Sault Ste. Marie Police Service has come up with a new approach to tackling shoplifting locally, and it includes holding repeat offenders for bail.
The latest statistics from the police service reveal 1,005 shoplifting incidents reported in the first nine months of 2024 — a 21-per-cent increase over the same time frame last year, and the highest number of shoplifting incidents reported to police in the past five years.
The plan to combat shoplifting was introduced to members of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Services Board during a meeting held Monday.
“We know something is going on, because there is less theft from autos, there is less theft from break-and-enters to your businesses, which is saying that the criminal subculture doesn’t have to go to that bother — they simply go into the store, steal the product and walk out,” Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Chief Hugh Stevenson told reporters following the meeting.
“Our laws have to be bolstered by all levels of government to say, this type of crime affects more people.
"It affects all of us because store costs go up in terms of security, and that gets passed on to the consumer.”
In addition to pre-existing resources that are already in place, such as education for store owners on ‘target hardening’ and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), Sault Police will increase enforcement of bail compliance by expanding its Bail Compliance and Warrant Apprehension Unit in light of recent staffing increases.
But perhaps more importantly, offenders who are either responsible for multiple offences in a day, repeat offenders or are bound by a release document for a similar offence will be held for bail as part of the new plan to curb shoplifting locally.
In his presentation to members of the police board, Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Insp. Derek Dewar called the approach to holding certain offenders for bail “a substantial increase in the aggressive stance we’re taking,” with support from the Crown Attorney’s office.
“You need to be held if you have multiple offences and you betray the orders of the court to be of good nature and behaviour — and you violate that like there’s no issue with it,” the police chief told reporters.
“That has to be fixed.”
Another part of the plan includes police enhancing their partnership with pawn shops while continuing compliance checks to ensure that stolen items are not being accepted.
The police service plans on compiling stats in order to measure the impact of this new approach to tackling shoplifting in the Sault.
More information on crime prevention for businesses can be found on the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service website.