VANCOUVER – Although they may not have committed any crime taking but Vancouver Police is not leaving anything to chance by investigating why three middle-eastern looking men were taking photos of the Pacific Centre Mall.
Around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12th, police received information that three suspicious men, described as looking Middle Eastern, were seen inside Pacific Centre Mall taking numerous photographs, including photos of the entrances and exits.
There is no information to believe that these men have committed a crime. Nor do we have information to believe that the public is currently at risk.
Police are interested in speaking with them about their activity in the mall.
Public safety remains our top priority and we are working with mall security and management to ensure the safety of visitors and staff.
The VPD has been conducting an investigation into the actions and identity of these three men.
There have been a number of investigative steps that have taken place in an attempt to identify them. Investigations not only work to confirm, but to eliminate the possibility that an offence has taken place.
Out of an abundance of caution, we need to gather information to determine what was happening in the mall.
Police routinely conduct investigations into suspicious activity, and encourage the reporting of suspicious actions (Operation SECURUS). We do everything we can to obtain and hold that information in a confidential manner.
The information obtained by the media was part of an internal police information bulletin shared amongst police officers throughout the province of BC.
That information, including photographs, was obtained by a Vancouver news outlet via an unknown source, and was not it intended or authorized to be shared with the general public at this time.
Police balance public safety, people’s privacy and keeping an open mind in any investigation. For this reason, the VPD has not, and will not, be releasing any photographs at this time.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Vancouver Police Department at 604-717-0505.
