CanDo StudioShoplifting in Canada: what the law says, whether it is rising, and what to do if you see it or are suspected
In short: As of November 5, 2026, intentionally taking goods without paying is "theft" in Canadian law, and a person can be charged whatever the value; police-reported shoplifting rose for the fifth year in a row in 2025, according to the latest figures published by Statistics Canada; if you see it happen in a store, the police advice is to keep your distance, not to try to stop anyone yourself, remember the details and tell the police.
This guide covers: what taking goods without paying is called in law, and what the $5,000 line is about; what the numbers say (Canada, B.C. and Victoria); what police and governments have done; how to stay safe if you see someone shoplifting in a store; what rights you have if a store suspects you of taking something; and what parents can do if a child takes something.
On this page
- 1. What the law calls taking goods without paying
- 2. What the numbers say: is shoplifting on the rise?
- 3. What police and governments have done
- 4. If you see someone shoplifting in a store: how to stay safe
- 5. If a store suspects you of taking something: your rights
- 6. If a child or teenager takes something: what parents can do
- Related guides
- Main official links in this guide
1. What the law calls taking goods without paying
Status: [In force]
There is no separate offence called "shoplifting" in the law. What Chinese-language websites call "zero-dollar shopping" simply means intentionally taking goods without paying. In the notes to its 2025 crime statistics, Statistics Canada states that shoplifting is not a separate offence in the Criminal Code but is part of the broader offence of theft; Statistics Canada puts it in a category of its own only for statistical purposes.
What counts as theft (section 322 of the Criminal Code). In plain terms, the section says: a person who "fraudulently and without colour of right" takes something that belongs to someone else, intending to deprive the owner of it (even temporarily), commits theft. A few key points:
- What matters is whether there was that intent, not how expensive the item is. Even a carton of eggs could count.
- Theft is complete as soon as the person moves the thing they intend to steal (subsection 322(2)). The person does not have to walk out of the store first.
- Taking something openly, without hiding it, can also count (subsection 322(3)).
If you missed scanning an item at self-checkout. Honestly believing you scanned an item when it did not actually register is different in law from knowingly not scanning it and taking it away, because section 322 looks at intent. Whether a particular case counts is for the police to investigate and the courts to decide. The safer thing to do is: if you find you missed scanning something, go back and ask a store employee to ring it up. (This is common-sense advice; we did not find an official page that deals with this specifically.)
The $5,000 line (section 334 of the Criminal Code). Many people have heard that "under $5,000 doesn't count". That is a misunderstanding. Section 334 is about how the offence is punished, not about whether it is a crime:
- If what was stolen is worth not more than $5,000 (exactly $5,000 also falls in this band): the prosecution can proceed by indictment, the more serious procedure, with a maximum of 2 years in prison; or it can proceed by summary conviction, the less serious procedure.
- If it is worth more than $5,000: if prosecuted by indictment, the maximum is 10 years; it can also be dealt with by summary conviction.
In plain terms: whatever the amount, a person can be charged; the $5,000 line only decides the maximum sentence.
Using a knife or force can make it robbery (sections 343 and 344 of the Criminal Code). Section 343 sets out four situations, and any one of them can be robbery: while stealing, using violence or threats of violence to take the goods or to overcome resistance; wounding, beating or striking a person, or using any personal violence on them, while stealing from them or immediately before or after; assaulting a person with intent to steal from them; or stealing from a person while armed with an offensive weapon or an imitation of one. Robbery carries a maximum of life imprisonment (section 344).
From July 15, 2026, a new aggravating factor (subsection 334.1(1) of the Criminal Code). This provision was added by C-14, the Bail and Sentencing Reform Act, and has been in force since July 15, 2026. It means: when a judge sentences someone for theft, robbery, breaking and entering, possession of property obtained by crime and some other offences, if it is established that the person stole to sell or barter the goods, or to fraudulently return them to a store for a refund, the judge must treat this as an aggravating factor, and the sentence may be heavier. The federal Department of Justice lists this provision under "organized retail theft".
2. What the numbers say: is shoplifting on the rise?
Status: These are the 2025 figures published by Statistics Canada on July 22, 2026, the latest year available as of November 5, 2026.
Canada: In 2025, police across Canada recorded 208,941 incidents of "shoplifting of $5,000 or under", or 502 per 100,000 people; this rate per 100,000 people was 11% higher than in 2024. Measured per 100,000 people, this is the fifth year in a row that it has gone up; compared with 2015, it was 79% higher.
B.C.: In 2025, police in B.C. recorded 41,764 incidents, or 733 per 100,000 people; the rate was 12% higher than in 2024.
Victoria: In 2025, the Victoria census metropolitan area (CMA) as defined by Statistics Canada (not just the City of Victoria) recorded 2,654 incidents, or 596 per 100,000 people; the rate was 26% higher than in 2024. In 2024, the rate there was about the same as in 2023.
In the same year, the overall crime rate in Canada went down. In 2025, the overall police-reported crime rate in Canada went down 2.4%, and the "Crime Severity Index", which measures how serious crime is, went down 5%. B.C.'s overall crime rate was about the same (+0.3%). The two things do not contradict each other: more shoplifting does not mean more of every kind of crime.
Some things to know when reading these numbers:
- These are incidents recorded by police, not the number of people caught. One person who steals several times may be counted as several incidents.
- Cases that stores did not notice or did not report to police are not in the figures. Statistics Canada explains that police figures include only what police know about, and can be affected by many factors, such as reporting habits and how police resources are deployed.
- Statistics Canada also notes that easier online reporting may also have increased the number of shoplifting incidents recorded.
- Statistics Canada's table does not show which incidents were groups stealing to resell and which were individuals acting on their own.
3. What police and governments have done
Why store employees often do not chase shoplifters. A Vancouver Police Department news release of March 29, 2023 described an enforcement operation called "Project Barcode", which ran from February 15 to March 10, 2023, three weeks in all:
- 28 retailers took part. Police waited outside the stores while employees watched inside; when someone headed for the exit with goods, the employees told the officers outside, and the police stepped in to make the arrest.
- The release says that this made it easier for police to catch people, and also reduced the violence store employees often face when they try to stop people themselves.
- In the three weeks, 217 people were arrested, goods worth $79,679 were recovered, and 24 weapons were seized.
- One example in the release: at a hardware store in East Vancouver, a suspect allegedly took goods worth $1,100 and then threatened the store's security guard with a machete. Police found and arrested him, and he was charged with robbery; by the time the release was issued, he had been released from custody. (Being charged does not mean being convicted, and being released from custody does not mean being found not guilty.)
Victoria. A B.C. government news release of June 20, 2025 said: the Victoria Police Department (VicPD) used more than $150,000 in provincial "SITE" funding to run three rounds of "Project Lifter", aimed at organized retail theft involving violence. Police worked with 13 retailers and more than 30 loss prevention staff, over 11 days in all; they also worked to refer people who repeatedly offend to services such as housing and addiction services. Over the three rounds, 141 people were investigated, 113 were charged, 155 charges were recommended to prosecutors, and more than $65,000 in goods was recovered.
Federal. For subsection 334.1(1), added by C-14, see section 1 of this guide.
4. If you see someone shoplifting in a store: how to stay safe
What the police advise. A Richmond RCMP news release of August 26, 2026 is about what to do when you see any crime:
- Keep a safe distance, do not try to intervene, and do not confront the suspect. The police say no one should put themselves at risk.
- Remember the details: clothing and shoes, logos on clothing, approximate age, height, build, hair colour, skin colour, tattoos, scars, glasses and earrings.
- If there is a vehicle, note its colour, make and type (SUV, car or pickup truck), and features such as the wheel rims and stickers; if it is safe, take a photo of the licence plate.
- Note which direction they went.
- If it is safe, take photos or video with your phone.
- Write it down right away, while you still remember it clearly.
- Stay somewhere safe, and when the police arrive, give them what you wrote down and recorded directly.
For example: "I saw him wearing black clothes and white shoes, heading out this door toward the parking lot" is much more useful than "he must be a repeat offender". Say what you saw, not what you guess.
Which number to call (as the Victoria Police Department website puts it):
- If there is a danger to life, or a crime is in progress: call 911.
- For non-emergency calls: call the Victoria Police Department non-emergency line at 250-995-7654.
- If it is already over and you do not know who did it (for example, you find your car has been broken into): you can report it online on the Victoria Police Department website.
The Victoria Police Department serves the City of Victoria and the Township of Esquimalt. If you live in Saanich, Langford or other places, call your local police non-emergency number.
Related: for the police non-emergency numbers in Saanich, the West Shore and other parts of Greater Victoria, see section 10 of Guide No. 20, Staying safe and getting help.
5. If a store suspects you of taking something: your rights
Status: [In force]
Can a store arrest someone? (section 494 of the Criminal Code). The owner of a store, a person in lawful possession of it, or a person they authorize (such as a security guard) who finds someone committing a criminal offence on or in relation to the store's property can arrest that person on the spot without a warrant; if they make the arrest afterwards, it must be within a reasonable time after the offence, and they must believe on reasonable grounds that, in the circumstances, it was not feasible for a police officer to make the arrest. Anyone who is not a police officer and arrests someone must hand the person over to a police officer right away (subsection 494(3)).
If a licensed security guard stops you, you can ask to see their licence. Under B.C. government rules: licensed security workers must carry their original licence (not a photo of it) while working, and must show it to anyone who asks to see it (armoured car guards and door security at liquor establishments are the exceptions). Security workers are also not allowed to carry Tasers, pepper spray or batons, and if they use force (for example, blocking someone's way or physically controlling a person), they must write a report.
If you think a security guard acted wrongly, you can make a complaint. Anyone can complain to the B.C. government's Registrar of Security Services about a security worker or a security business. Complaints cannot be anonymous, and you need to fill out a complaint form; the Registrar decides whether to accept the complaint. If you are not satisfied with the result, you can ask for reconsideration, or make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsperson.
If you are arrested or detained by police (section 10 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms). You have the right to be told promptly why you are being arrested or detained; you have the right to a lawyer without delay, and the right to be told that you have this right.
Free legal advice line. Legal Aid BC's Brydges Line: 1-866-458-5500, a toll-free number, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you have been arrested or detained, or are under police investigation and have not been charged yet, and urgently need legal help, you can call this number to get advice from a lawyer on criminal law questions.
Not verified for this guide: whether store employees or security guards can search your bag or keep you from leaving; we did not find an official page that says, so this guide does not cover it. For your specific situation, ask a lawyer; to check whether a lawyer is licensed, you can use the Law Society of British Columbia's Lawyer Directory.
6. If a child or teenager takes something: what parents can do
Status: [In force]
- Under 12: a child cannot be convicted for this (section 13 of the Criminal Code).
- 12 to 17: dealt with through the youth justice process under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, which is different from the process for adults (B.C. government page).
- Parents are not criminally responsible for crimes their children commit. But under B.C.'s Parental Liability Act, if a child (under 18) intentionally takes, damages or destroys someone else's property, the store can sue the parents for the loss, up to $10,000 (not including interest and costs). Parents who can prove to the court that they were reasonably supervising the child at the time and made reasonable efforts to discourage it do not have to pay.
- Getting a lawyer: The B.C. government page says that in B.C., when a young person aged 12 to 17 is charged with a crime, Legal Aid BC provides legal services; a lawyer will be appointed for the young person at no cost, regardless of the young person's or the parents' income. (That page was last updated on June 9, 2021, which is some time ago.)
Related: for what rights a young person has and what parents should do if the young person is approached by police or charged, see section 11 of Guide No. 70, Bill C-14 and youth crime; for how to apply for legal aid, see section 12 of the same guide; for how a claim under the Parental Liability Act is made and how the $10,000 limit relates to other legal routes, see section 16 of the same guide.
Main official links in this guide
All the official web addresses used in this guide are listed here, in four groups by organization; the end of each section also lists the ones for that section. The Criminal Code provisions and the Charter on the Justice Laws website, the Department of Justice's Bill C-14 page and news release, Statistics Canada's release and data table, and the pages of the Vancouver Police Department, the Richmond RCMP, the Victoria Police Department, the Government of B.C., BC Laws, Legal Aid BC and the Law Society of British Columbia's Lawyer Directory were all opened and read on November 5, 2026; the figures for B.C. and Victoria were read from Statistics Canada table 35-10-0177-01. Which areas the Victoria Police Department serves (the City of Victoria and the Township of Esquimalt) is based on its home page as read on November 3, 2026; it was not read again this time. These points were not verified this time, and this guide does not cover them: whether ordinary store employees without a security licence count as security workers who need a licence; whether section 334.1 applies to things that happened before July 15, 2026; and the Victoria Police Department's own news release on "Project Lifter" on its website (this guide uses the B.C. government's news release).