The Vancouver Police have conducted a crackdown on the sale of stolen goods in the city's Downtown Eastside, resulting in five arrests and the recovery of over $650,000 in cash, drugs, and stolen property [57259081]. The operation targeted organized criminals who fuel the sale of stolen goods, which are bought in plain sight in the Downtown Eastside and then resold online for profit [57259081]. Specialized investigators collaborated with front-line officers to track stolen property from store shelves to downtown sidewalks [57259081]. The police have identified 'organized fencing operations' that pay low prices for stolen goods, leading to the recovery of stolen property and the seizure of vehicles believed to be used for transporting the goods [57259081]. The suspects arrested range in age from their 40s to their 60s [57259081]. This crackdown is part of a larger project to combat shoplifting, which has resulted in nearly 1,200 arrests since February 2023 [57259081].
The crackdown on stolen goods sidewalk sales in Vancouver highlights the ongoing issue of shoplifting in the city and the involvement of organized criminals in the sale of stolen property [57259081].
In Los Angeles, the City Council has voted to drastically reduce annual street vending permit fees, from $541 to $27.51 [149b1833]. Previously, only 900 permits were issued each year, and many street vendors operated without a permit [149b1833]. The reduction in fees aims to make it more accessible for street vendors to obtain permits and operate legally [149b1833]. In addition to the fee reduction, the City Council abolished seven areas where street vendors were not allowed to operate [149b1833]. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has also taken steps to regulate curbside food stalls, and Governor Gavin Newsom passed SB 972 in 2022, allowing street vending throughout California [149b1833].
The reduction of street vending permit fees in Los Angeles addresses the issue of accessibility for street vendors and aims to regulate and support the street vending industry in the city [149b1833].