Mid-afternoon must seem to some like a good time for thieving as shoplifters kept police busy on opposite ends of the city in unrelated incidents yesterday, both at 3:30 p.m..

In the east end RNC patrol grabbed a 29-year-old man who had been caught stealing as well as violating a court order. He was taken to the lock-up.

At the same time a man and woman were attempting to make their escape with items stolen from a west end business. Police tracked them down not far from the scene and recovered the merchandise.

The pair were taken to join the other man at the lock-up as well, all three to wait for court this morning.