Police to monitor for break-ins, thefts amid temporary business closures
Situation unprecedented but experience suggests closures don't necessarily cause thefts, police say
Guelph police say patrol officers will be watching for break-ins and thefts as businesses temporarily close their doors amid the provincial state of emergency.
Const. Kyle Grant said he understands business owners may be feeling increased stress at this time.
"When a business is vacant or empty, and there's no one there, that would be that temptation," he said.
"We are aware, and we are continuing to monitor and patrol."
Grant said there's no evidence from previous holiday closures — such as on Christmas Day — that widespread store closures necessarily correlate to an increase in break-ins.
"Break-ins are something that routinely happens in the city of Guelph, and it's something that we've seen before the COVID-19 pandemic," he said. "It's something that we're going to see during, and unfortunately, it's going to be something that we see afterwards."
Grant said people should report any suspicious behaviour to police.
Bar owner says break-in would be 'crippling'
Tammy Lawrence owns Rhapsody Barrel Bar in downtown Kitchener. She posted on a sign on her restaurant window to make it clear that cash and alcohol were removed from the premises when the restaurant closed.
Lawrence says closing has already been a strain. Dealing with property damage or a theft would make things worse.
"I definitely don't need that," she said. "That sort of thing, that's crippling to a small business like me."
Waterloo regional police say they're aware that many businesses have closed temporarily due to COVID-19 and that officers will still be on patrol and will respond to calls for service.
"As seen over the past few days, our community plays a substantive role in our response to COVID-19. We encourage everyone to come together and look out for each other," said Const. Ashley Dietrich in an emailed statement.
The Uptown Waterloo Business Improvement Area also plans to send a newsletter to its members reminding them to stay on top of security precautions, said executive director Tracy Van Kalsbeek.