Management at the Fairview Pointe-Claire shopping centre confirms it is working with Montreal Police to stop a spree of pick-pockets who have recently been targetting shoppers at the mall.
As first reported by CJAD 800, Carolyn Sharp went on Facebook on Friday to post a warning to Montealers about pick-pockets who tried to get their hands on her valuables. At publication time, her Facebook post had already been shared more than 500 times.
"I held onto everything I had," said Sharp. "One man bumps into you while he's on his cellphone and then I noticed two other guys coming at me from the left, very tall gentlemen."
She said she was able to "scare them off" and then alerted mall security about the incident, but she hasn't heard back from them.
In an emailed statement to CJAD 800 on Tuesday morning, CF Fairview Pointe-Claire general manager, Mathieu Demers, confirmed the mall has received several co,plaints from shoppers related to pick-pocketing.
"Our primary concern is for the safety of our customers, tenants and staff and we are working with Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) to address these concerns," wrote Demers. "We ask that shoppers be vigilant with personal belongings."
While Fairview's management says it's working with police to address the problem, SPVM spokesperson Emmanuel Anglade declined our request for comment on the number of pick-pocket thefts at the mall.
"We have not observed a ressurgence of that type of incidents (sic) since the beginning of 2018," wrote Anglade. "Station-5 is in constant communication with Fairview Pointe-Claire and its other partners to keep track of any ressurgence of that type of criminality."
In the meantime, shoppers are being asked to report any suspicious activity they observe to the Fairview Pointe-Claire security team.
* With files from Shawn Dearn