‘This is not simple retail theft’: Peel police lay nearly 550 charges against 65 suspects in shoplifting bust

Steve Ryan speaks with Nando Iannicca, the chair of Peel and police services, about ‘Project Filcher.’

65 people have been arrested and are facing more than 500 charges in what police describe as a “sophisticated” crackdown against organized retail theft in Mississauga and Brampton, last year.

At a press conference on Thursday, Peel regional police announced the results of a probe dubbed “Project Filcher,” describing their efforts as a response to a sharp increase in retail thefts across 12 Division in 2025.

Some of the stores mentioned included major retailers such as Nike, Walmart, LCBO and Shoppers Drug Mart.

Investigators said the operation focused on “repeat offenders” who are believed to be connected to organized crime networks. Police say the financial losses in this investigation are estimated to be well over $250,000.

“This is not simple retail theft,” Deputy Chief Mark Andrews said during the news conference. “This is organized crime that has direct impact on our businesses, our workers, and our communities, and the costs passed on to our communities.”

“What we’re seeing is that they were stealing this property on behalf of other parties who would then resell the products, sometimes locally, sometimes nationally, in some cases internationally.”

Repeat offenders, hundreds of thefts

Speaking with reporters, Const. Bernard Trlaja, one of the main investigators, said officers first noticed a pattern emerging after repeated thefts were reported at the same stores in Mississauga.

“A preliminary and overview investigation revealed these thefts were driven by a small group of repeat offenders who regularly targeted the same stores,” he said, adding that one local mall in Mississauga had 111 thefts last year alone.

Police said a Nike store reported 266 thefts between June and December 2025, while officers identified “18 prolific offenders” connected to incidents at a Walmart location where 41 thefts had been reported since opening in 2025.

Investigators added that other retailers, including Winners and Rexall, were also heavily impacted, but did not elaborate or provide specific numbers into their losses.

In all, police shared that 556 thefts tied to the investigation resulted in more than $173,000 in retail losses, while the broader Project Filcher investigation accounted for losses exceeding $250,000.

Officers also identified 106 prolific offenders, several of whom allegedly overlapped with the Nike and Walmart investigations. Those retailers saw some of the most frequent thefts.

Click here for a full list of those charged.

Offenders range in age from 19 to 64. Notably, 39 of the 65 arrested have “no fixed address.”

Project Filcher results

Police said Project Filcher ran between Feb. 6 and Apr. 16, 2026, targeting retail locations experiencing high levels of theft within 12 Division.

According to investigators, the operation resulted in 356 solved cases, 65 arrests and 20 outstanding arrest warrants.

Nando Iannicca, chair of the Peel Police Service Board, said the investigation reflects the service’s focus on intelligence-led policing and repeat offenders.

“The results announced today... reflect the seriousness with which Peel Regional Police approaches these crimes,” he said.

Ontario Associate Solicitor General for Auto Theft and Bail Reform Zee Hamid also praised investigators, saying the operation sent “a strong message” to offenders targeting local businesses.

“We will not allow criminals to prey on our local businesses and undermine our communities,” Hamid said.