A B.C. small business owner with stores in Vancouver and Toronto says she no longer reports crimes to the police and is relying solely on social media to hold criminals accountable.
Security cameras at CityLux Boutique in downtown Vancouver have captured repeated smashed windows, shoplifting and even a brazen daylight couch theft during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When Global News visited the location last Thursday, our camera bag was almost stolen from the front steps outside.
Owner Sunan Spriggs said posting security videos of theft suspects on her business Instagram account is the only method that seems to deter criminals and allow her to get her product or money back.
“The police and the court systems have just failed small businesses,” Spriggs told Global News.
The tipping point came last year, Spriggs said, when the male and female suspects in a $2,000 jacket theft were caught on camera in her Toronto store.
Spriggs said within 24 hours, one of her customers recognized the pair as clients of her bank and offered to provide the information to law enforcement if she followed the proper process and filed a police report.
The CityLux owner handed the surveillance video and the customer’s details to police but said she was told she was not a priority because the theft was under $5,000.
“At that point, I said why, there’s no point I have to take this into my own hands,” Spriggs said.
Spriggs said she finds it absurd that provincial privacy laws deter some companies from posting security video of clear criminal activity.
“It’s absolutely frustrating,” she said. “Why are we giving the criminals more rights than the actual law-abiding tax-paying citizens?”
While her Vancouver store sees chaotic shoplifting with drug users coming in to grab whatever they can to fuel their addictions, Spriggs said her Toronto location experiences more organized thefts with groups of professionals working to distract staff.
Last month, Spriggs said two female suspects walked into the Toronto store, where CCTV captured them stuffing $2,000 worth of product into their puffy winter jackets.
Spriggs was at the counter just a metre away when the theft happened, but still didn’t catch it.
“I got to give it to them, they were pretty good,” she said. “Everybody in Toronto wears huge jackets and I just can’t tell if they’re a little bit bigger.”
CityLux posted the security video on its Instagram account, giving the pair 24 hours to bring the merchandise back.
“Luckily, somebody recognized them and we’re getting our money back,” Spriggs told Global News.
In 2022, Spriggs posted a security video concealing the faces of three young women who were captured stealing $3,000 in dresses from the Vancouver boutique.
After giving the trio a similar ultimatum, she said the items were returned and the girls apologized.
“Within 24 hours, we had all the goods back,” she said.
So far, Spriggs said she’s had no legal issues and no one is suing her.
Criminal lawyer Kyla Lee said people have privacy rights but when it comes to sharing video recorded in private properties, the law is murky.
The Acumen Law defence lawyer told Global News the “threat” of posting photos or videos online unless merchandise is paid for or returned, could arguably be considered extortion.
However, Lee said there may be a defence of a lawful justification if the store is trying to recover stolen goods.
A business owner she added, could also incur legal expenses defending themselves from any such claim.
Lee admitted it’s pretty unlikely somebody caught on video committing a crime would bring a lawsuit that would shed more light on the issue and potentially harm their reputation further if they don’t have a legal leg to stand on in the first place.
“It’s a calculated risk that this store owner is taking that most people that are caught committing the offence, when she’s 120 per cent sure that they’re doing it, are not going to take action,” Lee told Global News Tuesday.
Spriggs said social media is proving to be a powerful tool to address the ongoing and very personal thefts.
“It’s like somebody coming in and literally reaching into my pocket and stealing from me, that’s what it feels like.”
The CityLux owner added she cannot use her insurance to cover the losses because her deductible is too high and her premiums are already going to go up next year.
“If the police aren’t going to do anything for us, the court system’s not going to do anything for us, we need to be able to use social media to take this into our own hands and prevent them from stealing from us,” Spriggs told Global News.
Her message to potential thieves: “Don’t come for CityLux because my famous word is I will make you famous,” she said.
“We will post you, we will find you, and we will get our money back.”