Windsor, Ont., police stop taking some retail theft reports, prompting criticism

The Retail Council of Canada is questioning a decision by Windsor, Ont., police to stop accepting retail theft reports from companies that won't co-operate with criminal investigations.

At a board meeting last month, Windsor police Chief Jason Bellaire said the service is "looking to do more and better with our time."

"We're not going to be accepting any complaints that nobody wants to do anything about," Bellaire said.

But Rui Rodrigues of the Retail Council of Canada told CBC that Windsor police should be accepting all reports of theft, no exceptions.

"I would say Windsor police can't make that call, and I say that frankly. Citizens have a right to report that crime and police have a right to receive that crime. That's their duty."

Retail theft has been a growing concern in many parts of Canada and the U.S. in recent years.

September statistics for Windsor police show a 3.6 per cent jump in theft compared to the same month last year. However, the statistics don't specify how many of those are retail thefts.

In June, Windsor police reported 22 per cent of the overall number of thefts under $5,000 were related to shoplifting. The service said there's one retailer reporting 30 per cent of those incidents, but has no interest in co-operating with police for prevention efforts.

Police haven't publicly named that retailer.

"We're not going to have someone just reporting 30 thefts from the week, on a Saturday, as a matter of filing their paperwork. We're just not interested in dealing with that anymore," said Bellaire.

It appears the changes have already happened. On the Windsor police website, it won't allow someone to report a retail theft if there's no interest in pressing charges or providing a witness statement.

Bellaire hasn't been available for media questions following the September and August board meetings. Windsor police also did not respond to subsequent email requests for an interview with Bellaire about these changes.

By comparison, other police services in Ontario do things a bit differently.

Toronto police say they will accept reports of theft under $5,000 "whether or not the retailer has the desire to co-operate with any proceedings."