The holidays are usually a big money maker for many businesses.

But at designer Jennifer Glasgow’s boutique in Montreal’s Mile End, it hasn’t been the easiest December. Her store was broken into on Tuesday and about $8,000 worth of goods was stolen.

“My initial reaction was sadness. It’s so hard being on this side of things. After living through this crazy time economically,” said Glasgow.

The burglary was caught on camera.

“You can see them coming in through the back of the store,” she said, explaining the surveillance camera footage.

“Immediately, he goes straight for the jewellery box. He has a little trouble with the jackets and starts loading them into plastic bags and this guy turns over our recycling bin and fills it with all of our jewellery and sunglasses.”

Glasgow said all this comes after she lost about $18,000 in orders to the month-long postal strike.

Jennifer Glasgow says her botique was broken into this week, with about $8,000 worth of goods stolen. (Kwabena Oduro/CBC)

‘It’s a horrible feeling’

Jennifer Glasgow Design, formerly known as Boutique Général 54, sells jewellery from local designers as well as a clothing line created by Glasgow. The store has been in operation on St-Laurent Boulevard since 2003.

“To have all of that stolen, we were incredibly sad, not only for the people we represent and their stuff that was stolen, but also for us in our community not having the product to have for the holidays,” Glasgow said.

And she’s not alone. A jewellery store a few doors down also had a recent break-in.

“It’s really a horrible feeling,” said Aaron Maya, who owns Argent Tonic, a few doors north of the boutique.

“Since it happened to me, I reinforced the back store. I reinforced it really, really well.”

Aaron Maya, who owns Argent Tonic on St-Laurent Boulevard in Montreal’s Mile End neighbourhood, says it is a horrible feeling to experience a break-in. (Kwabena Oduro/CBC)

Maya feels safer since he beefed up security but he said he feels break-ins are becoming more common in the area.

Glasgow has also increased security, telling CBC News she can’t risk another burglary. There’s a $5,000 deductible on her insurance, leading her to question the worth of putting in a claim at all.

Thinking out loud, she said, “Do we put in a claim and our premiums go up or do we just swallow the losses and move on?”

Police and community response

Both Glasgow and Maya are hoping police will also step up their efforts in the area. Montreal police said they have not noticed a wave of break-ins in the area but continue to be on the lookout.

Smash-and-grab business break-ins are not new to Montreal commercial districts and sometimes, there are several focused on one area. For example, last year, there was a series of burglaries in the Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood.

The owner of Argent Tonic, seen here on St-Laurent Boulevard, says he has increased security since his store was broken into. (Kwabena Oduro/CBC)

Back in January, windows of at least five shops and restaurants were broken into on a stretch of Wellington Street in the Sud-Ouest borough. In that case, a thief was using a brick to smash windows and doors before getting inside, raiding cash registers and fleeing with whatever they could grab.

In 2022, businesses, such as hair salons and grocers, in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (NDG) neighbourhood experienced a series of break-ins. A 43-year-old man was later arrested in connection to about 20 burglaries.

In both Pointe-Saint-Charles and NDG, police had said there was a notable increase in break-ins in the area at the time.

The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) has tips for business owners to increase security on its website, be it to prevent shoplifting, robberies or break-ins.

For example, the SPVM recommends ensuring the business is well-lit, with clear visibility into and around the premises. Avoid obstructing windows with posters or landscaping that could provide cover for intruders, it says.

Secure doors, windows and valuables and maintain a functional security system with cameras and alarms. Properly manage employee access to keys and prominently display the address for easy identification.

If a burglary occurs, contact 911 immediately with as much detail as possible, the SPVM says.