An investigation by The Toronto Star reveals over 9,000 thefts at Toronto LCBO locations over a four and a half year period.
In an email, Star reporter Mitch Potter told NEWSTALK1010 that the data, which was compiled between January 1, 2014 and June 26, 2018, essentially makes the provincial liquor stores "the most targeted retail entity in the city."
The Star's investigation reveals a letter sent by an employee - who did not identify themselves - saying "the LCBO doesn't care. They barely support us and we barely see security once a month if we are lucky enough to have them in our store for a full shift."
Employees are not allowed to intervene if they catch someone stealing merchandise. While it's important for their safety not to do so, it still puts them in danger, with the letter writer telling the Star that they've been "threatened with knives, needles, guns, physical harm, we’ve been shoved into fixtures."
And the number is likely greater than that reported in the Star, since the data compiled only goes up to the end of June 2018.
"We think it's likely around 10,000 now or more in the past five years," Potter told NEWSTALK1010.
"I also witnessed one of these thefts myself recently, which sparked my interest. Two guys, four backpacks," he said of an incident that took place at a location on the Danforth, east of Victoria Park. "They walked out with about $2,000 retail worth of premium vodka."
The Star data shows the most targeted location within Toronto is at 60 Carlton Street - the former Maple Leaf Gardens which since 2011, has been home to Loblaws.
Speaking to our media partner CP24, the head of OPSEU - the union representing LCBO workers - says he's extremely concerned about the trends.
"Now I'm going to call on the Premier and the Minister in charge to meet with LCBO folks to say, 'what are they going to do to adress this?' because now, once it becomes public, you put that in people's heads," Smokey Thomas told a CP24 reporter Saturday afternoon.
"The LCBO does seem to be concerned about it, but I'd like them to be concerned enough about it to really take some very serious actions here, rather than just say 'well that's a problem.'"
According to Thomas, there are discussions around the LCBO creating its own security staff, or hiring special plainclothes officers to prevent thefts.
Until then, he says he agrees that employees should not intervene in these situations.
- With files from CP24