City to crack down on DTES vendors [Video]

The City of Vancouver said it is cracking down on illegal street vending in the Downtown Eastside, as a result of growing concerns over public safety in the area.

A portion of East Hastings Street is very rarely seen without its tables and blankets topped with phone cases, sneakers, and other bits and pieces.

It has become the “primary destination” for stolen goods, said the city in a statement released Wednesday, both locally and nationally.

Chief Adam Palmer of the VPD said the illicit markets have fueled a “violent shoplifting epidemic” that continues to impact the safety of business owners, staff, and shoppers throughout Vancouver.

“Thousands of dollars in merchandise is stolen every day – often with violence by repeat offenders – and resold for pennies on the dollar by criminal networks in the Downtown Eastside,” he said.

To address the safety risks and the issue of congestion on the …