The owner of a Windsor bakery is trying to stay optimistic after her business was broken into for the seventh time in five years.
Saskia Scott, owner of Sweet Revenge Bake Shop on the corner of Wyandotte Street East and Thompson Boulevard, came into work on Tuesday to see that the business' front door had been smashed. According to Scott, this is the seventh time a break-in has occurred at her business and this kind of incident is beginning to feel like the new normal.
"The first time when [it happened] I thought 'it happens, no big deal, we'll pick up the pieces and clean and move on.' The seventh time was, 'here we go again.' No sense of urgency, it just feels like a routine at this point, just another break-in, a regular day," she said.
Nearly every time a break-in has occurred, Scott has introduced new security measures including installing high-quality cameras, a smash resistant film on the door and bars across the glass. The business has also stopped keeping a float on-site and Scott said they have gone as far as to place the empty cash drawer on the counter before closing up for the night in hopes of discouraging any would-be thieves.
"Since the frequency, probably after the third time, we don't keep any cash on hand here at all anymore," Scott explained. "Just out of response from all the break-ins, we don't want to keep cash...there's really no incentive for them to break in. The last time I think they got two rolls of quarters and a box of plastic forks."
Scott said she works with Windsor police after every break-in but at this point, she has given up on filing any insurance claims.
"My premium would increase, my deductible is the same price as the door for the most part. It doesn't make sense. At this point, if I had reported all those break-ins as insurance, my insurance company would drop me," she said. "It's sad but [the police] know us by now. Almost every time we've provided them with the [security] footage when they needed it because it can be linked to other break-ins that happen in the area."
Besides a financial burden of getting a new door, Scott said the break-ins add an inconvenience to the small business operations.
"Even if it only takes a couple of hours to sort it all out, those are a couple of hours I could have been working," she said. "Plus now your mood has been effected for the rest of the day, it's really hard to turn around and stay positive and conduct business as usual after something like that. It feels like a personal attack on your business, it feels like you're not respected. I understand the people breaking in are probably a lot more worse off than we are but it doesn't make it acceptable to continue to break into a business that works really hard."
As for why so many break-ins keep happening, Scott said she can't say for certain but believes her corner location makes for a prime target spot. The break-in on Tuesday was the first one where the assailant was unable to actually get inside the business. Scott said she believes it's because they've taken so many preventative precautions, something she sees as a small victory.
"I'm a lot more optimistic for the future. I'm kind of hoping they get the message and don't try again. If they persist and it does continue to be a problem where I'm getting broken into twice a year or more then yeah, I would probably consider moving areas," Scott explained. "I'm just a bakery, not a bar, not a pharmacy, we don't have sensitive materials on-site, I don't know why we keep getting broken into.”
After being plagued by so many thefts, Scott said she's heard from people all kinds of suggestions about how to prevent this from happening. However, for Scott, she believes there is a bigger conversation that should be taking place.
"We have made all the precaution necessary for a regular small business... it's not something we should have to worry about. I think the focus should be more on community outreach or recovery programs for people who are turning to this sort of action in life."
Although Scott said what happened this week makes her want to "throw her hands up in the air" with frustration, the encouragement from the community has been getting her through the tough time. Just 24 hours after posting about the break-in on her business' Facebook page, the post received over 400 comments of support. She said it's that support that keeps her going.
"It is very difficult to stay positive and move forward. You kind of have to take it in stride and say 'okay, that was just today and things will be better tomorrow, it could always be worse.' The support I've received from the community has been so overwhelmingly positive, it's been so nice...it really does help me move forward... the community does love our business and wants us here, people do support us. If anyone else is having issues with something similar or even just day to day small business struggles, you are cared for and loved. People do want you to move forward."
