Shoplifting seems to be up as grocery prices rise in Montreal: expert
Montreal grocers are reporting higher rates of theft at their stores as costs associated with livestock, transportation, and labour rise around the world.
“I've seen it all. I've seen it all,” says Shalina Davis, a clerk at Le Marché Esposito – a grocery store in Monkland Village.
She says someone recently bagged fifty bucks of groceries at once and headed out the door.
Davis told CTV he made his getaway in a taxi waiting outside.
“The (taxi’s) door was open and everything. He just sprints into the taxicab and takes off.”
Employees are familiar with the most common routes to a five-finger discount.
Fruit Manager Joe Isernia remembers one woman who “filled a whole carriage with vegetables, fruits, grocery items,” and put a case of beer at the bottom.
“And this is at 10 o’clock in the morning, ripping off a case of beer – I couldn’t believe it,” said Cashier Cathy Cowan.
While Montreal grocers report higher rates of thefts, shop owners across the country are also seeing a rise, according to experts.
“Every part of Canada is seeing the same thing,” said Sylvain Charlebois, professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.
“There seems to be an increasing number of infractions, theft is a growing problem in the face of higher prices.”
The meat section is a common target. Charlebois says it's being driven by the cost of groceries across the board, something any cashier can tell you firsthand.
“Three things of romaine lettuce in a bag? Seven bucks. And the highest we've ever charged is $3.99,” said Cowan.
But Charlebois says a lot of people aren't boosting steak from the supermarket to eat, they're looking to resell it, likely to a restaurant.
“If you're stealing meat from a grocer, your aim is food service,” he said.
Charlebois says that most large grocers can handle shoplifting losses, but it’s not so easy for smaller shops.
“The average grocery store would probably see three to four thousand dollars retail stolen a week,” he said.
“With a lower (profit) margin, you can't just pretend it doesn't exist, so a lot of managers will take matters into their own hands because police won't consider these cases to be significant.”
Montreal police don’t keep statistics related to grocery store theft. Some shops have hired undercover security guards to keep watch – a practice Charlebois predicts won’t be slowing down any time soon.
“We believe it's only going to get worse six months to a year from now because of food prices,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Manitoba mom praises quick-thinking fire department for freeing daughter stuck in playground equipment
A Manitoba mother is praising firefighters for their quick work in helping her daughter who got stuck at a playground in Lorette, Man.