Twelfth suspect charged in theft rings

Shoplifters hit LCBOs, Shoppers

A 56-year-old Gatineau woman has surrendered to Ottawa police in connection with organized shoplifting rings in the area.

The woman becomes the 12th suspect charged in connection with thefts at LCBO and Shoppers Drug Mart stores across the city.

Police say west-end detectives on Sept. 4 investigated brazen thefts from LCBO and Shoppers stores. The thieves would enter the stores, sometimes three or four at a time, take merchandise and leave without paying.

Three west-end Shoppers were targeted on Sept. 9. A patrol officer provided key information that led to a search warrant executed on Cedarwood Drive. Police said they found stolen merchandise.

Police charged three adults, two 16-year-old boys and a 15-year-old boy.

Police have identified two other adult suspects and are looking for Richard Ellis, 35, of no fixed address and Vithaya Chuop, 33, of Gatineau.

Meanwhile, east-end detectives were looking into similar thefts there and the suspects in the westend crimes.

Detectives laid several charges, including theft, conspiracy to commit theft, assault and breach of judicial release, against the same teens arrested by west-district detectives. Police also charged a 17-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl.

Last Friday, the robbery unit charged a 32-year-old man with two counts of robbery in connection with LCBO thefts last July on Walkley Road and Woodroffe Avenue.

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