Winnipeg businesses were able to see the tools and knowledge available to them to help keep their stores safe amid a rise in thefts and vandalism. The Sargent Business Community hosted a forum and symposium at the West End Cultural Centre on Monday. Attendees listened to panels and met other businesses to focus on practical crime prevention strategies. According to Sargent Business Community executive director Michael Paille, West End businesses have been busy dealing with theft, robberies, and vandalism at their stores in recent years. “We have to now look at protecting our establishments, putting in cameras, making sure our customers are safe, making sure our staff are safe, and making sure that the customers’ cars are safe,” he said. “It’s now become a bigger picture, [and] a lot more for a business to have to deal with.” Paille notes thieves have become more sophisticated in recent years. “A lot of it is getting organized,” he said. “One person will come in and talk to you at one side of the store, and the other person is taking stuff at the other side.” Grassroots support and reporting retail crimes are the best ways to help businesses combat the issue, Paille said. “Working together is the only way to make this work,” he said. The seminar also featured information from Justice Minister Matt Wiebe on how Manitoba businesses can get grants for alarm systems and security cameras.
