Downtown Vancouver businesses flag safety concerns in wake of deadly stabbing | 24CA News
Businesses in downtown Vancouver are talking out about their mounting crime and security issues, within the wake of a deadly daylight stabbing that has shocked town.
Paul Schmidt, a 37-year-old husband and father, died after being stabbed exterior a Starbucks at Granville and Georgia streets Sunday night.
Sandeep Alexander, who owns Festal Café on Granville Street stated the incident is one more signal of deteriorating circumstances within the downtown core which have pushed workers and prospects away.
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“Almost every other day we have people walking in, threatening our staff, taking money from the tip jars; we had multiple encounters of iPads being stolen, multiple encounters of vandalism. Quite a lot of these places the glass, shopfront — broken,” Alexander stated.
Alexander has needed to shut his downtown restaurant, within the wake of repeated vandalism that he estimates has value him no less than $100,000.
The downtown core, he stated, has by no means totally recovered from COVID, and on high of the mounting prices of inflation he’s now coping with aggressive road dysfunction.
“The intent may not be to harm, but we’ve constantly had issues with them confronting our employees, confronting our customers,” Alexander stated.
“We’ve had times where they’ve walked in, grabbed food off our customer’s plate and just walked out.”
Joann Zarife, who operates Zatar w Zeit just some steps away from the scene of Sunday’s lethal stabbing, stated she’s had related experiences.
“My employees didn’t want to come to work. They’re scared,” she stated.
Zarife stated she’s a daily sufferer of theft and confrontations, and feels town is doing little to handle the issue.
After a current shoplifting incident, she stated she requested a patrol officer if she must be attempting to step in to cease thieves herself.
“He’s like, ‘No, you cannot confront them. He may have needles, infected needles.’ I am like, ‘OK what are you doing about it,’ and his response was that vandalism and robbery is at the bottom of the ladder, there are crimes that are more important to tackle,” she stated.
“Increase security. We’re paying so much in taxes. Increase security. We don’t feel safe anymore.”
Property injury, open drug use and graffiti are among the many area’s chief issues, based on the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association.
The group funds 14 security ambassadors for the neighbourhood, however business house owners say they’ve little energy to handle the realm’s issues.
“We regularly meet with elected officials, we meet with VPD, we advocate for more police presence in downtown Vancouver,” BIA interim president and CEO Jane Talbot stated.
For Alexander, it’s just too late.
He stated except there’s an imminent hazard, he doesn’t even name police anymore.
“The cops may not be in a position to do a lot, so its inhibited us from calling them unless something goes to a point where we really need backup or help,” he stated.
“I do feel concerned about the safety of my staff and the viability of the buisiness. A lot of people refuse to come downtown because of the situation.”
Instead, he informed Global News, he plans to shutter the Granville Street location and search for a brand new dwelling for his café in safer a part of city.
— with information from Rumina Daya
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
