Uniformed city police are now patrolling a shoplifting hot spot where three employees were recently attacked, one month after the provincial government pledged to further crack down on retail crime.
“They are not regular, but they are popping in randomly,” said Ramsey Zeid, manager of the Food Fare near Portage Avenue and Burnell Street, where a pair of officers were stationed near the grocery store’s entrance Saturday afternoon.
“They are increasing services to us and the hours vary. They don’t let us know when they are coming, but when they come down they spend three to four hours at a time,” Zeid said Saturday. “And sometimes, they also just pop in and ask how everything is going.”
The officers have been a welcome sight at the West End grocery store where shoplifting incidents and violence have escalated in recent weeks.
Food Fare is not paying for the enhanced officer presence, which is believed to be part of the Winnipeg Police Service’s ongoing retail theft initiative, Zeid said.
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS file
Food Fare store at 995 Portage Avenue has been the site of a few incidents between staff members and suspected shoplifters.
The officers have been appearing over the last “couple of weeks” and have already helped reduce instances of shoplifting and arrested some suspects, he said.
“We are a small local business and the reality is we can’t afford to hire full-time police,” Zeid said.
“We are happy that they are doing it — we wish they could do it even more often. There’s no doubt there is a problem with crime and I do think Winnipeg police need more resources and more officers.”
Winnipeg police declined to provide updates on the retail theft initiative Sunday and would not confirm whether it has led to further arrests.
Attempts to reach Justice Minister Matt Wiebe over the weekend were unsuccessful, but last month his government pledged to pay overtime costs for police assigned to patrol retail crime hot spots.
WPS Chief Danny Smyth later briefed the Winnipeg Police Board on the initiative, revealing officers would increasingly target businesses in the Exchange, West End and Osborne Village neighbourhoods throughout June.
The cost of the additional shifts was to be covered by $387,000 in provincial cash, the board heard.
Ravi Ramberran — who runs the Four Crowns Inn, Dreamland Diner, St. James Burger and the Stagger Inn — said police response times have noticeably improved in recent weeks as enforcement ramps up.
“When we call (police), they are there right away and they go hunting,” he said Sunday. “The response on this stuff has been very, very welcomed.”
John Woods / Free Press file
Food Fare employees have been assaulted on the job and the co-owners car has been set on fire in the past.
Ramberran continues to deal with incidents at his businesses throughout the city. Many of the suspects caught on camera or by police are youth, and several are repeat offenders who have targeted his businesses in the past, he said.
The restaurateur believes retail and property crimes are primarily fuelled by offenders who believe they will not face consequences.
He said he has heard suspects openly mock police as they were arrested, saying they will be back on the streets in less than a day.
“I can tell you, 100 per cent, they know they can get away with it,” Ramberran said. “Unfortunately, the morals and the fear that people normally have when they are being arrested is just not there… I think (Winnipeg police are) doing a great job, but they have their hands full with this nonsense.”
He called for bail reform — something the NDP government has pledged to prioritize.
John Graham, director of government relations for the Prairies for the Retail Council of Canada, agreed police have been “significantly more active” in recent weeks, helping the retail community with safety and security.
“(The council) has appreciated recent police efforts to target areas of the city and businesses where there have been an escalation of incidents. The additional presence is an important signal to business owners, employees and customers.”
Graham said the council has asked to meet with the justice minister “to better understand the government’s vision for supporting retail incidents and to share our view that an enhanced police response is just one of many tactics for addressing these ongoing challenges.”
Food Fare has experienced significant crime, particularly at its West End location.
Recent violence at the store has included a fight between a store supervisor and a woman over a pack of hotdogs, three employees being attacked by five masked and armed assailants, and two vehicles owned by the store’s family members being torched by two women who had been escorted out of the store.
A 17-year old man was arrested in connection to the group assault on the employees. The teen was charged with three counts of assault with a weapon and one count of possessing a prohibited or restricted weapon before being releasing on an undertaking. No other charges have been announced in the attack or the other incidents.
“We need to de-escalate the situation, specifically at Food Fare,” Wiebe said last month.
A Free Press-Probe Research poll published Friday found the negative impacts of shoplifting extend beyond lost items, with 45 per cent of respondents saying they don’t shop at places they believe are theft hot spots.
Another 45 per cent said they worry about being physically attacked by a shoplifter.
Shoplifting incidents rose by 45.2 per cent last year in Winnipeg and 13.7 per cent over a five-year average, according to Winnipeg police’s annual statistical report released last week.
kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca
Kevin Rollason
Reporter
Whether it is covering city hall, the law courts, or general reporting, Kevin can be counted on to not only answer the 5 Ws — Who, What, When, Where and Why — but to do it in an interesting and accessible way for readers.
Tyler Searle
Reporter
Since joining the paper in 2022, Tyler has found himself driving through blizzards, documenting protests and scouring the undersides of bridges for potential stories.
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