Winnipeg police cracking down on retail thefts, 151 arrests made

Winnipeg police are trying to crack down on retail thefts through an initiative that started in November.

WPS says shoplifting has become a major problem within the city.

“We see suspects brazenly enter stores, taking items with no effort to conceal them and brandishing a weapon at employees, security, and any customers that are in their way. This has led to innocent people, who are just going about their day being assaulted, bear-sprayed, and stabbed,” said Insp. Jennifer McKinnon, Winnipeg Police Service.

Between January and August, there were 3,745 reported incidents of shoplifting. Compared to the same time frame in 2022, that’s a 44 per cent increase.

The new initiative identifies retail theft “hot spots” using crime data to focus enforcement efforts and hopefully reduce retail theft, which between January and August of 2023, increased by 44 per cent over last year and has become more extreme. 

“While we have seen a significant year-over-year increase, we are still below pre-pandemic levels, however, the circumstances around these incidents have changed considerably, moving from liquor stores to retail outlets,” said Winnipeg police in a statement.

“Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. In some cases, there have been violent consequences as retail staff and members of the public have been injured.”

Police pointed to a recent incident where a 59-year-old employee was stabbed at a Notre Dame Business while trying to assist security, resulting in several charges against an 18-year-old man in connection to that robbery and another on Donald Street.

Since the initiative began, Winnipeg police have made 151 arrests connected to thefts.

Eric Luke, the Inspector responsible for the central district, says given the fact every store is different and faces different challenges, police are there to work with specific businesses to protect their bottom line, and more importantly, their employees and patrons. 

“It’s pretty hard to say there’s one solution that will solve every retailer’s problems,” said Luke. We talk about the economic impact, but there’s a huge human toll to this as well.”

Supt. of community engagement Bonnie Emerson says while officers are out in full force, the WPS understands situations where people are shoplifting are complex, and says those just trying to survive, are not the focus of the new program — and people who need help, will get get support, as opposed to scrutiny.

“Diversion is — where appropriate — our first option that we would utilize. If it was the case that these were crimes of desperation, crimes of poverty, those co-occurring complex issues are part of it, that would be an opportunity where we would divert,” said Emerson.