Everleigh Gardens owner Sunny Jung says she's concerned about the rash of crimes her Dunlop Street East business has experienced since April 2020.
“Since last April, we’ve been robbed three times,” Jung told BarrieToday. “One time, the front window was broken at night and then in the morning, someone came in through it and stole from us. Then we were robbed in November last year."
Jung says the business was hit again Oct. 23.
"We had all our Christmas stock taken and now it will be too late to get anything in to sell for our busy time," she said.
The wires were cut to the surveillance cameras in the previous break-in, Jung said, so there was no footage in the most recent theft.
Jung said she's angry and wants someone to do something about the crime in the downtown area.
“We (downtown businesses) have struggled almost more than others in the last 20 months," she said. "Between COVID and the Dunlop Street construction, it has been a very hard time. To have stuff stolen like this is hurting us almost more than we can take.”
Despite the spate of break-ins at Jung's shop, Barrie police say crime is way down, although part of that can be attributed to the pandemic.
In Barrie's downtown, crime rates since 2017 have decreased in the last two years. While in the last 20 months that has had a lot to do with the pandemic, numbers were also declining before that.
Crimes against people have been declining since 2017, when they were at 258. In 2018, there were 244 and 2019 that number dropped by 14 to 230. The start of the pandemic saw numbers fall further to 181 in 2020, and 137 in 2021.
Crimes involving property in 2017 were 402 and increased in 2018 to 481. The number fell to 443 in 2019 and again, during the pandemic, decreased drastically even more. In 2020, there were 267 crimes involving property and 173 in 2021.
Barrie police communications co-ordinator Peter Leon pointed out that the statistics in regards to both crimes against persons and property were higher in the pre-pandemic period than compared to 2020 and 2021 for seemingly obvious reasons.
“The primary reason is that during 2020, we were under a number of stay-at-home orders, and this year we have been progressing through the various reopening steps which has gradually seen the return of people back into the downtown area,” Leon told BarrieToday. “With curbside service only being available during the stay-at-home orders, the amount of vehicular and foot traffic was significantly reduced in many areas throughout the city, not just in the downtown.”
There isn’t much more of a police presence downtown than there was before, Leon said, noting there is a system in place to help with immediate action.
“Our presence in the downtown has not really changed too much during the past years, but when crime does occur, we can utilize plainclothes officers to supplement the uniformed officers to deal with specific issues and concerns as they arise," he said.
"We do have a community wellness and well-being officer who liaises with business owners and homeowners when issues are identified,” Leon added. "Together, they can discuss the problem and potential solution and that officer can then discuss it back at headquarters with the appropriate resource so that a plan can be devised with the goal of bringing resolution.”
Most chat groups on social media often have people complaining about crime in the city’s downtown core.
Many online commenters tend to look at the negative side of the downtown area of the city more than other areas, but Leon says that isn’t only happening in Barrie. The downtown of any community is always a focal point, but he says with the evolution of big box stores and online shopping, the traditional shopping approach has also changed.
“The reality is that crime can happen anywhere and at any time and that is often where you will find the police,” Leon said. “Through the enhancement of the camera system in downtown and awareness efforts that are undertaken by the police with downtown business owners, crime and opportunities for crime to occur are being reduced.”
Leon is aware that many people comment on Facebook and other social media platforms, but he said the best way to deal with problems that arise is to let the police know.
“If we don’t know that there is a problem, we can’t help to bring about a resolution for those impacted," he said. "Communication is a key component in the promotion of public safety in any community."
There are specific programs that police have utilized to counter law-breakers, such as the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and conducted safety audits that offer recommendations to assist business and property owners who may have been victims of crime.
“Many of the suggestions are inexpensive and may be as simple as cutting back foliage, removing clutter or postings from storefront windows, improved interior or exterior lighting or realigning a store so that employees have a clear and unobstructed view of those entering a place of business,” Leon said.
Downtown Barrie Business Association (BIA) executive director Kelly McKenna told BarrieToday she heard about the robberies at Everleigh Gardens and doesn’t think it is too important that numbers may be going down if business owners are still upset.
“We spoke to police and are trying to find new ways to curb the crime that is occurring. One of the things talked about is there seems to be a couple of hot spots downtown that would require a higher priority of police servicing,” said McKenna, “I know our businesses are frustrated, even if numbers are going down, their frustration is going up.”
McKenna noted that it isn’t even necessarily robberies and damage, but some establishments have issues with people just “hanging around the patio with no intention of paying.”
