The grainy hum of a security camera doesn’t usually make headlines, but in New Tecumseth, it became the unlikely witness to a story that unfolded not once, but twice in the space of three days.
Two thefts, one familiar suspect, and a local liquor store left asking hard questions about its vulnerability—these are the elements of a drama that played out under the unblinking gaze of surveillance footage. The Ontario Provincial Police are now searching for a man, described as a small-built, grey-haired individual in his fifties or sixties, believed to be behind both incidents. Authorities allege he first entered the LCBO on Dunham Drive around 8 p.m. on June 30, filling a shopping bag with $292 in alcohol before walking out unpaid. The camera recorded every movement, an impartial observer chronicling a story that would not end that evening.
Three days later, the same figure crossed the threshold again. Dressed in a plaid jacket, his white and green bag slung with quiet confidence, he selected more items and exited just as calmly. Once more, the camera’s eye caught every detail. This double act is more than a tale of missing bottles—it’s a case study in how store vulnerabilities can invite a repeat performance when left unaddressed.
Security cameras capture more than faces; they reveal patterns. In this case, the footage links the two incidents and sharpens the search for the suspect. It also exposes how a determined individual can exploit routine—same method, same exit, same bag—precisely because nothing had changed in the store’s defences after the first loss. Most striking, the store’s vulnerability was not just financial, but reputational; being caught on camera twice is a warning shot to other local businesses.
There’s a common misconception that cameras alone deter theft. As New Tecumseth’s experience shows, surveillance exposes what’s missed on the ground. The footage is now a crucial tool for police, but the true lesson is for retailers: without changes to procedures or engagement, repeat offenders may not just return, but feel emboldened. The community is left reconsidering the line between vigilance and complacency, and the camera, as always, records it all.
References:
One liquor store allegedly hit twice by same person: OPP
