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Business owners are watching closely to see how B.C.’s newly sworn-in cabinet will tackle what they call out-of-control crime.
Earlier this month, the operator of Vancouver’s Gourmet Warehouse called out the provincial government for what she said was a lack of action to deal with repeat offenders.
Caren McSherry said the store is dealing with a half-dozen would-be thieves daily, with thousands of dollars in losses every week.
“I am pleading to David Eby and your new government,” she told Global News.
“Do something or you will see yourself looking at empty retail spaces all over the city and this province and you won’t be able to bring them back because there is no confidence to do that.”
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On Wednesday, Premier David Eby acknowledged that retailers across the province are dealing with troubling levels of property crime.
He said rookie MLA and former Vancouver police officer Terry Yung has been tasked with working with the Ministry of Public Safety on the problem.
Is there a better way to deal with repeat offenders?
“I’ve appointed specifically a minister of state focused on this issue,” he said.
“He’s got two parts: one is community safety and the other is integrated services, making sure police have the tools they need to respond to the street disorder to ensure that retail workers are safe and to ensure that merchants are protected from organized shoplifting.”
Global News requested to speak with both Yung and new Public Safety Minister Garry Begg about how they plan to crack down on retail crime.
Staff, however, said neither were available on Wednesday.
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