METRO VANCOUVER – A 29-year-old man is in hospital in Surrey after he was stabbed trying to stop an alleged shoplifter at a Surrey mall Tuesday night.

Surrey RCMP say the incident happened at around 6 p.m. in the area of 10355 152nd Street, Surrey.

Mounties received a call about a stabbing in the parking lot of The Bay department store, located at the Surrey Guildford Town Centre Mall.

When they arrived, officers found the man suffering from stab wounds to his arms and upper body.

RCMP say he was taken to a local hospital in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries.

Investigators say the victim, who is an employee of The Bay, was trying to stop an alleged shoplifter and a fight broke out.

During the altercation, police say the victim sustained multiple stab wounds. The Bay staffer held onto the suspect until mall security arrived to assist.

A 34-year-old man has been arrested and charges are pending, say investigators.

Meanwhile, Vancouver police are also investigating a stabbing early Wednesday morning. Shortly after midnight, police responded to a fight that broke out between three men at Broadway and Commercial Drive.

A 43-year-old man was taken to hospital with non-life threatening stab wounds. The other two men fled the scene.

VPD spokesman Sgt. Randy Fincham says the motive for the attack is unknown, and no arrests have been made.