Grocery store thefts on the rise as managers look for ways to slow down five-finger discounts
Every day, Esposito Market manager Normand Shannon goes over the "Most Wanted" list with his staff, including screen grabs of shoplifters taken from the store's surveillance cameras.
"You've got the person who steals because he's in misery and has no money," said Shannon. "You've got the person who has no money and comes here and steals food, and you got the third type of person who comes in here and steals a lot."
Thefts in grocery stores are on the rise, and stores are searching for new ways to stop them.
Big-ticket items like wine, cheese and beef are the most popular items to lift.
"A lot of people just sneak or rush out," said cashier Mary Barrett. "Once, I said, like, 'Hey!' and tried to stop him, and he just pushed past me."
Confronting thieves can be dangerous and is not recommended, so some grocery chains have taken action by installing more security measures in self-checkout lines or adding anti-theft stickers on meat.
"You see barriers on the exits and anti-theft devices on products," said Dalhousie University professor Sylvain Charlebois. "I think we need to have a broader conversation about what's actually happening right now."
Charlebois said that grocery store chains and the Retail Council of Canada should release data on the number of thefts occurring so consumers understand why they are seeing these kinds of measures.
While Shannon understands that consumers are struggling with inflation, he is going to continue to keep an eye out and hopes that, eventually, prices and thefts will go down.
Have a news tip? We'd like to hear your story. Please send an email to MontrealDigitalNews@BellMedia.ca
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Board orders deportation for trucker in horrific Humboldt Broncos crash
The truck driver who caused the horrific bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team has been ordered to be deported.
Community mourns victims of fatal boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
The three people killed in last weekend's tragic collision between a speedboat and a fishing boat north of Kingston are being remembered Friday.
A woman took her dog to a shelter to be euthanized. A year later, the dog is up for adoption again
Exhausted and short on options after consulting two veterinary clinics, Kristie Pereira made the gut-wrenching decision last year to take her desperately ill puppy to a Maryland shelter to be euthanized.
Group tied to Islamic State plotted fatal Ontario restaurant shooting: Crown
A gunman who is accused of killing a young Ontario man and shooting four of his family members at their small Mississauga restaurant in 2021 was allegedly part of a trio who had pledged allegiance to the listed terrorist group Islamic State, a Crown attorney said in an opening statement in the Brampton murder trial this week.
'A really bad car crash': Why health experts are raising concerns over surging syphilis cases
A sexually transmitted infection (STI) that was once thought to be a thing of the past is now a public health priority for North American doctors.
Purolator truck drivers from Guelph, Ont. save man walking in Hwy. 407 lanes
A pair of Purolator transport truck drivers from Guelph, Ont. are being hailed as heroes for their efforts in helping a person in crisis.
Trudeau responds to American senators calling on Canada to increase defence spending
Stopping short of offering the assurance U.S. senators are seeking, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is aware there's more work to do in order to see Canada meet NATO's defence spending target.
Toddler dies after being struck by recycling truck in Barrie, Ont. neighbourhood
A toddler has died after being struck by a recycling truck in a Barrie, Ont. neighbourhood on Thursday afternoon.
Milk sold in Canadian grocery stores tested for avian influenza; results released
As avian flu spreads south of the border, Canadian officials are now testing samples of milk sold in grocery stores across the country.