A store owner in Kensington Market is feeling frustrated with the lack of security measures in the neighbourhood after her store was recently robbed.
Last Wednesday afternoon, Boho Chachkies store owner Joy Zubair thought it would be a normal day as a small business owner, but then she was faced with a woman who wouldn’t stop trying to steal.
“I watched it all happen live on the security cameras. The woman had been coming into the shop multiple times since we opened that day, trying to steal, harassing staff and loitering on our front patio and the neighbour’s patio,” Zubair told Now Toronto.
She immediately called the police, but they initially said it was a non-emergency because the woman wasn’t currently inside the store.
“As soon as I hung up the phone I decided we are going to close the front door and lock the shop. We would stay open so customers can still come inside and shop, but they would have to be let inside. As soon as we shut the door, within five minutes she had a brick in her hand and started throwing it at the side window. She threw it for over one minute until it finally broke through two sheets of glass. The store was full with customers, the police were called again and she was detained,” Zubair said.
Toronto Police Service (TPS) told Now Toronto that officers arrived at the store shortly before 2:30 p.m. that day.
“After initial investigation, it was determined the suspect was in a crisis and was apprehended under the mental health act,” Cst. Shannon Eames said.
Zubair’s landlord is covering the costs to replace the broken window, but the store lost a day’s worth of sales, approximately $1,000, that day.
“We had to close the shop early because glass was everywhere. Customers were constantly trying to come inside. I actually ended up getting a negative Google review because we were closed,” she said.
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Zubair is part of a Kensington Market Shoplifters group chat where 27 local businesses communicate on a daily basis by sending photos and videos of people in the market stealing from their shops.
“The locals have told me that the homeless are ‘part of the market’ and that they are welcome here. I just wish they had security or police monitoring the neighbourhood and it would also make pedestrians feel safe- especially the tourists. In my shop, over 50 per cent of the customers are tourists,” she said.
Boho Chachkies opened earlier this year and gained its popularity by growing an online community on Instagram to over 20,000 followers.
Many customers expressed their shock and concern for the vintage store.
“The reaction to commit a crime because you got locked out where you were going to commit a crime is wild,” an Instagram user said.
“I’m convinced these are the type of people who never got told no when they were younger,” another user said.
Some are satisfied that there was at least some justice served.
“Broad daylight too! Glad she was arrested and no one was hurt,” one person commented.
“So sorry this happened, Joy. Such a violation. Happy everyone/everything is okay but still so hard on you emotionally,” another person said.
