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Vancouver police recover over 1,000 bottles of stolen booze

Photo Shutterstock Vancouver police have recovered over 1,000 bottles of hard liquor stolen from the BC Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB).

 Photo ShutterstockPhoto Shutterstock

Vancouver police have recovered over 1,000 bottles of hard liquor stolen from the BC Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB).

The LDB's senior communications officer Dixon Tam says the corporate loss prevention team launched an inquiry after discrepancies in inventory were discovered.

The LDB contacted police in mid-April about an internal theft investigation and detectives from the VPD property crime unit worked with the LDB to collect evidence.

Police executed a search warrant at a home in Delta on May 15 recovering over $100,000 worth of liquor and arresting three people, two from Surrey and one from Delta, in relation to the theft.

One of the suspects is an employee of the LDB and who was working at its Vancouver warehouse. Tam says the employee has been suspended without pay from his position.

The three suspects were later released pending further investigation and no charges have been laid.

VPD spokesperson Constable Jason Doucette says charges could be theft over $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.

Police are continuing to work with the LDB to determine if there is evidence of additional offences.