Windsor police look to compile shoplifting stats differently due to unco-operative retailers

Windsor's police chief says 22 per cent of the thefts under $5,000 this year have been due to shoplifting.

But he says one retailer in particular is reporting 30 per cent of those shoplifting incidents.

And he says that retailer won't co-operate with police to prevent future shoplifting. He says since police can't do much to prevent those occurrences they will likely begin to report those cases separately.

"They're going to be reported in two sets of statistics, the one that we know the police can address and work with partners to do something and other statistics that people are reporting but have no interest in participating in afterwards and I think that's fair," said Chief Jason Bellaire at a recent Windsor Police Services Board meeting.

Police won't say which store they're talking about.

Police have been holding meetings with BIA members on Ottawa Street and Erie Street to help them make it harder for criminals to victimize shop owners.

Pharmacist Tim Brady said while hold ups of pharmacies are down because drugs are kept in safes with timers. But he says shoplifting is up and it can cost them plenty.

"Like big chain stores, you're talking into the 10s of thousands of dollars a year, if not more, depending on the locations," said Brady.

Windsor Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce president Rakesh Naidu said losses due to shoplifting can put a store's viability at risk.

"Which potentially could also lead to losses for jobs for some people that are employed in these retail stores and in some cases the stores may close down," said Naidu.

Bellaire said the shoplifting stats from stores that won't co-operate with police in prevention programs will be "bolted on" as an addendum to the other statistics.