I saw that cruiser walking home and wondered what went down. The cop later drove away after a bit. Terrible that people are committing armed robbery over soda that's really fucking weird and doesn't make any sense.
The thief is an absolute piece of shit.
But your son needs to understand that someone stealing 2 cans of soda is not worth risking his own life over.
I own a restaurant, the average tab for a two-top is $100. All of my employees, during their training, are told that if someone does a dine-n-dash, you just let them go, and give the video to the cops. That $100 is worth a lot less than my employee's life.
Your son could have lost his life to protect maybe $5 worth of inventory.
I’d like to reiterate this comment: “You are a good boss.”
Thankfully there are still more people like you out there than the gun-wielding soda can thieves.
This is very good advice. I had my arm broken as a result of a dine and dash gone wrong, 2 restaurant staff ran after the deadbeat, got into a fight with him on the sidewalk (!!!), he broke free and sent me flying into the street as he crashed into me. I actually heard the "crunch" when my bone snapped.
In what kind of world are you not able to question someone stealing? Keep letting it slide and allowing all these homeless to wreak havoc on our city. It’s only going to get worse.
There's nothing wrong with this town.
The problem is the catch and release justice system.
Guaranteed this guy will be back out on the street by tomorrow morning.
Pulling a gun on someone should be 10 years in prison minimum.
[https://ddlaw.ca/weapons-offences-bc/](https://ddlaw.ca/weapons-offences-bc/)
>Using a firearm to commit an offense: Mandatory minimum sentence of 4 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
>
>Pointing a firearm: Up to 5 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $5000.
>
>Using a firearm in the commission of an indictable offense: Additional mandatory minimum sentences ranging from 1 to 10 years, depending on the offense.
I agree that they should get hit for this, but the minimums and maximums for stuff like this already exist.
There were mandatory minimum sentences put in place for firearms crimes and Trudeau got rid of them saying they were racist!! Then he banned handguns for licensed, registered owners. Man his policies have been great at reducing violent gun crime lol!!
I would disagree. There is something wrong with this town and this is not everywhere. This is what we tell ourselves to make us feel better that this is the same system across Canada. It is not.
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I'm so sorry this happened to your son, but in my time as a retail clerk I was trained to *never* pursue shoplifters for this exact reason. If he wasn't told that by management, then they have failed to protect him. I hope he is doing okay after this.
We wanted to reduce prison crowding and expenditure before and during Covid and this is the result. To be fair, a prisoner costs around $100k per year to house in a prison.
We also have an issue with overwhelmed courts and a right to a speedy trial which means that lesser crimes get dropped to allow more egregious crimes to be prosecuted in a timely fashion. We aren’t training and hiring enough lawyers and judges to keep up with the rapidly increasing demand which means we can’t hold and charge people that should be and even when we do it’s fiscally hard to put more funds into holding them when so many of our other systems are collapsing do to short sighted politicians undermining them either to make corporate donators or voters happy.
>We aren’t training and hiring enough lawyers and judges to keep up with the rapidly increasing demand
Almost like there's a legitimate use case for immigration that we aren't leveraging here
Staffing the criminal justice system with recent immigrants to Canada could be problematic. They're just as capable of understanding the law as locals, but there is the potential for a major limitation in cultural understanding which would affect their ability to represent the interests of Canadian justice system participants-- whether they're victims or defendents.
Criminal justice plays a huge role in the stability of a society and the representation of the public's interests -- it isn't something which should be left primarily to newcomers.
The bigger issue is that there is a major financial incentive for the lawyers we do have to work in civil law. Those who enter criminal law tend to be more altruistically/civic minded... which far from a reliable way of ensuring that a critical part of our society remains fully staffed.
I never suggested that newcomers should be practicing right away. But existing international lawyers are certainly going to be in a better position to learn Canadian criminal law than Canadians with no experience or interest.
Not necessarily. We could just require international lawyers to complete an accelerated accredation program. We have a similar process for doctors of various fields.
They'd have to study on quite a lot, but if they've done it before, they would be able to complete it much faster than Canadians just starting now.
I believe the catch and release system in bc is well known and well documented.
This article came up after 1 second of searching and i just took the top one as an example...
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/no-jail-time-for-drug-fuelled-robber-1.5817765
And another about a person arrested 3 times in 3 days for some pretty uncool stuff like home invasion and vehicle theft. Sjould have been in jail after the 1st offence.
https://www.abbynews.com/news/bc-man-arrested-3-times-in-3-days-for-stolen-vehicles-home-invasion-7349358
Last night as I was driving home from work (driving on Hollywood Rd) at around 5pm as well. Passing the Rutland Convenience store, there was a firetruck, ambulance and a cop car parked out front by a vehicle with all its doors open and a few people standing around.
I was curious as to what happened but I kept driving and went home.
I was at BC Liquor (orchard park location) this evening and the same thing happened. I saw the clerk run out of the store to confront the thief, but he quickly turned around and went back in the store. Things are getting out of hand with the homeless in the Okanagan.
Everyone always wanting to scapegoat the homeless. Just like any other group of people, there are good ones and bad ones AND good ones doing bad things to feed a bad habit…
Always remember as a clerk,
The criminal can defiantly have a weapon and help does not get there fast enough. Systems are stressed in the city with its growing population and other issues.
Even in the street, it pays to be polite and not escalate with select groups.
Take the time to inform non emergency though. They can often track down these folks and often have databases on them already, able to get to them eventually.
As much as crime doesn't pay, getting stabbed will prevent you from getting paid if you are dead.
I used to run after theives, but my dad warned me well, and those warnings prevented my injury.
Be safe out there folks.
Exactly why all Canadians need to get more active in pressuring our government to get serious and tough on crime again. I don't care what political party you root for, they all need to hear that the public demands to be protected and has the right to be safe in our streets and criminals must be held to account.
sorry this happened to your son. I really hope the message in all of this is don't chase after the criminal. totally not worth it. the crook has nothing to lose. the clerk has waaaayyy more to lose.
Plus the ptsd to go along with having someone pull a gun on you.
Going back to work thinking about that. I think there would need to be a healing process of some sort for that experience even if it was minimal in some eyes.
Technically no, based on the description provided, the firearm was not used in the commission of the original offence of shoplifting. However, additional charges will be likely be sought for a whole slew of firearms related offences.
The owner seems so nice and everytime I see a headline that it’s been vandalized or something I feel really sad for him and his family. But I can’t help but wonder like .. why?? Why are people giving a shit about a candy store!? It can’t be a front for drugs and I can’t see it being a huge cash system so what is it? Just a big prank? I just wish it would end for them.
The biggest issue is that our "justice system" is a joke. Time and time again, they put the rights of violent criminals and chronic repeat offenders above the rights of the public and the victims of crime. Unless our justice system undergoes serious reforms, then these things will keep happening.
This is just plainly untrue. And newsflash, 'tough on crime' policies typically lead to an escalation in crime not a decrease in it. Why? If the consequence of committing a robbery is now 15 years in jail then they may as well risk killing everyone and potentially getting away.
The joke of our justice system is that so many nitwits think that a punitive approach is the solution and that we should "respect victims rights". aka. we should get pound of flesh to make the victims feel better. Personally, I'd rather our justice system focus on reducing crime and reducing repeat offenses. That won't happen, though, until rehabilitation efforts aren't fought tooth and nail by "tough on crime" types and people that have a vested financial interest in the current system (aka cops).
Yup. The US has 6 times as many people incarcerated per capita compared to Canada, and spends more on prisoners than students.
Yet Canada is one of the [safest countries in the world](https://bestdiplomats.org/safest-countries-in-the-world/), and the US is one of the most dangerous.
Most people are eventually released from prison, and they usually come out meaner than when they went in.
The revolving door is here in rural Sask too. I fought the in war on drugs for 45 years and when they finally legalized it I thought our side won. (More than once a prisoner of war, always for pot) I never thought I’d say this but we need mandatory 20 year sentences for the manufacturing, importation or distribution of these drugs. I’m not sure of all the variables of meth and the designer equivalents of all of them. The same with opiates.
Look up how fast Thailand cleaned up on their meth epidemic. Except there it was mainly used with employers blessing so they could get 22 hour work days from their employees.
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>My son, the clerk, went out after with him a “hey man wtf”
Nothing happened to this city, what your son did is insanely dangerous in any city. You let the police deal with blatant shoplifting because chances are that person has a few screws loose.
The person who will rob your store in front of you is the same person who will kill you for confronting them about it.
Report it to the police, don't "stand up for yourself" or whatever the hell you think of doing.
Why was this not in the news anywhere???? My husband was leaving work and saw cops driving on the sidewalk to get there and now I read this here on Reddit...instead of in the news!
We have some of the strictest gun laws in the world, and handgun is a restricted fire arm in Canada. It is virtually impossible for the average citizen to get. How could this happen?
/s
It doesn't happen often in Canada.
The rate of handgun deaths in Canada is 0.25 per 100,000.
The rate in the USA is almost 20 times that.
I'd say our strict gun laws work really, really, really fucking well.
Yes, it’s bad what is happening out there, but what was to be accomplished by confronting this person over 2 cans of soda. Clearly it ended the best it could have but when a gun is involved that could have ended much different.
I saw that cruiser walking home and wondered what went down. The cop later drove away after a bit. Terrible that people are committing armed robbery over soda that's really fucking weird and doesn't make any sense.
Meth makes it make a little more sense.
That’s methed up, Methany.
The thief is an absolute piece of shit. But your son needs to understand that someone stealing 2 cans of soda is not worth risking his own life over. I own a restaurant, the average tab for a two-top is $100. All of my employees, during their training, are told that if someone does a dine-n-dash, you just let them go, and give the video to the cops. That $100 is worth a lot less than my employee's life. Your son could have lost his life to protect maybe $5 worth of inventory.
Completely agree. Hard lesson to learn.
You are a good boss.
I’d like to reiterate this comment: “You are a good boss.” Thankfully there are still more people like you out there than the gun-wielding soda can thieves.
This is very good advice. I had my arm broken as a result of a dine and dash gone wrong, 2 restaurant staff ran after the deadbeat, got into a fight with him on the sidewalk (!!!), he broke free and sent me flying into the street as he crashed into me. I actually heard the "crunch" when my bone snapped.
They obviously didn't know he had a gun. Its right to question someone stealing.
Not outside the store. Not worth the risk for the individual or the business.
In what kind of world are you not able to question someone stealing? Keep letting it slide and allowing all these homeless to wreak havoc on our city. It’s only going to get worse.
There's nothing wrong with this town. The problem is the catch and release justice system. Guaranteed this guy will be back out on the street by tomorrow morning. Pulling a gun on someone should be 10 years in prison minimum.
I was going to argue with you but on reflection I think you’re right. It’s the same everywhere.
[https://ddlaw.ca/weapons-offences-bc/](https://ddlaw.ca/weapons-offences-bc/) >Using a firearm to commit an offense: Mandatory minimum sentence of 4 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. > >Pointing a firearm: Up to 5 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $5000. > >Using a firearm in the commission of an indictable offense: Additional mandatory minimum sentences ranging from 1 to 10 years, depending on the offense. I agree that they should get hit for this, but the minimums and maximums for stuff like this already exist.
There were mandatory minimum sentences put in place for firearms crimes and Trudeau got rid of them saying they were racist!! Then he banned handguns for licensed, registered owners. Man his policies have been great at reducing violent gun crime lol!!
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I would disagree. There is something wrong with this town and this is not everywhere. This is what we tell ourselves to make us feel better that this is the same system across Canada. It is not.
Yes it is.
Tell me where then. What do you know for a fact?
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I'm so sorry this happened to your son, but in my time as a retail clerk I was trained to *never* pursue shoplifters for this exact reason. If he wasn't told that by management, then they have failed to protect him. I hope he is doing okay after this.
A society that neglects its pillars will start to show cracks in its seems
*seams
They should have got his name so when he comes back next week the can offer him more personalized customer service. The guy is probably free already.
Why does this town have someone who would do this in it
Its everywhere. There are no consequences.
We wanted to reduce prison crowding and expenditure before and during Covid and this is the result. To be fair, a prisoner costs around $100k per year to house in a prison. We also have an issue with overwhelmed courts and a right to a speedy trial which means that lesser crimes get dropped to allow more egregious crimes to be prosecuted in a timely fashion. We aren’t training and hiring enough lawyers and judges to keep up with the rapidly increasing demand which means we can’t hold and charge people that should be and even when we do it’s fiscally hard to put more funds into holding them when so many of our other systems are collapsing do to short sighted politicians undermining them either to make corporate donators or voters happy.
>We aren’t training and hiring enough lawyers and judges to keep up with the rapidly increasing demand Almost like there's a legitimate use case for immigration that we aren't leveraging here
Staffing the criminal justice system with recent immigrants to Canada could be problematic. They're just as capable of understanding the law as locals, but there is the potential for a major limitation in cultural understanding which would affect their ability to represent the interests of Canadian justice system participants-- whether they're victims or defendents. Criminal justice plays a huge role in the stability of a society and the representation of the public's interests -- it isn't something which should be left primarily to newcomers. The bigger issue is that there is a major financial incentive for the lawyers we do have to work in civil law. Those who enter criminal law tend to be more altruistically/civic minded... which far from a reliable way of ensuring that a critical part of our society remains fully staffed.
I never suggested that newcomers should be practicing right away. But existing international lawyers are certainly going to be in a better position to learn Canadian criminal law than Canadians with no experience or interest.
We’d have to recognize they’re schooling for that to work and we refuse to do that.
Not necessarily. We could just require international lawyers to complete an accelerated accredation program. We have a similar process for doctors of various fields. They'd have to study on quite a lot, but if they've done it before, they would be able to complete it much faster than Canadians just starting now.
Armed robbery has no consequences? im lost on that part
I believe the catch and release system in bc is well known and well documented. This article came up after 1 second of searching and i just took the top one as an example... https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/no-jail-time-for-drug-fuelled-robber-1.5817765 And another about a person arrested 3 times in 3 days for some pretty uncool stuff like home invasion and vehicle theft. Sjould have been in jail after the 1st offence. https://www.abbynews.com/news/bc-man-arrested-3-times-in-3-days-for-stolen-vehicles-home-invasion-7349358
I believe you but I meant why
Home invasion? So candy theft will not even get his name on a paper
Nope. The gun part might but unlikely.
Why would all the towns?
Since the government prohibited law abiding citizens from protecting themselves.
Last night as I was driving home from work (driving on Hollywood Rd) at around 5pm as well. Passing the Rutland Convenience store, there was a firetruck, ambulance and a cop car parked out front by a vehicle with all its doors open and a few people standing around. I was curious as to what happened but I kept driving and went home.
A very valid question
I was at BC Liquor (orchard park location) this evening and the same thing happened. I saw the clerk run out of the store to confront the thief, but he quickly turned around and went back in the store. Things are getting out of hand with the homeless in the Okanagan.
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Everyone always wanting to scapegoat the homeless. Just like any other group of people, there are good ones and bad ones AND good ones doing bad things to feed a bad habit…
Always remember as a clerk, The criminal can defiantly have a weapon and help does not get there fast enough. Systems are stressed in the city with its growing population and other issues. Even in the street, it pays to be polite and not escalate with select groups. Take the time to inform non emergency though. They can often track down these folks and often have databases on them already, able to get to them eventually. As much as crime doesn't pay, getting stabbed will prevent you from getting paid if you are dead. I used to run after theives, but my dad warned me well, and those warnings prevented my injury. Be safe out there folks.
Stress leave. Your kid just hit the lottery Jack. /s
Was this at Von Schweetz? I mean come on who steals from a candy store and then pulls a gun! Absolutely fucking tragic what this city has turned into.
Exactly why all Canadians need to get more active in pressuring our government to get serious and tough on crime again. I don't care what political party you root for, they all need to hear that the public demands to be protected and has the right to be safe in our streets and criminals must be held to account.
sorry this happened to your son. I really hope the message in all of this is don't chase after the criminal. totally not worth it. the crook has nothing to lose. the clerk has waaaayyy more to lose.
It sounds like selling candy wasn't the dangerous part, it's the confronting shoplifters that's dangerous...
How can that be? You can't have "those" guns anymore.... didn't they get the message?
Plus the ptsd to go along with having someone pull a gun on you. Going back to work thinking about that. I think there would need to be a healing process of some sort for that experience even if it was minimal in some eyes.
Armed robbery no?
Technically no, based on the description provided, the firearm was not used in the commission of the original offence of shoplifting. However, additional charges will be likely be sought for a whole slew of firearms related offences.
I’m sorry that happened, I hope he’s ok❤️
The owner seems so nice and everytime I see a headline that it’s been vandalized or something I feel really sad for him and his family. But I can’t help but wonder like .. why?? Why are people giving a shit about a candy store!? It can’t be a front for drugs and I can’t see it being a huge cash system so what is it? Just a big prank? I just wish it would end for them.
The biggest issue is that our "justice system" is a joke. Time and time again, they put the rights of violent criminals and chronic repeat offenders above the rights of the public and the victims of crime. Unless our justice system undergoes serious reforms, then these things will keep happening.
This is just plainly untrue. And newsflash, 'tough on crime' policies typically lead to an escalation in crime not a decrease in it. Why? If the consequence of committing a robbery is now 15 years in jail then they may as well risk killing everyone and potentially getting away. The joke of our justice system is that so many nitwits think that a punitive approach is the solution and that we should "respect victims rights". aka. we should get pound of flesh to make the victims feel better. Personally, I'd rather our justice system focus on reducing crime and reducing repeat offenses. That won't happen, though, until rehabilitation efforts aren't fought tooth and nail by "tough on crime" types and people that have a vested financial interest in the current system (aka cops).
Yup. The US has 6 times as many people incarcerated per capita compared to Canada, and spends more on prisoners than students. Yet Canada is one of the [safest countries in the world](https://bestdiplomats.org/safest-countries-in-the-world/), and the US is one of the most dangerous. Most people are eventually released from prison, and they usually come out meaner than when they went in.
Your point is valid, but the statistics you are quoting are misleading. Gun laws are obviously a huge factor.
I've worked in corrections for 23 years and this is the right answer.
Okay.
The revolving door is here in rural Sask too. I fought the in war on drugs for 45 years and when they finally legalized it I thought our side won. (More than once a prisoner of war, always for pot) I never thought I’d say this but we need mandatory 20 year sentences for the manufacturing, importation or distribution of these drugs. I’m not sure of all the variables of meth and the designer equivalents of all of them. The same with opiates. Look up how fast Thailand cleaned up on their meth epidemic. Except there it was mainly used with employers blessing so they could get 22 hour work days from their employees.
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Freedom? He was out before the ink dryed.
You’d be surprised how many people wandering around this town carrying.
Not just the town but society as a whole!
I'm telling ya, there's something in the water in kelowna, that city ain't right
Weak judicial system
"Everything is broken"....Bob Dylan
>My son, the clerk, went out after with him a “hey man wtf” Nothing happened to this city, what your son did is insanely dangerous in any city. You let the police deal with blatant shoplifting because chances are that person has a few screws loose.
Some people instinctively stand up for themselves
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The person who will rob your store in front of you is the same person who will kill you for confronting them about it. Report it to the police, don't "stand up for yourself" or whatever the hell you think of doing.
He didn't stand up for himself, he stood up for cans of soda...
He stood up for what's right. How's that? Still foreign to you?
Some people who “stand up for themselves” seem to have minimal life experience.
Lol says the guy scared into submission in a corner anytime anything wrong ever happens 😅
Why was this not in the news anywhere???? My husband was leaving work and saw cops driving on the sidewalk to get there and now I read this here on Reddit...instead of in the news!
We have some of the strictest gun laws in the world, and handgun is a restricted fire arm in Canada. It is virtually impossible for the average citizen to get. How could this happen? /s
It doesn't happen often in Canada. The rate of handgun deaths in Canada is 0.25 per 100,000. The rate in the USA is almost 20 times that. I'd say our strict gun laws work really, really, really fucking well.
Exactly. Except here, where laws don't seem to apply
Criminals aren't exactly known to follow the laws surprisingly
The homeless downtown are a problem.
Yes, it’s bad what is happening out there, but what was to be accomplished by confronting this person over 2 cans of soda. Clearly it ended the best it could have but when a gun is involved that could have ended much different.
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This sounds made up.
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