Three men were arrested during a five-day bait package program at two malls in Surrey, Mounties say.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, investigators with the Property Crime Target Team placed packages containing jewelry boxes and brand name electronics around the malls.

Plainclothes officers remained nearby to see if anyone would take the unattended items.

The three suspects arrested for theft of a bait package are all between 32 and 35 years old and all have a history of property crime or related offences, police said.

They've since been released from custody and are set to appear in court at later dates.

On the other hand, investigators said they were "pleasantly surprised" by the number of Good Samaritans who took it upon themselves to return the packages to the customer service desk, a security guard or simply keeping an eye on the items in hopes that their owner would return to claim them.

"This is the first time our Property Crime Team has done a bait package project in Surrey," Staff Sgt. Mike Hall said in a statement. "Only having three subjects steal the package compared to the seven individuals who did the right thing was quite refreshing, especially around the holiday season."