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Shoplifting in Canada | What does it say about the economy?
Shoplifting in Canada | What does it say about the economy?
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00:00The crime of shoplifting appears to be spiraling out of control in Canada.
00:05Retailers are facing losses in the billions, with businesses considering closing down for
00:09good.
00:10SCTV's Paul Hollingsworth explains Nova Scotia has struggled the most with the surge.
00:16The owner of this Halifax clothing store is not surprised shoplifting is on the rise in
00:22Nova Scotia, up 21 percent in one year.
00:26I don't doubt it.
00:27I mean, I think in retail, that's a problem, always has been for the 52 years we've been
00:32open.
00:33Based on population per 1,000 people, Nova Scotia has the highest rate of shoplifting
00:38out of all 10 Canadian provinces.
00:41Yukon has a higher rate, but with a much smaller population.
00:45Ross McNeil and his staff maintain a watchful eye for thieves on a daily basis.
00:51They'll come in and try to grab something, go out the door.
00:54Retail analyst Bruce Winder says in tough economic times, people sometimes grow desperate,
01:00and shoplifting often increases.
01:02Everything from homeless rates to unemployment rate, you'd have to look at average income.
01:08The problem has become so serious that the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation has now pulled
01:13some products from the shelves, placing them in secure areas as a deterrent for would-be
01:20thieves.
01:21If a store believes that a product is being taken more frequently than others, then they
01:28may make the choice to put it behind the shelf.
01:32Theft has caused financial wreckage within the retail industry.
01:37If you look in the United States, a number of big chains have actually closed stores.
01:42Some store owners in Nova Scotia likely won't survive if shoplifting continues its upward
01:48trend.
01:50Paul Hullingsworth, CTV News, Halifax.