Retail theft a symptom of other problems

Opinion

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This article was published 11/12/2023 (660 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The situation unfolding in local retail stores is a sign of desperate times.

Since the beginning of November, Winnipeg police have made more than 150 arrests in a targeted crackdown on serial shoplifting at malls and independent retailers across the city. The operation is in response to a 44 per cent increase in shoplifting over the last year and a recent spike in violent robberies.

In the last two weeks alone, two downtown retail workers were stabbed in separate shoplifting incidents. Thankfully, both of the victims — a grocery store clerk and a Dollar Store security guard — are expected to make full recoveries from what appear to have been unprovoked attacks.

What will be harder to recoup, however, is their sense of safety at work.

Nobody should feel like they have to put their life on the line to earn a paycheque, just as nobody should feel the need to steal to make ends meet.

Shoplifting is a complex crime with various motivations. For some, it’s a crime of opportunity, for others it’s a crime of desperation spurred by poverty, addiction, food insecurity and mental health issues. The Retail Council of Canada, which has partnered with the Winnipeg Police Service, says organized crime is contributing to the uptick in burglaries.

It’s difficult to disentangle the recent rise in shoplifting from the current cost of living crisis and Manitoba’s 4.9 per cent unemployment rate, nor is it particularly helpful to try.

As with any crime, it’s important to look beyond the individual events to consider the social, environmental and financial factors that lead offenders to steal in the first place. Without addressing the root causes of criminality, prevention and policing can only go so far.

We only have to look to local liquor stores to see the implications of a prevention-heavy reaction to shoplifting. Controlled entrances were installed in Liquor Marts across the province to curb a dramatic increase in brazen booze thefts.

The Crown corporation made the costly decision to introduce locked doors and mandatory identification checks upon entry for the safety of staff, customers and stock. While the efforts have resulted in a marked decrease in thefts at Liquor Marts, police say shoplifters have turned their attention to retail stores instead. The buck has been passed, but the issue remains.

What, then, is the solution?

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Controlled entrances are not and should not be a viable option for most stores — imagine having to go through an airport-style security screening to enter a grocery store. That’s not what a livable, progressive society looks like.

While shoplifting rates in Manitoba are below pre-pandemic levels, the disturbing violence that has accompanied recent thefts can’t be ignored. Most small business owners can’t afford to hire dedicated security guards and install expensive security systems, making a multifaceted approach to shoplifting all the more necessary.

The police service seems to recognize the complexity of the issue. Police are already working with social service agencies to help meet the needs of shoplifters with underlying issues and a diversion program is available for first-time offenders. Of the 150 arrests made, it’s unclear how many people have been referred to social services.

This is a positive, restorative justice-minded approach but it needs to be expanded to serial shoplifters as well. It’s more than likely repeat offenders are also experiencing some form of underlying hardship.

In Manitoba, misdemeanour theft under $5,000 carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail. To push serial shoplifters through the legal system without also offering resources to curb the behaviour is a missed opportunity that only perpetuates the problem.