Province cracking down on liquor thefts
Posted Jan 20, 2020 4:51 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
EDMONTON (660 NEWS) — It’s a worsening problem in the province, and the government wants to put a cork in it.
Liquor thefts are on the rise, especially in Edmonton, and the United Conservative Party is establishing a working group to find some solutions.
“It’s leading to millions of dollars of theft of product, but also public safety is the big concern here,” said Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer during a press conference at a liquor store in Edmonton. “We want to make sure that we keep people that work in these stores safe, as well as patrons in these stores, to make sure they have a safe and welcoming environment.”
The numbers from the provincial capital are quite staggering.
Police responded to more than 9,500 liquor store thefts in 2019, an average of 26 per day. That’s about three times as much as 2018 when police were called to 3,273 incidents.
In Calgary, it is also an emerging problem — but not entirely on the level as our northern neighbours. Statistics from Calgary police show they responded to 2,490 thefts in 2019, with the worst month being September when there were 297 separate thefts.
Leduc-Beaumont MLA Brad Rutherford is leading the provincial working group.
“It’s looking at what police see the problem as, the symptoms of it and what can be done. It’s the same with the Crown and the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission. So I’m trying to get a sense from each individual group what they see the solution to be and what the potential problem is,” he said. “As for an end timeline, I’ll work within the Minister’s schedule for that, but right now, we don’t have a set end date for it.”
The group also includes representatives with the Alberta Liquor Store Association, Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, RCMP, Calgary and Edmonton police, and the AGLC.
In including the Crown, Rutherford said there are concerns about a lack of convictions in the cases and hard work from police going unrewarded.
“The prosecution rate at this point: 50 per cent of the cases are dropped, and then two per cent of the cases reach a conviction,” he said. “In hearing that number, I find that disappointing.”
The province also believes that organized crime is fuelling the increase, as many of the thefts seem orchestrated and well-planned.
During the press conference in Edmonton, one possible idea was shown to require customers to scan an ID card before entering the store.
“We’re confident we’ll make a difference,” said Alcanna CEO James Burns. “Will it stop it? No. If someone is really determined, they just wait for a real customer and follow in behind them. But everything you put in their way, every time you make it a little harder, it’s a little better than it was before.”
Along with increased security measures, the working group will look at enforcement strategies, legal measures and deterrence methods.
