Retail Theft Escalates Across the Province

Organized retail theft is escalating across New Brunswick. Officials from the Retail Council of Canada are touring the province to tackle the issue. They are meeting with municipal leaders and police chiefs in Fredericton, Saint John, and Moncton. This is not about petty theft. Criminals target specific goods to resell and fund other illegal activities.

Local Shops Feel the Impact

In Saint John, local business owners feel the impact directly. Susie Hines owns Hats on the Square in Market Square. She dealt with two thefts in just two weeks. She also witnessed criminals scouting her inventory.

“I’ve had an incident where a gentleman actually walked in and he actually videotaped the store and tried various doors to see if they were locked,” Hines told CTV News Atlantic. “Obviously, he was scouting it out.”

Hines notes that criminals are getting craftier. “It’s very concerning because it’s not a mindset that I have, so I can’t be one step ahead of them,” she says.

Big City Problems Arrive in Atlantic Canada

Jim Cormier is the Atlantic director of the Retail Council. He points out that trends from larger cities are arriving here.

“What we often see in the bigger centers, a few years later, it starts to happen here,” Cormier says. “We’re now starting to see smash and grabs in Atlantic Canada for the first time. That used to be something that only happened in the bigger central Canadian cities, now you’re seeing it happen here. That’s a huge problem, and it’s something that we need to help address.”

The Root of the Problem

Rui Rodrigues is an executive advisor of Loss Prevention and Risk Management. He explains that organized retail crime thrives because a market exists for stolen goods.

“The reason organized retail crime is successful is because people buy stolen goods,” Rodrigues says. He advises shoppers to question deals that appear suspiciously cheap on online marketplaces.

Rodrigues also highlights issues within the court system. He says a lack of serious prosecutions encourages aggressive behavior.

“Because it gets treated like retail crime is just property crime, it is low level crime. Individuals are released same day in, they are back out reoffending,” he explains.

The Retail Council plans to keep working with businesses, police, and government officials to find concrete solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is organized retail crime?

Organized retail crime involves coordinated groups stealing products specifically to resell them and fund other illegal activities.

How does this affect Saint John businesses?

Local shops face financial losses and increased security concerns as criminals scout locations and steal inventory.

What can consumers do to help?

You protect local businesses when you avoid buying goods from unverified online sellers if the prices appear suspiciously low.

Why do offenders keep repeating these crimes?

Experts point to a lack of serious prosecutions where offenders are released quickly and return to stealing.