THIS past December, Surrey RCMP targeted shopping malls and their surrounding areas on the lookout for property crime offenders as part of an enforcement project nicknamed “Project Grinch”.

Led by the Surrey RCMP’s Property Crime Target Team (PCTT), officers worked hard this past holiday season to ensure that crimes like theft of and theft from vehicles remained low. The 20-day enforcement effort resulted in 19 arrests, 18 charges, and 13 stolen vehicles being recovered.

PCTT was supported by officers from the Surrey RCMP’s General Duty, Bike Unit, Crime Reduction Unit, and Auto Crime Target Team along with “bait cars” from the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT). Surrey RCMP volunteers were also involved helping raise awareness about theft from vehicles through the “Lock Out Auto Crime” program.

“I think most people would be surprised to hear in Surrey the rate of theft from vehicles is fairly steady throughout the year,” said Cpl. Scotty Schumann. “That said, thanks in part to the public’s cooperation in keeping valuables locked away out of sight and intelligence-led enforcement by the Surrey RCMP, many property crime offenders got a lump of coal for Christmas!”