Vancouver – The Vancouver Police Department’s Retail Crime Task Force (VPD‑RCTF) has wrapped up a months‑long, multi‑jurisdictional investigation into a foreign organized retail crime group responsible for a series of distraction‑thefts at jewelry stores across B.C. and Alberta.
In December 2025, VPD‑RCTF investigators were alerted to a pattern of sophisticated distraction thefts targeting jewelry stores in Vancouver. Investigators identified 12 related offences committed between August 2025 and February 2026. These incidents spanned communities from West Vancouver to Revelstoke, with an additional offence in Calgary. A total of more than $90,000 in jewelry was taken.
Investigators confirmed the identities of the suspects and tracked them to Chilliwack, where VPD‑RCTF officers arrested Adam and Maria Caldarar on March 4, 2026.
VPD‑RCTF collaborated with police agencies in Kamloops, Kelowna, Salmon Arm, Hope, and Revelstoke, assisting each jurisdiction in advancing their respective investigations toward charge approval.
Adam and Maria Caldarar have since pleaded guilty to charges of theft over $5,000 and theft under $5,000 related to offences in Vancouver, West Vancouver, and North Vancouver, and remain in custody.
The Vancouver Police Department extends its appreciation to the jewelry retail community, and all partnering police agencies for their cooperation and support in bringing this province‑wide crime spree to an end.
