Family-run vintage shop owner frustrated by thefts amid reported rise in retail crime in B.C.
Stoxx Vintage store owner says brazen shoplifting incidents becoming more frequent, costly
Tricia Hall remembers what it took to keep her family business alive when the pandemic hit just about six months after it opened.
"I can tell you, it was traumatic yet fun," said Hall, owner of Stoxx Vintage, a Black-owned, family-run thrift and vintage clothing store in Vancouver.
"We came together, worked seven days a week, and we pulled through and we're still here."
Today, the business has expanded to locations in Burnaby's Metrotown and Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. But Hall said while the business weathered the pandemic, it's now facing a different kind of challenge: a steady rise in theft.
Over the past few years, she said theft and attempted theft have become a regular burden, especially at her Burnaby store and Kingsgate Mall location in Vancouver.
"We feel that we have to watch everyone all the time, and it's not a nice feeling."
This week, a man walked into the Metrotown store and left with a $300 Carhartt jacket without paying.
"He basically came in, we trusted him, had a nice conversation ... and within seconds, less than 30 seconds, he stole an expensive jacket," she said, adding she has reported the incident to police.
Burnaby RCMP confirmed in a statement to CBC News that they are investigating the incident. They said the number of shoplifting files in Burnaby has increased significantly — 3,685 in 2024 compared to 2,437 in 2023.
Police said the detachment's Community Response Team has launched several "Boost and Bust" operations to address retail theft. In March, a two-day initiative at Metrotown led to 22 arrests, the seizure of weapons and drugs, and recovery of over $2,800 in stolen goods.
Still, Hall said incidents across her stores have been frequent and sometimes bold. One person, she said, once stole a pair of shoes and then returned trying to sell them back. In other cases, she said thieves had getaway cars waiting outside.
"At times when the police do get involved, it feels like nothing happens. I've never been called to testify," Hall said. "I feel that the people perpetrating these crimes are realizing that there's not really any repercussions."
She has installed more security cameras but the added precautions come with costs.
"There's no room to hike prices," she said. "I can't pass that on to the customers."
Retail crime 'pretty common' across Metro Vancouver and B.C.
In Vancouver, police reported a 12-per-cent increase in shoplifting in 2024 compared to the year before, and a 40 per cent spike in the downtown core.
The issue, say advocates, is not limited to a few stores.
Jess Ketchum, co-founder of the Save Our Streets coalition, said shoplifting and violent incidents are "pretty common" across B.C.
"There have been many businesses that have, in fact, gone out of business because of it," he told CBC News.
Ketchum said owners are struggling with rising costs, security issues, staffing challenges and trouble securing insurance. He added while theft should be addressed, many incidents are linked to untreated mental illness and addiction.
"It's estimated that about 50 per cent of these crimes are a result of addictions and mental health," he said. "You can't just throw these people in jail. That's just not the right thing to do. We need a full continuum of care so people can receive the treatment they require."
In response, Vancouver city council voted last month to form a Retail Security Task Force under the mayor's office. Its goal is to study the root causes of shoplifting and assess responses ranging from enforcement to social supports.
The City of Vancouver has also hired more than 200 new police officers and 35 mental health professionals, expanded crisis response teams, and the VPD has launched Task Force Barrage to target organized crime in the Downtown Eastside.
Hall said she just wants to see more accountability and support for business owners trying to stay open and safe.
"[This is] a space that is created with a lot of love, so it's just disheartening when people are coming in with bad intentions."
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