Maple Ridge business closing shop due to open drug use, threats

The City of Maple Ridge has community safety programs but one councillor said there's only so much the city can do.

A business owner in downtown Maple Ridge, B.C., said he can not tolerate operating in the neighbourhood any longer.

Adnan Polat, Gold Rush Jewellers owner, said he has made the decision to close his shop in Maple Ridge and find a new location due to rampant drug use, threats and crime on the street.

“Every day I (have to) call security at least four to five times,” he said. “This is a bad situation. I (ask them) to please move, they do drugs and do not want to be interrupted. Most of them do not listen and argue with me. They threaten you, ‘I will break your window.’”

His window has been broken in the past, costing him $3,000.

According to Polat, the constant loitering and petty crime are affecting his customers and, in turn, costing him money.

“There is no way to do business here,” he said. “Customers call me and say they want to come to the store and if I can help them get into the store the back way … (The customers) are scared to (come).”

A security company that works in the downtown area said the issues are being felt across the downtown core at many establishments.

“We’re trying our best. (We are) trying to (mitigate) bad impact on the businesses but it sometimes gets out of control because there are too many (bad interactions),” Niloo Asadi, a Westridge Security manager, said.