Winnipeg not the only Manitoba city inundated with retail theft, as Brandon cracks down – Winnipeg [Video]

Retail crime continues to be a top-of-mind issue for law enforcement and business owners in Winnipeg, but the rest of the province is feeling the effects as well.

Brandon, Man., police chief Tyler Bates says local police have been working on the problem — with over 50 arrests made and $10,000 in property recovered in a recent crackdown.

Bates said in his opinion, the best solution for the long-term would be a more proactive approach from police.

“I certainly don’t want to sit back and reactively deal with a police service that is just responding to call after call in the downtown district,” he said, “where 30 per cent of our calls continue to be within a small radius.

“I’d rather look at what efforts we could collectively invest from a prevention standpoint.”

Bates said law enforcement in Manitoba’s second-largest city should be addressing root causes, but also learning from …