Vancouver woman faces forfeiture of goods police allege were stolen and offered for sale online

A Vancouver woman who may have sold more than 1,500 items of stolen merchandise online worth almost $160,000 is facing forfeiture of a further 124 items of clothing, jewelry and accessories seized by police.

Vancouver police undercover officers acting on a tip from a “privately employed investigator” purchased at least one stolen item from the woman who advertised the resale of goods using various online marketplaces, according to a lawsuit filed by B.C.’s director of civil forfeiture.

It alleges items purchased between December 2025 and May 7, 2026, by the investigator and officers were identified by the private investigator as being stolen, including some with original packaging and anti-theft tags still attached.

The lawsuit doesn’t say who hired the private investigator.

The Vancouver police’s anti-fencing and theft identity unit used that information to obtain a warrant from a judge in May and searched her condo on the third floor of a three-storey walkup above retail stores on Macdonald Street near West Broadway in Vancouver, according to the claim.

Officers also seized items from the storage locker connected to her unit, it said. The investigator also confirmed the seized items were stolen.

The lawsuit was filed this week against the owners of the goods, in particular Dana Rosen, alleging the items were obtained through unlawful activity.

The civil forfeiture director alleges Rosen “knowingly acquired, stored and trafficked property obtained by crime.”

The lawsuit alleges she failed to take “reasonable, or any steps, to avoid receiving, possessing or trafficking in property obtained by crime.”

The items offered for sale were new goods still in original packaging, and some still had anti-theft or security tags attached or had their serial numbers tampered with or removed, it said.

The lawsuit alleges she was buying the goods from sellers she knew to be prolific property offenders.

Rosen used the items to engage in further unlawful activities by using the proceeds of the sales to purchase more stolen goods, the lawsuit alleged

“Rosen did not have sufficient legitimate income to have lawfully acquired” the merchandise, it alleged.

The allegations were based on a report to police by the private investigator who, between December 2025 and May 7, 2026, identified 150 active listings associated with Rosen’s online profile.

He identified many of the goods offered for sale as stolen from stores in Vancouver region, according to the lawsuit.

He also identified 1,500 items totalling about $158,800 as already having been sold, it said.

He bought two listed items and later confirmed they were stolen and contacted police.

Vancouver police’s anti-fencing unit investigated and confirmed it was Rosen’s profile, and the claim said officers bought listed items, including one identified as stolen.