By Angela Brown

Battlefords businesses look at theft prevention strategies

Aug 31, 2017 | 2:00 PM

About a dozen Battlefords businesses came together for a focus group on Wednesday to brainstorm some ideas about dealing with shoplifting in the area.

Battlefords Chamber of Commerce president Warren Williams hopes the event will get people talking about the problem.

“I don’t think we’re under any illusion we’ll come up with any big solutions,” he said. “Some of the tips … were helpful to our members, but what I really want to do is to get some next steps about what we can do collaboratively.

“Each individual business owner working on their own is only as powerful as their skills lead them,” he added.

Battlefords RCMP Sgt. Christopher Stephens, lawyer Eldon Lindgren, and Harris Sutherland, operations manager of Gold Eagle Casino, offered their insights to those attending the workshop.   

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Lindgren said merchants need to inform themselves about what legal rights they have, while at the same time respect the rights of the individuals entering their stores to shop.

Sutherland said some cunning shoplifters have been known to work in groups, or line their bags with tin foil to pass through a store’s metal detector without paying for goods.

The focus group also heard statistics that suggest up to 70 per cent of store thefts are staff-related.  

The group discussed the role of store security guards, as well as loss prevention officers.

“The biggest thing I think for business owners is to be aware of what is going on in their businesses,” Stephens said. “We want business owners to be proactive to try to deter theft, but if they are victims of theft we obviously don’t want them taking the law into their own hands.”

He added business owners should install video surveillance equipment to help identify the suspect, and call the RCMP right away when they discover shoplifting. 

Stephens added North Battleford doesn’t have more store theft than other communities its size, but it does have a fair amount of traffic passing through.

“Every city has an issue with shoplifting,” he said. “It’s awesome North Battleford wants to engage with other businesses in the community and help try to find a solution for this.”

Stephens pointed out people who steal from stores often have their own problems such as poverty or addictions. 

“They might be shoplifting to get money to buy baby food for their baby. There are a lot of underlying issues,” he said. “If the person is shoplifting because they can’t afford food for their kids, then the community has [agencies] in place we can help them with.

“I think it’s important that business owners understand that, and we as a group work towards finding solutions for those families.”

 angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW