Shattered glass on sidewalks, boarded-up windows and security cameras capture theft in broad daylight. This is the reality for many small business owners in downtown Lethbridge. Store owners say crime is making it harder for them to stay afloat and they’re calling for immediate action from the city.

According to the Lethbridge Police Service, crime in the city decreased by 16 per cent in 2024, leading to an 18 per cent reduction in the Crime Severity Index. While the downtown area experienced a 17 per cent drop in overall criminal violations, business owners say theft, break-ins and vandalism remain a major concern.

Bill Martin, owner of Poppin Tags, said police presence makes a difference but isn’t consistent enough to prevent crime in the area. He believes better funding is necessary to keep the downtown core safe. While he acknowledges the LPS has made efforts, he said business owners immediately notice when there are more officers around.

“We need more. We need to fund the police because we need more presence down here,” Martin said. “There have been times where they’ve taken initiative and there are certain days where there’s a police presence down here. We feel it—we feel when the police presence is here.”

McKayla Kuzek, former owner of Tiger Bee Boutique, said crime downtown played a role in her decision to close her business on January 31. She had been operating for three years but said the increase in criminal activity downtown made it difficult to continue.

“Since opening my business three years ago, the crime rate has significantly gone up, specifically in our downtown core,” McKayla said.

While crime rates in Lethbridge have decreased as a whole, specific crime types, such as break ins and shopliftings, continue to challenge business owners, particularly in downtown areas. Consequently, the Lethbridge Police Services has addressed these concerns by implementing the CompStat program which is a data-driven strategy that uses analytics to help people locate high-crime areas. This helps new entrepreneurs pick a safe location for their business, or exciting business owners relocate.

According to LPS, break and enters decreased by 35 per cent in 2024 and mischief-related incidents dropped 24 per cent. However, business owners say they continue to feel the impact of crime on their operations. Martin says that resources like The Watch won’t solve the issue. There needs to be more police funding and the city must address social issues, such as housing insecurity small initiatives won’t reduce crime long-term. 

“I personally think that housing would help because, you know, if these individuals have a place to go and have a safe place for their belongings, maybe they steal less,” he says. “Maybe they don’t need to steal as much and maybe they’re not hanging out in front of our businesses as much if they have a place to go.”

There are programs to help aggressors turn their lives around, the Drug Court Treatment is one of them. Getting them the help and safety they need with help is going to change the crime rates according to business owners. For more information on crime prevention programs, reporting incidents or accessing community resources, visit lethbridgepolice.ca.