Store owner wants shoplifters to know they’re being watched
PENTICTON – A downtown shop owner has caught another two thieves robbing his store in the last week by posting surveillance footage on Facebook.
Leigh Follestad, owner of SmartShopper on Main Street, has been hit several times, but he wants them to know that if they’re going to steal from him, he will put their face online and they'll get caught.
“Hopefully people realize that if I have a video image of you, there’s people in town who know who you are,” he says.
Follestad has installed every type of anti-theft mechanism but says his current method of using social media to put a name to a face is working well and adds he will continue to post videos online of the people who steal from his store.
He created a Facebook group called "Penticton Shoplifters and Thieves EXPOSED" several months ago as a place for local shop owners and community members to share photos, videos and comments about stolen items and break-ins. The group is very active and members have helped owners like Follestad catch criminals.
Once he identifies the suspects, Follestad says he gives the shoplifters a chance to pay him back rather than be turned over to police. Last week he posted a video and within ten minutes the suspect was identified. He contacted the woman, she apologized and came into the store to pay him back for the items she took.
As for the man in the most recent video, Follestad has a name but has not been able to reach him. Police have been notified of the suspect and the surveillance video is still circulating on the internet.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Meaghan Archer at marcher@infotelnews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.
9 responses
-
-
Also as was stated the video was given to the police first and the store owner asked the police if it was alright for her to post it and she was told go right a head. We have several police officers in the group so if anything was illegal I’m pretty sure one of them would message that person or even an admin to let them know they couldnt say or post whatever. Anyways thank you everyone who takes the time to report crimes you see happening.
-
Shelley SnapeI read the threats her family members were sending via facebook and I also received many threats from her family myself as I am an admin of the group. She one family member said he was going to harm my pets myself and my girlfriend and burn down my home while we slept. Icontacted the police in that matter and they told me that family is well known by police for tthieft, fraud and uttering threats. I used the CSO website and looked up the names of the family members who threatened me and guess what all at a handful of charges for those things. I don’t go by hear say what so ever. We like cold hard facts. Also I don’t know how you “debating” you speak of… what’s there to debate when your watching a video of a girl trying on shirts then balling up and handing said shirts over to her mother and WATCHING as the mother shoves the shirts into her bag. There is no debating that. We as a group are looking to put a name to a face and to let other people know who needs to be watched out for. Most people who are caught own up and give back or pay for what they stole, so if seeing their faces up on the group makes them think twice about committing a crime than our job is done.
-
Mike Jones and in regards to these accusations of the threats you are making public…did you hear them yourself? did she record them? or are you going by what she is telling you? any witness?
-
I am not referring to any one situation alone. I think this has gotten out of hand. I think when you have all the proof and you have caught some one with pictures then call the polices and charge them. And when a facebook group does not allow healthy debate about the issue or the accusations then i also question the validity. I have seen many innocent people get caught in the cross fire and find it really disturbing
-
I’m guessing your speaking of the mother and daughter (and her infant). You do know the rest of the photos were posted and while the daughter didnt conceal the said items in her person but she tried on the shirts then handed it to her mother and the mother shoved it into her bag. So your right, people should have their facts straight before posting something. Also they then had other family members and friends (not saying it was you) to threaten to kill the store owner and even the admin of the Facebook group. Police were notified.
-
this is great but you need to be 100% all parties caught on video are the ones stealing! I have seen it happen where it was not all guilty parties being published across the internet and the ramifications are deadly…seriously. Not saying this store is doing it but it has been done by one careless store owner that I know of for sure who did not get all the facts before publishing.
-
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.