B.C. coalition calls for government action on violent retail crime

Lauren Clark says increased theft and vandalism has forced her to keep her clothing boutique in Vancouver's Gastown locked during business hours, unlocking the door only when a potential customer knocks.

"Our window's been smashed twice and we've had three break ins where a lot of product was stolen," said Clark, who co-owns Hey Jude on Abbott Street.

She said it has been tough for many businesses operating in the area.

A group of more than 30 British Columbia retailers, trade associations and other groups is now calling for immediate government action on theft, vandalism and violent crime its members say have reached "epidemic proportions'' across the province.

The coalition says it wants all levels of government to work together to address what it calls a crime "crisis'' in retail settings. It estimates the added cost of security is effectively costing B.C. families $500 each per year.

The Save Our Streets group is demanding immediate government action on theft, vandalism and violent crime, which it says have reached "epidemic proportions" across the province. (CBC)

Members of the coalition include the Greater Vancouver and Surrey boards of trade, the Retail Council of Canada and Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers and retailers such as Lululemon, Aritzia, Rexall and Save-On-Foods, and London Drugs.

London Drugs president Clint Mahlman said his company lost $10 million to stolen merchandise last year. He says the company is now outfitting some store workers with stab vests in order to protect them from violent shoplifters.

Mahlman, who is also a founding member of the coalition, said the issue is at a crucial juncture.

Escalating crime, violence, vandalism and theft on the streets of communities in B.C. is at a crisis point, London Drugs president Clint Mahlman said during a press conference on Monday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

''The streets and communities are becoming more unsafe,'' he said. ''We are very concerned that we are past the tipping point, and that it will take decades to correct if not dealt with now.''

The coalition said there was a "critical'' need for immediate action to deal with threats to staff safety, rising security costs and community impact.

They said a coordinated government response for repeat offenders was needed.

Mahlman said federal and provincial governments can't succeed by taking a piecemeal approach and addressing ''singular aspects'' of the problem, such as drug decriminalization, policing resources or mental-health reform.

The coalition also wants the B.C. and federal governments to ''establish a set of measurable results'' for the public to see if any government action works to bring down crime.

Vancouver police said last week that officers made 258 arrests and recovered almost $57,000 in stolen goods in a 16-day shoplifting crackdown in September.

Police also said there were another 82 arrests in Delta, Langley, Richmond and Burnaby as part of a coordinated effort across the Lower Mainland.

Coalition members, however, said such actions only address a small part of the problem, and Karen Kuwica with the Nanaimo Area Public Safety Association said the issue involved the entire province.

The Save Our Streets coalition says retailers are facing growing losses from theft, and that the cost of security is effectively costing an average family in B.C. an extra $500 a year. (CBC)

''Premier [David] Eby stated that everybody deserves to feel safe in their communities,'' Kuwica said. ''He's right. We want that feeling to be a fact.''

"We have repeat and violent offenders living in plain sight, rather than in care or in custody," she added.

Eby said the province wanted to work with the coalition to ''raise the profile'' of the crime issue, in particular because federal legislation on bail reform is stuck at the Senate after passing in the House of Commons.

''We went to Ottawa to individually lobby senators to tell them how important these rule changes were to ensure that the public continues to have confidence in the criminal justice system, and it has not passed yet,'' Eby said at an unrelated news conference in Victoria on Monday.

''So I'm looking forward to meeting with [the coalition] and having those conversations about what other gaps have they identified where we can do better work.''

Mahlman said the movement is not political and it hopes whatever government responses occur continue after elections take place.