Transcona butcher baffled by beef burglary, sausage snatching
Dana Hatherly | CBC News | Posted: June 18, 2019 8:28 PM | Last Updated: June 18, 2019
Large butcher knife and cash also believed stolen during break-in
A Transcona butcher shop is cut up after a nasty heist of meaty goods, cash and a knife.
Butcher Christopher Campbell said some meatheads peeled through an exterior wall "like a tin can" to snatch the products from EastEnd Meats & Sausage on Regent Avenue early Monday morning.
"I couldn't believe it … it literally looks like a 200 pound rat came crawling through the wall," Campbell said about the thieves who allegedly broke into the washroom after unsuccessfully trying to tunnel into two other spots along the building.
The store's motion detector went off at about 4 a.m. By the time the staff arrived at 8 a.m. to open up shop, the store was vacated — but not before the burglar snarfed up some beef tenderloin, sausage and a long, sharp butcher knife.
Campbell believes the crooks took off with about $1,000 in cash and a couple hundred dollars worth of meat in a couple of armloads.
Campbell said he is most concerned about his missing 13-inch butcher knife, which he described as "sharp enough to cut through bone." He believes it could pose a risk to the public if in the wrong hands. The meat manager believes the suspect still on the loose.
Winnipeg police are investigating the incident reported Monday, but did not say if they had any suspects.
Police spokesperson Rob Carver said in an email that "thefts of meat from grocery stores occur every single day, as would be expected," due to the high retail price per item compared to other products. But, he said, break-ins targeting meat products are rare.
"People are doing just about anything for money," Campbell said in exasperation.