Thrift store robbed of jewelry

A local second hand store was the scene of a break and enter early Monday morning.

Rings, watches and an assortment of other types of jewelry were taken from Thrifty Friends Boutique, after the glass on the front door and on a pair of display cases were smashed out.

The store shares the same building as the PGI on Fifth convenience store about three blocks west of Central. An alarm went off shortly after 5 a.m. and there is some hope whoever is responsible will have been seen on the building's security cameras.

It's operated by the Live Well Prince George Society, established about 2 1/2 years ago to provide a spot where low income families in the Central Fort George could get second hand goods while also raising money for various causes around the city.

Most of the items sell for $10 or less and in 2018, the store raised $37,000 with the proceeds going to causes ranging from the downtown homeless shelters to resource rooms at local schools to families who have been burned out of their homes.

The theft left Shirley Morin, the society's treasurer, disappointed but not completely surprised.

"It's a sign of our times," Morin said as she looked at the damage.

She said shoplifting has been on the rise over the last six months as have the number of vagrants found sleeping outside the back door.

"We've had needles, boxes of needles," Morin said.

The shop's volunteers have received training from the RCMP on how to deal with shoplifters and other kinds of trouble. Improving the security camera system and putting bars across the windows are among the additional steps they're considering in the wake of the robbery.

But for every sad story, there's been a good story, said society director Margaret Jackson.

"Kids come in here and they get a free stuffed animal and a storybook to read to their stuffed animal," she said and added it's become a bit of a drop-in centre for a lot of neighbours.

Among the items stolen was a watch with a depiction of a dragon on its face, Jackson noted.

Anyone with information on the theft is asked to call Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300.

They can also contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca (English only).