Ottawa police apprehend last of 11 suspects in city-wide shoplifting spree
Posted Jun 11, 2020 08:50:00 PM.
The Ottawa Police has arrested and charged the final outstanding suspect, believed to be involved in a city-wide shoplifting spree.
Officers investigated a series of brazen thefts in the city's west end on September 4, 2019, in which they say suspects, sometimes three or four at a time, would enter a store, take items and leave without paying.
Three Shoppers Drug Mart stores were targeted in west Ottawa on September 9, and police say a quick-thinking officer provided key information that resulted in a search warrant on Cedarwood Drive in Heron Gate a few days later. Links were then made to many more incidents at LCBOs and Shoppers Drug Mart stores throughout the city.
Officers laid more than 100 charges against 11 people in this case back on October 30, but had only arrested eight of the suspects at the time.
On November 5, Linda Sherman, 56, of Gatineau, turned herself in to police and was charged.
The OPS then arrested Vithaya Chuop, 33, of Gatineau, on February 19, 2020.
On Thursday, June 4, Richard Ellis, 35, of no fixed address, was arrested and charged with:
- Theft under $5,000 (20 counts)
- Robbery (two counts)
He appeared in court on June 5.
