Suspected thieves pack bags full of alcohol and flee Alcona LCBO

South Simcoe police are investigating the alleged theft of several bottles of alcohol from the LCBO store on Innisfil Beach Road.

The ministry confirmed to InnisfilToday It was on May 23 that the incident occurred at the retailer Alcona at the beginning of the week. A witness reports that the apparent thieves put the items in bags and then left the store in the presence of customers. They fled the scene in a vehicle.

Sgt. Dave Phillips noted that the witnesses handled the situation correctly by avoiding confrontation.

“Apparently social media is questioning why the witnesses didn't do more,” he said. “Police generally do not recommend getting involved as we are seeing an increase in violence related to retail thefts. The best thing the public can do is be a great witness if they can do so safely.

Phillips said few other details have been released by police at this time.

“This is under investigation and we are working on leads,” he said.

A few weeks ago, the department teamed up with several local businesses to conduct a 10-day retail blitz, which resulted in what police call a “significant decrease in criminal activity and the identification of numerous accused”.

More than 90 criminal charges were laid during the blitz, including cases related to organized crime spanning multiple jurisdictions.

Retail theft represents a significant economic burden on communities, with hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses reported by just a handful of stores in Bradford and Innisfil in 2023, according to police.

“Our retailers devote a large amount of resources to combating retail theft,” Phillips said. “As evidenced by our recent … blitz, police and retailers, when working together, can be very effective in identifying those responsible. »

Anyone with information about an alleged crime should contact the department at 905-775-3311 or 705-436-2141. They can also leave an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or crimestopperssdm.com.