Halifax police are searching for a man accused of robbing a Costco in Bayers Lake just before eight p.m. on Friday. “Staff reported that a man entered the store, proceeded to the jewelry display case, and proceeded to smash it with a hammer. He then fled on foot with a quantity of jewelry,” says Const. Martin Cromwell, a public information officer with the Halifax Regional Police. There were no reported physical injuries. The suspect is described by police as a white man wearing a mask, sunglasses, blue hooded sweater, dark pants and running sneakers. Retail analyst Bruce Winder says retail crime is becoming more common and violent. “It’s one thing for a thief to go to a local small, maybe medium sized mall, and smash and grab a jewelry store… but to go all the way inside a Costco where there’s literally hundreds of people walking around and start smashing in front of hundreds of people in a Costco where the exits are guarded, it is incredibly brazen. It shows you that thieves have become just much more aggressive,” he says. Winder adds these types of crimes not only affect retailers, but consumers too. “If this keeps happening, retailers will have to increase prices on us. And we’re already in an inflationary environment, and we could be in a bigger inflationary environment with any counter tariffs that the prime minister puts in place in September. So, it’s just another reason to try to clamp down on this,” he says. “We need to make the punishment for thieves significantly harder so that the equation between doing the crime and feeling the pain from it is changed.” A video of the incident submitted to CTV Atlantic seemingly shows two people stepping in to stop the suspect, but police encourage people not to get involved. “We would always advise to not try to intervene. Obviously, for safety reasons,” says Cromwell. Meanwhile, Winder says it’s a sign the public is growing increasing disturbed by these incidents. “I think some people just feel disgusted with what kind of society we are living in now where someone can come in and steal things with limited repercussions and they’re starting to push back,” he says. “That’s dangerous because all it takes is one thief to harm a consumer or harm a staff member. And there can be serious consequences.” For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
