St. John's grocer turns to Facebook to catch shoplifters

Leslie Bidgood says she and her family were fed up with people stealing liquor, meat and other high-priced food items from their independent grocery store just outside St. John's, N.L. They were also frustrated that authorities were rarely able to find and apprehend them.

But everything changed last month when her family started posting videos of thieves in action on their store's Facebook page.

"In some cases we've had people's names and addresses within five minutes," Bidgood told Canadian Grocer this week. "And it's often family members or friends who inform us because they're sick of the person's behavior."

She added that thefts at Bidgood Supermarket have fallen to zero since late August, when a local CBC news story aired about the Facebook postings.

Bidgood said about 30 videos and photos of thefts have been posted so far. All of the people in them have been identified, and their names passed on to police.

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Despite some negative feedback from people who say the store is publicly shaming people, Bidgood said the reaction from customers and the public has been overwhelmingly positive.

The turn to social media has also helped to stop a problem that was driving the third-generation owners of the well-known St. John's food store to distraction. According to Bidgood, who runs the store with her sisters Jacqueline and Courtney and their father Rick, high-priced alcohol and food was being pilfered by customers on a daily basis.

They learned from police and fellow merchants that the stolen items were mostly being resold to people and restaurants by the thievess. Bidgood said her family invested "a small fortune" last year in a video surveillance system that covers every corner of the store.

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Her family and department managers pour over footage when they notice items missing.

"It's pretty cool to see the thieves in action when we review the tapes," said Bidgood. "But it's a pain because it takes up a lot of our time (and) costs us a lot of money. We're an independent, so we can't absorb the hit like big chains can."

She added that even with footage that clearly shows people stealing, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is hard-pressed to identify culprits and make arrests.

But that problem has been resolved thanks to social media. "I recommend using it," said Bidgood. "It's empowering and it's 100% effective."