The Mike Dean Local Grocer grocery chain, present in several small communities in Eastern Ontario, including Bourget, has been facing a sharp increase in organized robberies in recent months.
According to owner Gordon Dean, the thefts often involve large quantities of meat or cheese that are then resold. To counter the problem, the company is installing new cameras, one-way barriers and security chains at the closed checkouts.
More than $1,000 worth of goods are reportedly stolen every week. Dean works closely with the OPP and points out that this crime hits rural mom-and-pop grocery stores hard.