees with this group.
