Robbery Rate in Thunder Bay Shutters Mac’s Stores
THUNDER BAY – It is a message that runs counter to the idea that Thunder Bay is getting safer. Mac’s Convenience Stores says that “The robbery rate it has experienced in Thunder Bay is by far the worst of any of its locations in Ontario”. The company operates nineteen shops in Thunder Bay. Eight of the company’s stores have had to reduce their operating hours in an effort to reduce the risk of robberies in the stores.
Mac’s states that a former employee’s suggestion of a buzzer system and a protective enclosure for clerks is not an effective way to deter robberies and only makes shopping more troublesome for customers.
Crime Rates Raise Cost of Doing Business
The company has eliminated overnight hours at eight locations. Stores that were open twenty-four hours a day are now closed overnight. The company has decided not to shut down its other 11 stores in Thunder Bay because it would inconvenience customers and put up to twenty employees out of work.
Mac’s operates Mac’s Crime Busters, a social media effort in addition to supplying police and the public video surveillance clips of robberies at its stores. Thunder Bay Police and Crimestoppers have been a part of the program.
Mac’s Convenience Store officials share that their stores operate with state-of-the-art DVR surveillance systems, that include a remote monitoring centre that conducts virtual tours of the stores.
Mac’s details steps the company is taking to improve security at the company’s Thunder Bay stores:
- Invested a significant amount in security and design changes at the stores, such as installing additional cameras, increasing lighting and fencing, and creating enhanced visibility into and out of Thunder Bay stores.
- Provided extensive on-going robbery prevention training for all employees. All Mac’s employees must complete robbery training before they can work in stores, and subsequently take the training every three months to ensure our policies and procedures are top of mind.
- Continue to operate with a state-of-the-art DVR surveillance system with a remote monitoring centre that conducts virtual tours of the stores, along with a physical security patrol on the midnight shift and reinforced strict cash handling procedures.
- Work closely with employees, police and elected officials on crime prevention strategies and programs, including Crime Stoppers and a social media initiative called “Macs Crime Busters”.
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