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Vol. 128 No. 6 PORT PERRY, ONTARIO - WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29,1993 ) 32 Pages SENT Am nore, Local merchants hit by shoplifters before Christmas | By Scott Anderson Port Perry Star 'Tis the season for Christmas shopping, but unfortunately it's also the season for Christmas shoplifting. And local merchants have ioted a number of incidents of shoplifting in the past few weeks. Although uncertain much shoplifting activity is tak- ing place in the area, both the store owners and Durham Re- gional Police have caught peo- ple either in the act or with sto- len goods. A 31-year-old Bowmanville woman was arrested last week on various shoplifting charges after she was found with goods in her vehidle. The stash of clothes and collectables includ- ed items from a number of Port Perry stores. According to police, she was apprehended after becoming in- volved in an accident in Oshawa on December 20. Last week, police also arrest- ed two young offenders in con- nection with a series of thefts at local stores. Although some merchants have been lucky so far this year having not been a victim of crime, others have not been so fortunate. Pam Henshall, from Hen- shall's, said her store has expe- rienced some incidences of shop- how lifting and some charges have been laid. And the fact that she has been victimized disturbs her. "I'm a very trusting person. It bothers me to see this type of thing," she said. Mrs. Henshall sajd there is no common description for a shop- lifter as they "come*from 'all walks of life," as well as all over Durham. "We're trying so hard to do things for the community. We get people to come to town. They come to visit and take away more than just our smiles," she said. Although she is "a very trust- ing person," Mrs. Henshall said she and her staff are now more vigilant while working in the store. Marina Brock, from Brock's Department Store, said she has noticed an increase in shoplift- ing in the family-owned store as well. "I think it's rising," she said noting that she and her staff have noticed items missing from the inventory. "I'm ex- tremely angry." She was required to identify items taken from her store at police headquarters in Oshawa following the arrest of the Bow- manville woman last week. ~ Ms. Brock said a disturbing aspect of the rise in shoplifting Turnto Page 5 urday. eral years. Lake Scugog open to anglers Saturday Lake Scugog is officially open to anglers beginning this Sat- The fishery re-opens with the start of the new year, after be- ing closed since November 24 in hopes of stimulating the pickerel harvest, which has been noticeably dropping for sev- The fishery is open to perch and walleye only. The fishery will remain open for eight weeks, closing this year on February 28, instead of the traditional March 15. Fishermen are permitted to place their ice huts on the lake, but they must be offby the last day of February. By Scott Anderson Port Perry Star With most of 1993 behind them, politicians are looking to abetter yearin 1994. And with the way the past year shaped up, no one can blame them for looking optimis- tically to the future. "I'm optimistic about next year," said Scugog Mayor Ho- ward Hall. "Of course I'm an op- timistic person, that's my prob- lem. But there's no doubt in my mind things will turn around." Mayor Hall noted that both regionally and nationally the economy has begun to turn around and show promising signs. He noted building permit fig- - ures are up substantially over last year. The $15 million value for the first 11 months of this Looking for better year year is up -substantially from the $8.8 million from the previ- ous year. The hike in permit values rep- resents some confidence among builders andinvestors, he said. "I'm looking very optimisti- cally to 1994. We will see some economic turn around, but it won'tbelike 10 years ago." Mayor Hall said there is po- This New Year's Eve - If You're Drinking, Don't Drive IRVINE EAE ERER EEN EEE EEE EERE Ee 'e