VIDEO: Abbotsford plainclothes officer wrestles suspected thief to the ground
Published 4:00 pm Friday, September 18, 2026
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Social media has recently been abuzz with a video showing an Abbotsford plainclothes officer wrestling with a suspect on the ground.
The recorded incident occurred on Thursday evening (Sept. 17) just before 6 p.m. at the intersection of Townline Road and Maclure Road.
According to the Abbotsford Police Department (APD), the physical altercation stemmed from a shoplifting incident that occurred in the 3200 block of Mt. Lehman Road.
Officers responded to a business shortly after 5 p.m., where it was reported that a female had entered the store and taken merchandise while throwing items at the staff as she left.
Less than an hour later, a plainclothes officer spotted the female several blocks away.
“The suspect was observed displaying unusual behaviour, including washing her hands with bleach,” said the APD.
“When the officer informed her that she was under arrest for theft, she became assaultive toward the officer and began to resist arrest.”
That’s when the physical struggle took place, which can be seen in the video.
The footage shows the plainclothes officer putting the suspect in a vascular neck restraint, which is a variation of the rear naked choke, for approximately 20 seconds.
The officer then turns the woman over onto her stomach and restrains her hands as the officer appears to talk into her radio.
“The application of the VNR allowed the officer to safely gain control of the suspect and take her into custody without injury to either the suspect or the officer,” said the APD.