‘It’s every day’: Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim launches retail security task force

Vancouver city council is launching a task force to address rampant retail crime.

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is establishing a retail security task force to address retail crime.

On Wednesday, city council discussed a motion that would create a task force of representatives from the Vancouver Police Department, local business improvement associations, social service organizations, and other relevant stakeholders.

The motion, originally tabled by ABC Coun. Brian Montague, passed unanimously, with councillors Pete Fry, Rebecca Bligh and Lisa Dominato absent.

Provincial support

Montague said the task force will work on addressing the root causes of retail theft and help to establish solutions.

While the Vancouver Police Department has initiatives such as Project Barcode to target individuals responsible for violent thefts and shoplifting, he added, the city wants to look at other tools.

“We definitely have to bring the province on board,” he said. “We need to deal with individuals, violent repeat offenders that are constantly committing a large portion of of these problems.”

Once the task force is formed, it’s expected to present a report to council within six months.

‘Anxiety and nervousness’

Stephen Kim, the business development manager with Bicycle Sports Pacific, said these kinds of crimes have become a chronic problem at the downtown Vancouver shop.

“It’s every day we’re interacting with people coming in here wanting to steal locks, steal bicycles, steal product,” he said. “It’s getting very frustrating.”

Kim said staff are stretched, often having to act as store security.

“I see a lot of stress,” he said. “I see a lot of anxiety and nervousness. Not knowing what to do, how to handle the situation.”

At times, it’s become dangerous for Kim.

He recalled three violent incidents, including one when he asked a man to leave the store.

“We heard him using a skateboard to try to hit our windows,” he said. “I went out to interact with him and ask him politely not to break our window, and he attacked me with a skateboard.”

Kim added the uptick in retail theft began during the pandemic and has failed to subside.

He said the business has tried everything, from shifting to an appointment-only model at the store, to rearranging the layout to deter people from stealing.

Nothing, he said, seems to work.

“Same faces, same people, no matter how many times you see them stop,” he said.

12-per-cent increase

In March, the Vancouver Police Department hosted a retail crime forum.

According to the VPD, there was a 12-per-cent increase in shoplifting incidents in 2024 compared to 2023.

There was a 40-per-cent jump in shoplifting incidents in Vancouver’s downtown during the same time period and a three-per-cent increase in robberies.