Thefts on the rise in downtown Halifax

Downtown Halifax is a prime retail location with heavy foot traffic, but in recent years rising thefts have significantly impacted businesses.

“We’ve seen a dramatic increase,” said Sue Uteck, executive director of Spring Garden Area Business Association. “The theft is more brazen. I think it’s a reflection of the social services in the landscape out here.”

Uteck said Halifax Regional Police provided crime stats for the Halifax-area, which suggest a year-over-year increase in thefts.

Uteck believes the number is much higher.

“We have a serious lack of police presence in the Spring Garden area. A lot of businesses don’t bother to report theft. We’ve had two police town hall meetings in the last two years and that’s the number one complaint from businesses is that they call to report something and either there is no follow up or the follow up is days later,” she said.

Co-owner of Jennifer’s of Nova Scotia, Kurt Bulger, said the store has been in Halifax’s downtown core for more than 40 years and has always had to combat shoplifting. However, it has been especially worse in the last two years.

“It’s off the charts for us. We’re normally below less than half of our sales is accounted for by theft. Last year we went up two-and-a-half, which for us is a huge spike,” he said.

The store does not carry essential items or luxury brands, yet Bulger said that has not stopped shoplifters from targeting it. He is frustrated with the lack of police presence in the area.

“It’s non-existent at a time when we have more people on the street and a huge rise in population,” he said.

Bulger is one of the shop owners in the downtown area who does not bother reporting thefts to the police anymore.

“They really don’t do anything to help us with it. In the 40 years we’ve been here, we’ve only been able to prosecute two cases,” he said.

He has had to hire additional staff to target thieves.

“Labour costs go up sure, but the amount of theft we suffered was nowhere near what its going to cost [to] hire two people,” he said.

Downtown Dartmouth has also seen an increase in thefts; however, it is not as bad.

“We have more of a police presence here and we’re working with Halifax Regional Municipality [where] we hired a new street navigator,” said Tim Rissesco, chief executive officer of Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission.

Rissesco said businesses in Dartmouth are seeing up to three thefts a month.

“There is always concerns related to this. When you see this happen the concern is will it increase,” he said.

CTV News reached out to Halifax Regional Police asking if it will increase its numbers in the downtown core, but was told it would not be able to meet Tuesday's deadline to comment. 

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