About $7,000 worth of coats and jackets were stolen from popular leather and fetish shop Northbound Leather on March 30.
The break-in occurred just after 6am, according to George Giaouris, Northbound’s owner. He was notified about the break-in by his alarm company in the early hours of the morning.
“I know people think our stuff is hot, but now some of our stuff really is ‘hot’ out there.”
Toronto Police Service spokesperson Victor Kwong confirmed that police responded to a call at Northbound at 6:15 am on March 30. The incident is now being investigated as a break and enter. Police are also reviewing surveillance video.
Giaouris believes about 13 jackets and coats were stolen, but he wasn’t certain if more inventory was missing. There was also damage to the door of Northbound’s St Nicholas Street entrance, which he says was smashed open.
Northbound, however, remains open for business.
It’s been at least four years since there was a break-in at Northbound, according to Giaouris. Past thieves took extreme measures to try and steal leather gear from the store, including entering from the roof and crawling through one of the upper windows.
“The neighbourhood has changed; it’s not what it once was,” he says. “There was a lot more criminal activity back in the day. Not so much anymore.”
Giaouris is appealing to the community to keep an eye out for any of Northbound’s products being sold online or in Toronto’s consignment stores or pawnshops.
And he says if the thieves are reading this — next time, they should just ask for a discount. “[It’s] a lot less stress on both sides.”
Anyone with information about this incident can call Toronto Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
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