A Saskatoon store owner from Pakistan says he’s had enough.
Hamid Khan is contemplating moving back home because of several recent robberies at his store, Westmount Foods.
He says the shop on 29th Street has been robbed and vandalized numerous times in the last few months. The latest incident happened Monday night.
“We have been robbed by arms for four or five times,” he says.
The robberies are causing Khan stress to the point he no longer wants to own the store. He fears an armed robbery every time the door opens and no longer feels safe operating the business in the area.
“I don’t know how many days I will survive this kind of condition,” he says.
Saskatoon police say the number of robberies this year is up 34 per cent over 2015 numbers and that violent crime against individuals is up six per cent.
Investigators are trying to keep up, but police say not much will change until health, addictions and social issues are addressed.
Community support teams, The Lighthouse, and an initiative that pairs police constables with mental health crisis workers aim to combat those issues, but according to Ward 2 city councillor Pat Lorje, more services are still needed.
“Unfortunately what tends to happen is when there are not enough services, people end up committing petty crimes,” she said.
She wants to see the provincial government better tackle social issues.
