(Photo submitted)

By Sheldon Spackman

frequent target of thieves

Store manager infuriated by third break-in in less than 3 years

Jan 7, 2020 | 12:49 PM

Management at a Red Deer retail store is expressing disappointment and frustration over the city’s crime challenges following the store’s third break-in over the past two-and-a-half years.

Tara Wells, store manager at Sally Beauty in Southpointe Common, says their latest break-in happened shortly after 3:30 a.m. Sunday morning.

“The window of the door was smashed,” says Wells. “Upon going through everything, we figured we’re missing about $3,400 worth of stuff. They took mostly hair extensions, hair colour and one of our iPads.”

(Supplied)

“It’s beyond frustrating, I can’t even put it into words,” laments Wells. “Honestly, getting a call at 3 o’clock in the morning to come to your store is not something I enjoy doing. It doesn’t seem like it’s getting any better, it’s just getting worse.”

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During the store’s first break-in, Wells says thieves drove a truck through the store-front, targeting EB Games next door, as well.

“The second time around, they used a sledge hammer,” she recalls. “They actually left that behind last time around. I would assume this time was a hammer as well, that’s what the glass guys said, just by how the glass was broken.”

Wells says her building at Southpointe Common has been an all too common target for thieves.

“Bell, right next to us, they’ve been hit multiple times as well within the last couple years,” adds Wells. “I haven’t heard anything from the RCMP from the first break-in, to the last break-in, so I don’t know if any merchandise was found, or if anyone was caught, or if they have suspects.”

Wells concedes her store is now in the process of increasing its security measures.

“We already have quite a few security measures in place, so we’re just kind of making it as best as we can,” she explains. “We’re installing a nice film on our windows that helps prevent glass breakage, so hopefully that will help.

“It’s ridiculous that we have to pay for extra measures just because of the crime in Red Deer, it’s unreal and it’s not just us, it’s all over Red Deer, businesses are closing because of it. It’s sad, really.”

Wells encourages Red Deerians to be a close-knit community and continue their efforts in furthering crime prevention.

“I did make a post on Facebook about our break-in, and I was overwhelmed and very excited about the feedback from everyone,” admits Wells. “Everybody’s here to support everybody and that’s just what we need to do until something’s done I guess. There just needs to be harsher sentences, and people actually need to get reprimanded for what’s happening.”

RCMP encourage residents and businesses to enroll in the city’s CAPTURE (camera registry) program, a voluntary camera registry that records the locations of security cameras in Red Deer. The purpose, police say, is to build a registry of private security camera locations to assist in police investigations.