London Drugs president and chief operating officer Clint Mahlman has seen a lot in his nearly 40 years with the company, but he says the company has no plans to close stores due to escalating violence and theft, though the issue has reached a 91裸聊视频渃risis point91裸聊视频� for Canadian retailers.
Mahlman told The Canadian Press in an interview Wednesday that the company was disappointed to learn that a Vancouver city councillor said on social media that London Drugs was considering closing one of its main stores in the city, at the intersection of Granville and Georgia streets, due to crime.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e invested significant resources to ensure it remains a safe place to shop and work for our staff,91裸聊视频� he said.
Mahlman said there91裸聊视频檚 no truth to the statement and it needlessly worried staff and customers.
91裸聊视频淭he key issue in all of this is the escalating violence, vandalism and economic loss,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲e are at a crisis point in retail, but nothing is close to being decided on any store closures.91裸聊视频�
Mahlman said closing any locations would be a last resort, and a matter between London Drugs and its landlords and employees, not the media and local politicians.
Retail theft and escalating violence has been an issue for many years, and working with police and government to combat the rise in organized theft remains a large concern, Mahlman said.
91裸聊视频淔rankly, we need all levels of government, including the City of Vancouver, to act now,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淐itizens, customers talk all the time about being afraid to walk the streets, particularly in the downtowns. It91裸聊视频檚 not just a Vancouver issue. We hear this throughout the province.91裸聊视频�
Mahlman said there91裸聊视频檚 been no decisions made about closing stores due to crime, but it91裸聊视频檚 not out of the question if nothing changes, and policymakers need to take heed of the toll on businesses caused by theft and violence.
Mahlman said it91裸聊视频檚 sad that repeat offenders have targeted retailers 91裸聊视频渟eemingly without consequence.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 giving them licence to come back more often and create more crime,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭his isn91裸聊视频檛 petty theft. This is organized retail crime.91裸聊视频�
He said London Drugs staff have had to deal with 91裸聊视频渉orrible91裸聊视频� acts of violence, and the company has had to train people to de-escalate dangerous situations to avoid violence.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e had staff hit with hatchets, stabbed, threats of knives, threats of needles, bear-sprayed, physical assault,91裸聊视频� he said.
He said London Drugs is a private company and couldn91裸聊视频檛 release exact numbers about the toll of theft on the company91裸聊视频檚 operations, but said it91裸聊视频檚 in the ballpark of 91裸聊视频渢ens of millions91裸聊视频� each year.
91裸聊视频淭hat doesn91裸聊视频檛 include the replacement of broken windows and vandalism or the human toll of leaves of absence,91裸聊视频� he said.
Mahlman said there91裸聊视频檚 no truth to reports of the company potentially closing its downtown Vancouver stores, but he said 91裸聊视频渁ll options have to be on the table if we can91裸聊视频檛 get government help to deal with this.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淭hat includes the potential of closing stores in the future if nothing changes due to this escalating violence and vandalism and the economic loss,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淏ut at the end of the day, it91裸聊视频檚 about protecting our people from the repeat violent offenders.91裸聊视频�
READ ALSO:
