Wholesale mayhem, retail nightmare

It wasn’t the first time she felt unsafe.

An employee at a business in Winnipeg’s Westwood neighbourhood had a cup of coffee hurled at her by a customer recently.

Sometimes, she says she has had to lock the doors because she knows the person outside isn’t just looking for a snack — they’re a threat. Other times, she’s kept her distance, hoping the danger would pass.

The woman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, says incidents such as these have become so common they almost feel normal.

“It’s a s—t-show,” she said with a laugh, describing the growing chaos. She wasn’t surprised to hear a gas bar just down the road in the 3600 block of Portage Avenue was held up at knifepoint Sunday night.

Not with what she’s seeing on the news and on social media, including security footage from a Logan Avenue convenience store where, on Oct. 28, two people walked in after 1 a.m., held the clerk at gunpoint, poured liquid from a gas can onto the floor and set the building ablaze.

“It’s absolutely disgusting.”

At CF Polo Park, the city’s largest shopping centre, violence has become routine. One food court employee said the area was recently evacuated after someone discharged pepper spray, sending customers and workers gasping for air.

Mall management would not confirm the incident this week, but other workers described similar scenes.

“We couldn’t breathe,” said one food court employee.

Fights are a common occurrence, and so is the presence of police. “You get used to it,” a worker said. “It happens every day.”

The unease extends beyond malls and convenience stores. On Sunday, a woman was arrested at a Shoppers Drug Mart in the 1100 block of Henderson Highway after threatening security guards with a hatchet when they stopped her from stealing.

“It’s scary,” said the employee from the Westwood business, adding she believes a city safety initiative that began in September — Winnipeg Police Service officers are riding on some Winnipeg Transit buses and patrolling near bus shelters — has led to fewer incidents.

“People aren’t paying for fares to come rob us out here.”

Police reported 325 violent crimes at Winnipeg Transit locations in 2024 — a record high, nearly triple the 2019 total. The WPS said it will target high-risk incidents to support Transit’s community safety team, noting many recent cases exceeded that team’s capacity.

Despite two recent high-profile incidents — the knife pulled at the Portage Avenue gas bar and the hatchet threat on Henderson — police data shows that knife-related crimes are down this year.

Both accused have lengthy records of run-ins with police, according to court records, including for theft, robberies and violence.

Between January and September, 925 knife-related offences were reported to police — a 17 per cent decrease compared to the same period in 2024, and 12 per cent below the five-year average.

Police note that their statistics do not distinguish between different types of knives, such as machetes, switchblades or other bladed weapons.

Overall, for the 12-month period between August 2024 and July this year, violent crime is down 2.2 per cent and non-violent crimes fell by 0.9 per cent. Still, violent and non-violent crimes are up over the five-year average, 11.7 per cent and three per cent, respectively.

Shoplifting continues to climb, especially thefts under $5,000, up 12.6 per cent over the last period and 50.6 per cent above the five-year average.

“It’s real,” said John Graham, the Retail Council of Canada’s director for the Prairies. But he believes the surge in retail crime that began during the pandemic has plateaued, crediting better co-ordination between police and the province.

“We got to a point where there was extreme frustration with the lack of response from the Winnipeg Police Service, in particular,” Graham said. “Out of that, though, came some really good work, with the formation of the retail crime task force that got the right people at the table, and getting the right strategies, including a well-funded police service that can focus on — in part, at least — retail crime.”

Graham praised police Chief Gene Bowers for taking the issue more seriously than his predecessor, Danny Smyth, who he said once viewed retail theft as “little Billy taking a chocolate bar.”

“Now, it’s so widely understood that retail crime is more than that, and its impacts on the community and retail employees and customers. It’s being taken far more seriously.”

“This isn’t just about retail theft and violence, but the fight for our neighbourhoods.”

The impact runs deeper than many realize, said Loren Remillard, president and CEO of The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.

“This isn’t just about retail theft and violence, but the fight for our neighbourhoods,” he said, citing research showing definitively that consumers will patronize businesses they feel are safer.

“If you walk into a business, even if it’s not covered in plywood, but the business to the right of it is, or the left, or maybe both, how comfortable do you feel? It impacts your business.

“Imagine Osborne Village if there were no businesses left in it. How vibrant would that community be? How safe would people feel walking there late at night?”

Late last month, First Row Collectibles on Main Street in the city’s Seven Oaks neighbourhood was robbed for the second time this year.

The most recent break-in happened overnight on Oct. 22, when a man smashed a window at the 1835 Main St. store, grabbed collectible wrestling figurines, and fled into the night.

Owner Curtis Howson believes the culprits aren’t collectors — they’re acting out of desperation.

“It’s not like a guy is waking up at 2:30 in the morning and saying, ‘I got to get myself a Hulk Hogan action figure,’” Howson said. “No. Somebody said there was a little bit of money in this, and if they got it, they’d get some money, and that money is traded in for something they need or want.”

Much of the retail crime in the city is tied to the ongoing methamphetamine crisis, he said.

He didn’t lose much merchandise in the latest incident; the suspect, who was arrested the following week, made off with several wrestling and Karate Kid action figures and a book autographed by Kiss bassist Gene Simmons. He posted the footage of the break-in on the store’s Facebook page.

The bigger problem, Howson said, is the damage to his storefront. The shattered window is now covered with plywood, forcing him to hang a sign reminding customers he’s still open.

Back in February, thieves stole about $5,000 worth of Howson’s goods during an overnight robbery.

“That one really hurt,” he said.

Despite the loss, Howson said he was “lucky” — as the thieves rummaged through the shop, they knocked over a showcase containing valuable collectible cards, hiding them under the debris.

“It’s disheartening,” he said. “I’m pouring my time and my heart and all my effort into creating this business, and people are violating it by coming in at nighttime and taking it.”

Remillard said the numbers that appear to have levelled off are of little comfort to businesses such as First Row that have been victimized multiple times.

“What I’m hearing from our members is that, while the situation may not be getting worse, the situation remains problematic for far too many from all across the city.”

He acknowledged the social factors driving crime but said they shouldn’t overshadow the role of profit-driven theft.

The chamber is calling for a comprehensive review of Canada’s criminal justice and corrections system, beyond bail reform.

“We have to take a look at how we as a society have agreed to live together and the consequences of contravention of laws that we’ve agreed upon,” he said. “Society has changed considerably. But has our criminal justice system?”

Howson said he doesn’t blame police; he understands the strain officers are under and the broader issues facing the city.

Security cameras, once considered a reliable deterrent, no longer seem to make much difference. Both robberies at his store were captured on video.

“When people are that deep into addiction, they are going to get it regardless,” he said, adding that he’s contemplated getting metal shutters or impenetrable glass — costly options.

“When people are that deep into addiction, they are going to get it regardless.”

Howson believes mandatory detox could make a difference when individuals are arrested. Still, he admits it’s complicated. He doesn’t want to keep getting robbed, but he also understands the desperate circumstances driving the crime.

Bill 48 — allowing the detention of people under the influence of meth and other substances for up to 72 hours — an expansion of the existing 24-hour legislation based on alcohol intoxication — passed Wednesday, paving the way for a 20-bed 72-hour detox facility in Point Douglas to open before the end of the month, the province said Thursday.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca