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 害羞草研究所渃risis point害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e invested significant resources to ensure it remains a safe place to shop and work for our staff,害羞草研究所� he said.
Mahlman said there害羞草研究所檚 no truth to the statement and it needlessly worried staff and customers.
害羞草研究所淭he key issue in all of this is the escalating violence, vandalism and economic loss,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e are at a crisis point in retail, but nothing is close to being decided on any store closures.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淔rankly, we need all levels of government, including the City of Vancouver, to act now,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淐itizens, customers talk all the time about being afraid to walk the streets, particularly in the downtowns. It害羞草研究所檚 not just a Vancouver issue. We hear this throughout the province.害羞草研究所�
Mahlman said there害羞草研究所檚 been no decisions made about closing stores due to crime, but it害羞草研究所檚 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 it害羞草研究所檚 sad that repeat offenders have targeted retailers 害羞草研究所渟eemingly without consequence.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 giving them licence to come back more often and create more crime,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭his isn害羞草研究所檛 petty theft. This is organized retail crime.害羞草研究所�
He said London Drugs staff have had to deal with 害羞草研究所渉orrible害羞草研究所� acts of violence, and the company has had to train people to de-escalate dangerous situations to avoid violence.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e had staff hit with hatchets, stabbed, threats of knives, threats of needles, bear-sprayed, physical assault,害羞草研究所� he said.
He said London Drugs is a private company and couldn害羞草研究所檛 release exact numbers about the toll of theft on the company害羞草研究所檚 operations, but said it害羞草研究所檚 in the ballpark of 害羞草研究所渢ens of millions害羞草研究所� each year.
害羞草研究所淭hat doesn害羞草研究所檛 include the replacement of broken windows and vandalism or the human toll of leaves of absence,害羞草研究所� he said.
Mahlman said there害羞草研究所檚 no truth to reports of the company potentially closing its downtown Vancouver stores, but he said 害羞草研究所渁ll options have to be on the table if we can害羞草研究所檛 get government help to deal with this.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭hat includes the potential of closing stores in the future if nothing changes due to this escalating violence and vandalism and the economic loss,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淏ut at the end of the day, it害羞草研究所檚 about protecting our people from the repeat violent offenders.害羞草研究所�
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