Peel Regional Police have recovered approximately $1 million in stolen property following a break and enter at the Holt Renfrew store in Square One shopping mall in Mississauga. The recovery was announced on Friday morning by police officials.
Details of the Incident
According to police, on April 30 at approximately 1:03 a.m., officers responded to a break and enter at the high-end retailer. The suspect fled the scene using an unattended vehicle stolen nearby. Investigators from the 11 Division Break and Enter Auto and Retail Organized Crime Unit conducted an extensive review of surveillance footage and identified the suspect through detailed investigative work.
The accused, Amir Nikbakht, 41, of Mississauga, was arrested without incident. A criminal code search warrant was executed at his residence, where investigators recovered jewelry, lottery tickets, and other property. Detective Joseph Cardi of the BEAR unit stated that approximately 95% of the recovered property was jewelry stolen from Holt Renfrew.
Impact on Community
“Retail theft has a direct and significant impact on local businesses and the broader community. Incidents like this not only result in financial loss but undermine the sense of safety for those who live and work in our region,” said Peel Regional Police Marc Andrews. “The sheer magnitude of the property recovered speaks volumes to the scale we are dealing with.”
Nando Iannicca, Chair of the Peel Region Police Service Board, added: “Retail theft too often serves as a revenue source for broader criminal enterprises. This is why the board fully supported a proactive, intelligence-based approach to invest in this growing challenge. As organized crime evolves, policing must evolve with it.”
Charges and Ongoing Investigation
Amir Nikbakht has been charged with break and enter to commit an indictable offence, possession of break-in instruments, disguise with intent, theft of a motor vehicle, failure to comply, and breach of probation. He was on probation at the time of the incident and remains in police custody. The investigation remains active, and investigators are working to identify additional victims and related theft occurrences. “We do anticipate more charges,” said Detective Cardi, who believes Nikbakht acted alone, noting that the accused had been arrested for similar crimes in the past.
BEAR Unit Success
Launched on September 1 of last year, the BEAR unit has made 93 arrests and laid 577 charges. Police report that retail theft has remained consistent in Peel Region over the last 12 months, but arrests and charges have increased by more than 30%. “This is not a trend, this is not something that is casual, this is theft, and it has real impacts on our businesses, our employees and the community we serve,” Andrews said. “Here in Peel, we won’t tolerate it.”
