‘Sick and tired of it’: White Rock businesses speak out after smash-and-grabs – BC

Two White Rock, B.C., businesses are speaking out about what they say is a rise in crime in the community, after both faced smash-and-grabs and break-ins over the weekend.

Mounties have released video of one of the Saturday morning incidents, in which a thief grabs a large rock, then throws it through the glass door of Crystal Smoke and Convenience.

The manager told Global News the shop lost at least $7,000 in product, and that repairs will cost another $1,300.

“It’s very sad, because it does cost a lot of money, and it’s like extra work,” manager Saniasa Sabharwal said.

“I don’t think … anybody wants to, like, hear that sound or that feeling, because it (was) very heartbreaking.”

David Gadeke who owns the nearby David Michael of London salon had his windows smashed the same morning, and estimates the break in will cost him between $3,000 and $4,000.

“I had to spend the whole day here sweeping up the glass, it’s shot all over the street and all over the salon, and then try to recount my stock from what was stolen, what tools. I’ve had to get my old scissors out that I don’t use anymore because they stole my scissors,” he said.

RCMP are working to determine if the two incidents are related.

The suspect in the vape store break-in is described as a man wearing a white hoodie, a baseball cap, grey track pants and brown shoes.

Gadeke pinned the blame on the safe consumption site at White Rock’s Peace Arch Hospital, along with what he says is a lax legal system that doesn’t hold offenders to account.

“People don’t mind risking breaking into somewhere because they know they’re not going to get arrested, or if they do they get released.,” he said.

“There’s nothing you can do.”

South Surrey-White Rock BC Conservative MLA Trevor Halford said crime is up in the neighbourhood, and that the province isn’t doing enough to address repeat offenders.

“I have been noticing it for the past number of years here,” Halford said.

“We are seeing vandalism happening, we are seeing break-and-entering happening, and we are seeing assaults happening. This is a systemic problem that the entire province is feeling, and right now on the streets of White Rock, we are feeling it especially.”

Last week, the provincial government announced an additional $6 million in funding for a program targeting repeat offenders.

Gadeke, meanwhile, says he has no plans to pack up shop, but that he’s growing increasingly frustrated.

“Sick, sick and tired of it when you are working hard, struggling in these times,” he said.

“There’s businesses going under left, right and centre around us, and you know, people feel that it’s OK just to take something from someone else just because they couldn’t be bothered to get a job.”

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