How a Kamloops shoplifting poster sparked community conversations about deterring crime

Late 2023, a reader wrote The Wren suggesting we look into a photo shared on the social media platform Reddit, which sparked a wider conversation about local responses to theft. 

The post invited people to weigh in on a Kamloops shoplifting poster mounted in a local liquor store. The poster featured images pulled from security camera footage of two suspects, side by side, with the words “WARNING stay out of my store F**CKTARD THIEVES… or it won’t end up nice for you.”

“I personally think it’s incredibly unprofessional and a couple of things could have been left out of this announcement,” wrote the Redditor who posed the question. About 400 people commented with their own views on the Kamloops shoplifting poster before the moderator closed off comments.

Reader Shane Lange wrote to The Wren with concerns, pointing out that the “violent rhetoric” showed a lack of sympathy and respect for marginalised people.

“While I wholeheartedly support independent local business in principle, it’s not a free licence to arbitrarily abuse and oppress vulnerable community members,” Lange wrote. “Responsible business owners know better — and so do their customers.”

The Wren reached out to Gary Bigham, co-owner and operator of the Brock Centre Liquor Store where it was posted, to find out more.

For Bigham, the reason for posting it is simple: “Because we have video of them stealing stuff from us.”

The poster has since been taken down for reasons unrelated to the Reddit conversation, he says. But it’s a tactic they continue to use and the phrasing is chosen to catch people’s attention. 

“We have other businesses around us, where their employees come in to shop here. And that gives them a heads up as to who’s a shoplifter.”

It’s one of a few measures the business takes to deter crime, he says, including hiring security to walk the floors on busy Fridays and Saturdays, boosting staffing and upgrading security cameras. 

Bigham says he worded the poster this way because “you get to a point where you get frustrated by it, and the extra costs involved.”

“It’s not a huge amount, but at the same time. Still got to prevent it,” he says.

Can business owners ban people from their premises in this way?

Private property owners can take photos of people on their premises (except in private places like washrooms) and ban people from their property, provided they follow applicable laws.

Kamloops RCMP Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) has created a tip sheet on how local businesses can work to prevent crime, from displaying a warning about “zero tolerance” for shoplifting to changing the layout of the store.

RCMP Cprl. Crystal Evelyn would not comment on this poster specifically. But in general, she wrote via email, “Kamloops RCMP Detachment supports crime prevention initiatives, which may include banning individuals from their premises for theft and other offences.”

Generally speaking, people can communicate this however they want.

“Short of breaching any law, whether criminal, or civil, for example, we have a constitutional right to free speech,” summarised criminal lawyer Danielle Ching McNamee in a phone interview with The Wren, emphasising she is speaking to educate the public generally and not to comment on the specifics of this case, of which she is not familiar. 

One such breach of law is knowingly conveying threats to cause bodily harm or death. “In general, to meet the criminal threshold for uttering threats, there are a number of elements of the offence that need to be met, for example – is the threat direct/specific, etc.,” Evelyn said.

In other words, law enforcement would seek to answer if it is reasonable that the person who created the poster would act on the threat, McNamee says.

If there is evidence to support that they would, Evelyn says RCMP are there to respond. “If a member of the public encounters something they think may be a criminal offence, they are welcome to report to police for further investigation.”

Community members can also reach out to the business directly. “If a member of the public has a concern about something displayed inside a business or how a business goes about banning individuals from their premises, they are encouraged to speak to the business,” Evelyn added.

Some shop owners feel frustrated with local response to crime

Businesses are encouraged to report thefts to police, along with any evidence such as photos or video, Evelyn says.

“If a person who has been banned from a property returns to that property, the property owner is encouraged to call police, who can arrest the suspect under the Trespass Act,” she adds.

The trouble is, from Bigham’s perspective, calling RCMP for small crimes amounts to nothing.

“We used to, but the answer we get from them is there’s really not a lot they can do about it, because it’s not a significant dollar amount,” he says, so they don’t bother.

When asked to respond to Bigham’s observations, Evelyn said people are encouraged to report crime no matter what. “Every theft report is assessed independently, based on the information and evidence available… Even if a report does not result in a charge recommendation, the information is valuable in terms of determining crime trends and prevention strategies.”

An RCMP report to council from the period the poster was mounted showed a 27 per cent increase in business break and enter over the previous year. Kamloops RCMP told The Wren they do not track neighbourhood specific data on crime.

Though Bigham didn’t have an estimate of the financial loss from theft, the posters are a part of how they prevent crime in the store. “We post them so it’s a deterrent to other people that are maybe thinking of coming in and stealing from us. It shows that we have video surveillance and that we pay attention to it.”

He points to an example a few years back where someone commented on a poster displayed at the time to say it showed their daughter. 

“They made her come down and pay for the item and apologise. And we then took the picture down,” he recalls.

Would he post something similar again?

“Probably, as long as they keep stealing from me. We’ve got to do something. Before it gets out of control.”

When it comes to shoplifting posters, what should business owners be aware of?

Bigham maintains 95 per cent of people who comment on his posters say they think they are a good thing. 

But as The Wren reader Shane Lange points out, some customers may decide not to come back, feeling the lack of sympathy for marginalised Kamloopsians reflects poorly on the business.

Beyond the possible loss of customers, there is also a risk of civil charges for libel or defamation. 

Human rights legislation could also come into play if a poster targeted a specific group. 

In the U.K, grocery chain Tesco came under fire for discriminating against Romanians by threatening would-be shoplifters in the Romanian language.

The B.C. Human Rights Code protects people from discrimination on the basis of race, colour, ancestry or place of origin. 

In 2019 Chris Westcoupe, who is Indigenous, filed a complaint to the Manitoba Human Rights Commission over racial profiling at a store in Winnipeg. He was asked to leave a Superstore after being accused of stealing. No ruling has been made.

What can be done about retail theft?

Last year, the Crime Reduction Unit worked with four large local retailers to identify and charge shoplifters, according to the RCMP’s 2023 summary report to council.

“The Crime Reduction Unit works hard to focus on prolific offenders responsible for multiple offences,” Evelyn said when asked to explain the purpose of the operation. 

“Arresting one prolific offender and working with our partners to help keep them in custody can have a substantial impact on the thefts experienced by reducing their ability to reoffend.”

There are other resources available to business owners. 

Evelyn said Crime Prevention by Environmental Design (CPTED) assessments are available as part of the city’s Business Watch program. 

It’s a free, voluntary program that involves businesses taking systematic steps to reduce opportunities for theft and other crimes in and around their neighbourhood. 

In cases of repeat instances of crime, RCMP and City of Kamloops have trained staff, such as Community Safety Officers and Crime Prevention volunteers, who can conduct a safety analysis of a business and provide recommendations on improvements.

When asked if he participated in an assessment, Bigham said they had one a few years back and it was helpful. But shoplifting remains a challenge.

“It is what it is. You’re going to have to live with it until they start doing something about it as far as punishment,” he says. “The only deterrent we have is to make the staff aware and get the photo so if they come again they can get let out.”

Resources for business owners

Business owners who need guidance around crime prevention can contact the Business Watch program at 236-597-1487 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. during the week. 

For those who need to report a serious crime, contact the RCMP directly at 250-828-3000. Less serious crimes can now be reported online.