‘Businesses don’t feel safe anymore’ West End retailer says persistent theft, vandalism costs him thousands a month By: Malak Abas Posted: 6:00 AM CST Monday, Dec. 1, 2025

The owner of Cobra Collectibles doesn’t have to peruse his merchandise to come across the stuff of comic books.

Michael Paille says Winnipeg has turned into Gotham City, the fictional home of Batman, with his business and others in the West End struggling under a fever pitch of theft and vandalism.

Paille said his Sargent Avenue small business has been targeted by repeat offenders and police don’t come quickly unless it’s a life-or-death situation.

“We should feel like we’re protected, we feel safe,” he said. “But businesses don’t feel safe anymore.”

“We should feel like we’re protected, we feel safe… But businesses don’t feel safe anymore.”

Paille has owned Cobra Collectibles, which sells toys, comic books and games, for 20 years, moving to 555 Sargent Ave. 11 years ago. After surviving the COVID-19 pandemic, he said he couldn’t have imagined the spike in crime he and other business owners in the neighbourhood would see. He said theft and vandalism costs him several thousand dollars every month.

“I would take the pandemic over what we’re dealing with now,” he said.

Paille leads the Sargent Business Community group, which tracks crime in the area. The group even felt the need to hold a conference at the West End Cultural Centre earlier this year that brought together community members, police, government and advocacy groups to discuss crime in the area.

He said staffers in the neighbourhood are reluctant to file police reports, because officers are slow to respond to non-violent calls.

Many business owners are newcomers with language barriers, complicating the issue further.

Like Gotham’s caped crusader, Paille has resorted to a bit of vigilante action, admitting to buying stolen merchandise — his own — to help police locate a thief.

He now has 60 cameras in and around his shop and locks up most of his merchandise in glass cases. He suffered broken ribs and a concussion after attempting to stop a shoplifter last year.

“I should be worried about (bringing) new product in, selling to customers, taking care of my staff, paying my utilities and my rent… But I also have to worry, do I have (overdose antidote) Narcan in the building? Is it going to be safe for my customers and my staff? Do I have enough security? Do I have enough blinds, window cages?”

Sal Infantino said he’s seeing the same issues a few doors down.

The owner of X-Cues, a café and lounge spot at 551 Sargent Ave., said while his staff is able to manage conflicts when they arrive, security would help, but isn’t financially feasible.

“I’m literally trying to save up enough and trying to tighten up our belt here, to have security right at the door. And it’s expensive … who the hell can throw 50 grand on there?” he said. “It’s just intolerable.”

Some of the costs of crime are less obvious than theft and vandalism. Infantino noted he’s had to shut down VLTs until later in the day because he’s seen people who play them get into fistfights.

“I’m allowed to open up my VLTs at nine in the morning, and I don’t, because they just rush the place, and they’re just all over, and they’re dropping bags everywhere. It’s just like chaos.”

Turning VLTs off means lost sales for the lounge, especially when factoring in an $8,000-insurance fee for the machines.

“I’m a firm believer that these people need help, but the help can’t be here,” he said.

“I’m a firm believer that these people need help, but the help can’t be here.”

The Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses has fielded questions from area businesses on how best to combat and report crime.

“Our members are concerned, and it’s no surprise that Sargent and the West End has been a bit of a hot spot for many small businesses lately,” CFIB senior policy analyst Tyler Slobogian said.

In a 2024 report that surveyed businesses across Canada, the group found Manitoba had one of the highest percentages of small business owners impacted by crime, and the lowest level of satisfaction with police response times.

Slobogian said retail crime-focused efforts this year have been valuable for CFIB’s members, and as the city commits to hiring more police officers, continuing and expanding foot patrols and targeted policing would be key.

“The City of Winnipeg and the police, law enforcement, could do a better job of its really targeted policing efforts, and I think that would go a long way for our members,” he said.

Coun. Cindy Gilroy said the community is home to a number of housing units managed by non-profit organizations supported by the province, that have taken people out of encampments and into homes.

Even after being housed, she said, many of these people are struggling with addiction and mental health issues that impact crime rates in the neighbourhood.

She said targeted, consistent support for those issues is necessary to make a dent in West End crime.

“We’re not going to house our way out of homelessness,” she said. “We’re going to constantly see these issues, unless we deal with the major issues of homelessness, and that’s addiction and mental health, and that’s a big piece that we’re missing within our community.”

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca