Peel Regional Police are stepping up their efforts against retail theft – at least for two days.
The local police force, responsible for keeping Mississauga and Brampton safe, is organizing a province-wide Retail Organized Crime Conference this Tuesday and Wednesday at the Hyatt Place Toronto in Mississauga.
“The two-day conference brings together law enforcement agencies, retail industry leaders and public safety partners from across Ontario to discuss emerging trends, investigative best practices and partnership-driven solutions to disrupt organized retail crime networks,” Peel police said in a news release Monday.
The event kicks off Tuesday morning.
Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah, Deputy Chief Marc Andrews, and Peel Police Service Board vice-chair Omar Khan will greet attendees that include Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner and Rui Rodrigues from the Retail Council of Canada.
When not discussing ways to tackle retail theft, police in Peel say they’ve been making progress against those committing these crimes in Mississauga and Brampton.
A new specialized unit of officers
In September 2025, Peel Regional Police created a specialized unit of officers aimed at addressing crimes like break-ins and large-scale thefts from retail businesses involving items such as jewelry and clothing.
At a press conference in July held at Square One Shopping Centre in downtown Mississauga, Andrews mentioned that the department’s renewed focus on what he called an “endemic” issue has shown positive results so far.
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While the overall rate of retail thefts has stayed steady across Peel over the past year, arrests and charges have surged by more than 30 percent. The deputy chief emphasized that these activities “are not petty crime.”
Together with other high-ranking officers present on July 3 at Ontario’s largest shopping centre, Andrews shared details about an operation that resulted in an arrest linked to an April 30 heist where nearly $1 million worth of jewelry and clothes were stolen from Holt Renfrew at Square One. Most of the stolen items were recovered by police.
Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Marc Andrews speaks to the media in July at Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga.
“Retail theft has a direct and significant impact on local businesses and the broader community,” said Andrews. “Incidents like this not only result in financial loss but undermine the sense of safety for those who live and work in our region.”
This past summer, Peel police noted they’re also tackling retail thefts through other means.
The department participated in a national conference held last March in Mississauga that brought together police forces and corporate asset protection teams to discuss strategies for reducing retail thefts. They expressed enthusiasm for this week’s upcoming conference.
The Oct. 6-7 conference aims to unite partners “to advance collaboration and develop a unified approach to disrupting organized retail crime that impacts our communities.”
BEAR squad called into action
The newly formed BEAR (Break-and-Enter Auto and Retail) unit led the recent investigation into the significant theft at Holt Renfrew after its establishment back in September 2025.
This specialized team is focused on reducing break-ins and auto thefts specifically within Mississauga and Brampton. It employs plainclothes officers targeting “organized break-and-enter and auto-related crimes.”
The squad operates under a pilot project intended to “enhance enforcement, strengthen victim support, and proactively disrupt criminal networks affecting communities across Peel,” according to earlier statements made by police officials.
The BEAR unit was created due to a noticeable rise in calculated crimes such as break-ins and auto theft within Peel.
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