'Nobody's doing anything': Exchange District store owners call for help in reducing property crime

Smash-and-grab robberies are causing major problems for some Exchange District business owners, who are calling on officials for more support to stop property crime.

It happened this week at Corrientes, an Argentinian restaurant in the Exchange District. Someone broke in early Tuesday morning, stealing several bottles of liquor before escaping through the shattered window.

“When I checked the cameras, I saw a guy just breaking the window," said owner Alfonso Maury, adding that repair costs are significant. "Between the alcohol and the window replacement, around $2000."

Maury says crime has been a major concern in the area for some time now. "It’s the third time in a year, nobody cares. Nobody’s doing anything," he said.

Other business owners in the area are echoing Maury's feelings of frustration. Two weeks ago, Harrison's Coffee on Waterfront Drive also experienced an early morning break-in.

"They stole a cash register, a laptop, an iPad, and broke our POS as well," said owner Al Dawson.

According to the Winnipeg Police Service, there have been 14 calls for commercial break-and-enters in the Exchange District over the past ten weeks.

The Manitoba Restaurant and Foodservices Association says these types of thefts are happening province-wide. "It’s significantly more post-pandemic than pre-pandemic for sure," said CEO Shaun Jeffrey. "But it seems that it's rapidly increasing in the last 12 to 24 months."

Jeffrey wants elected officials to help find long-term solutions.

"To come to the table and try to work with our industry to try to solve these, or at least try to curb the increase we’re seeing here," he said.

Maury would like to see more surveillance cameras, and more early morning patrols in the neighbourhood to help deter property crime.

"When is it going to happen again because the feeling is, it will. It will. And nobody’s doing anything about it,” Maury said.

He's paying out of pocket for the damages and losses. Maury said it's not worth making an insurance claim for theft under $5000, as it would mean higher insurance premiums next year.

In a statement, councillor Vivian Santos said she's happy to see the province is investing $10 million to hire more police officers to patrol downtown, including the Exchange District.

However, she said it is a short-term solution, and the government should be funding more housing-first models with culturally-appropriate wrap-around supports.