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