Police in Ontario’s Peel Region have arrested 65 people and laid nearly 550 charges as part of a crackdown on retail theft in Mississauga and Brampton.
The arrests form part of an ongoing investigation named “Project Filcher,” which Peel Regional Police say is a response to a surge in retail thefts in the region.
In total, police say that more than 350 theft incidents resulting in over $250,000 in stolen merchandise took place between February and April, with Winners, Walmart, Nike stores, and Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) stores being major targets.
“These numbers represent more than enforcement. They reflect prolific offenders, individuals responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in loss across our region, targeting businesses repeatedly. I can’t emphasize that enough,” Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Marc Andrews said during a press conference on May 21.
“This is not simple retail theft. This is organized crime that has direct impact on our businesses, our workers, and our communities, and the costs are passed on to our communities.”
The suspects, who are all listed as having either no fixed address or being residents of cities in the Greater Toronto Area, range in age from 19 to 64. Most are being charged with one or more counts of theft under $5,000, as well as a range of other offenses including failure to comply with a release order, breaking and entering, and assault or aggravated assault, among other charges.
“Project Filcher demonstrates our unwavering commitment to holding offenders accountable and protecting businesses in our community. Organized retail theft is not a victimless crime because it drives up costs, impacts livelihoods and undermines public safety,” Andrews said.
Peel police said that Project Filcher is supported through the Community Safety and Policing Grant, provided by the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General.
The investigation comes amid an annual rise in retail theft in the Peel Region. First-quarter theft-related charges rose annually in the past three years with 522 charges laid in the first quarter of 2024, 1,076 charges in the same quarter in 2025, and 1,300 charges in 2026.
Consequently, retail arrests for the quarter also rose annually, increasing from 223 in 2024, 560 in 2025, and 752 in 2026.
As the investigation remains ongoing and additional arrests are anticipated, police ask anyone with information to contact investigators or Crime Stoppers.
