British ColumbiaVancouver police say they have yet to receive any formal reports of extortion in the city, but that they’re hearing from residents and businesses who are fearful as the crime rises in nearby communities. Force says city has no reported extortion cases so far, but hosted forum Wednesday to offer community tipsChad Pawson · CBC News · Posted: Nov 27, 2025 11:58 AM EST | Last Updated: 5 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.An attendee at a Vancouver Police Department forum in South Vancouver on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2025, asks officers how the force is being proactive in preventing extortion. (Shawn Foss/CBC)Vancouver police say they have yet to receive any formal reports of extortion in the city, but that they’re hearing from residents and businesses who are fearful as the crime rises in nearby communities.“It’s affecting people’s sense of safety and well-being. It affects them and so it’s important to us,” said Supt. Phil Heard, speaking at an anti-extortion community forum organized by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) on Wednesday night.Extortion is when a person uses intimidation, threats or violence to coerce someone to do — or not do — something. The crime has been on the rise in cities like Surrey, Abbotsford and Delta, where people in predominantly South Asian communities are receiving threats and demands for money.There have been more than 100 incidents across those three cities in 2025 alone, dozens of the cases involving shots fired at homes and businesses.Supt. Phil Heard said he wants to reassure Vancouver residents the force is taking the threat of extortion seriously. (Shaw Foss/CBC)’It’s a domino effect’On Wednesday evening, about 200 Vancouver residents went to the South Hall Banquet and Wedding Palace on Ross Street to ask questions and hear from police about how to protect themselves and report the crime.“The Fraser Valley is part of the Lower Mainland and we are part of the Greater Vancouver area, so it affects everybody,” said attendee Sital Dhillon.“I mean, the person that gets shot at could be anybody and it doesn’t have to be someone I’m related to, but it affects everybody. It’s a domino effect.”Heard said some of the businesses allegedly targeted in Fraser Valley cities have involved Vancouver residents.“There could be Vancouver residents that have business interests in other communities and those businesses have been targeted and as a result we are engaged,” he said.Vancouver resident Harjit Dhillon said the rise in extortion elsewhere has felt alarming. “We don’t feel comfortable and we want to listen, how to follow the rules,” she said. “This is something new everyday, these extortion cases. We’ve never heard that before. And we want some solution.”Vancouver resident Harjit Dhillon says she’s been alarmed by the rise of extortion in neighbouring cities. (Shawn Foss/CBC)Officers explained how extortionists work and shared tips with people at the forum over what they should be on the lookout for and how to report any suspicious activity.The tips are listed on the VPD’s website and include contacting police immediately, protecting personal information and preserving any evidence, both physical and digital.Jagdeep Sanghera, who attended the forum as a representative with the Khalsa Diwan Society, said the event gave community members a space to express their concerns and understand what they can do. He hopes the event will encourage victims to reach out to police.Jagdeep Sanghera with the Khalsa Diwan Society hopes the forum encourages residents to contact police if they experience extortion. (Shawn Foss/CBC)“I think there’s always a fear because you think about your family, you think about your kids, you want to keep them safe. Events like this might just give you enough encouragement … knowing the community stands with you and the Vancouver police is there to look after you,” he said.Heard said there are dozens of VPD officers on the 40-member provincial task force that was launched in September to target extortion threats.ABOUT THE AUTHORChad Pawson is a CBC News reporter in Vancouver. Please contact him at chad.pawson@cbc.ca.With files from Janella Hamilton
Vancouver police ask residents to be vigilant, report extortion as cases rise elsewhere
