Kitsilano snowboard shop robbed of up to $250,000 of stock
Posted January 19, 2023 2:46 pm.
Last Updated January 20, 2023 6:24 am.
A snowboard shop in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood says it is out hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise after a break-in earlier this week.
In an Instagram post, The Boardroom says its store at West 4th Avenue and Burrard Street was robbed Tuesday.
Owner Murray Fraser tells CityNews he’s not surprised the theft happened, as they’ve had many people trying to steal from the store recently.
“We’ve had numerous in-store thefts, more so this year than ever before, where customers are actually coming in, going into changerooms, and breaking off alarm tags. [They] put outerwear and street wear underneath their jackets and walk out the front door. And when we notice it, we confront them, and most of them just run away,” Fraser explained.
Fraser believes the store lost around $250,000 worth of stock, including snowboards, jackets, boots, and various other items like sunglasses and backpacks.
“In the past, we got lucky where some people that stole from us were busted for another theft, and then when [police] tracked them down, they went to the place where they had all the stolen merchandise and a bunch of our merchandise was there.
“So, usually it’s a group or an organization that stockpiles the stuff, and then if a tip goes there, the police go there then they happen to find our stuff.”
Fraser says he had just added a brand new security system and surveillance cameras due to a rise in thefts.
“[We] installed 12 to 24 cameras throughout the store, because we just had recent improvements to the store and so we thought we could install cameras.”
It’s asking anyone who spots potentially stolen items to reach out to them and to also keep an eye out for Boardroom-branded clothing hangers.
The Boardroom says clothing hangers with their logo could be a possible indicator of finding stolen goods. (Photo courtesy The Boardroom)
“If you have information regarding this incident please reach out. If you recognize any of these items or people please contact us. Anything helps,” the business said.
“Thank you for the support over the years and we appreciate your patience as we resolve this issue.”
The store temporarily closed after the incident, but has since reopened.
“We are now back open for business as we deal with the issues at hand. Our Inventory will be off and we apologize in advance if we are unable to fulfill your online order while we re-count inventory,” the shop explained on an Instagram post.
