SASKATOON — Another local business owner downtown is facing the problem of spending to have her shop’s window fixed after unidentified persons broke into her clothing store and took the items displayed by the window while ripping the other clothes. The cost of having the store window replaced and the stolen items is almost $10,000.
Q&H Fashion Hub owner Qudsia Kazmi, whose shop is located on 2nd Avenue North, told SaskToday that this is the second time their store’s window has been broken this month. This time, the perpetrators stole goods, especially those displayed by the window. The incident could have happened early Monday morning, Jan. 27.
“The first time it happened was on [Friday] Jan. 3. They just broke the glass of our display window and left, which cost us about $5,900. This is the first time they have taken clothes and other items,” said Kazmi, whose shop sells traditional Pakistani and Indian clothing, jewelry and accessories, and hijabs worn by Muslim women.
“I received a text message from the store owner next door, Kelvin’s Perk, at around 5:30 a.m. They were unloading their stock then, and her message said, ‘Somebody broke your window.’ She said she called the cops. The cops called and advised us to go to our store immediately because anybody could walk in and take anything with the broken window.”
She added that a responding officer from the Saskatoon Police Service called the non-profit group Downtown Saskatoon or DTN YXE to have a representative look after the store until they arrived to check the damage and if anything was taken. The officer left a business card where they can contact SPS for an update.
“They [police] left me a voicemail saying that somebody broke into my store, and they left me they left card in my window with the file number, and I called them, and they said just report it online. Nobody came and talked to me in my store, did not ask if I have a camera or footage, and if I feel safe here,” said Kazmi.
In a statement sent to SaskToday, the SPS said it continues to work with the community to address issues affecting residents. It encourages everyone to report crimes and other suspicious activities so police can respond and send officers to assist.
“While our data shows that property crime has been decreasing year-over-year, we recognize the emotional and financial impact these crimes have on citizens and business owners. We work with our community partners to address underlying issues and offer support whenever possible,” said the statement.
Kazmi said she saw the glass completely shattered when she arrived at their store. With the damage, anybody could walk in and take whatever they wanted. She later learned that several items were missing from their display, including jewelry that those responsible for the break-in thought was gold.
“They took gold-plated jewelry, kid’s shoes and bags. Ripped some clothes. Why would they do that? If you want to steal something, take it and not damage the other items. Now, we can no longer sell the dresses. We import everything. We pay for the shipping costs and customs fees. The total cost of the stolen items and ripped dresses is around $5,000,” she added.
“They used a gun with a glass-breaking bullet, which I found inside the store. I have a picture of the bullet; it is big and heavy, like metal. The police said to write everything stolen and make a report online. I don’t have outdoor cameras; the nearby stores do, but I can’t ask them to give the footage because that's their personal property.”
She asked SPS to continue with the investigation and ask the other establishments across her store, which have cameras, to look into their CCTV footage to see if they can identify those who broke the window and stole the items since this was the second time this month that a local business owner like her had her shop damage.
“I have cameras inside my store, but they did not come inside. They stayed by the window where they took the items. I don't have the money to pay, like $6,000, to replace windows every time someone breaks it. Or to replace the goods that were stolen and damaged. I can’t move to another location or close my shop because I signed a five-year lease,” said Kazmi.
“It has only been seven months since I relocated from Midtown Mall. We were safer inside the mall because there were always security guards, even at night. But in the mall, if a big company wants to come in and pay double, they kick out local businesses. We’re a local business and can’t compete with the big brands, which will pay more.”
She added that other stores have shutters for protection, but since she is only leasing the property, she does not want to install roll-up doors, which are also expensive. However, she had already talked to the owner, who said that she did not feel safe after two incidents of breaking the window of her store.
Kazmi has also started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to replace the broken window, which could cost another $5,000. She wants to raise at least $3,500 to help cover some of the window repair costs, replace the stolen items, and have extra money to make her store more secure. She plans to put bars by the window.
