Former Kelowna city Councillor Andre Blenleil owns Andre's Electronics with stores across BC.
He has several outlets around the Central Okanagan, including a new Telus store on Clement near the new RCMP buiding and Andre's Car Audio at the corner of Harvey Avenue and Spall.
These two businesses among many others in our city, have been the targets of theives and vandals in recent months.
Bleneil was so frustrated on the weekend, he wrote a rant on his Facebook page.
"Time to start to deal with the Kelowna Street Criminals. This morning was the 7th incident in our 2 Kelowna stores in the last 6 weeks. This mornings break-in the 2nd in our New Clement Ave building (20 seconds from the RCMP building).
I know there are some truly homeless people on the streets, but we also have a LARGER group that are mentally ill, drug addicted Street Criminals. Our staff are having to deal with this daily and that was the main reason we moved our Telus from Bernard Ave. to the new Clement area. It's NOT any better. It's time for the RCMP and the courts to start doing their job and protecting ALL of us.
I know it's easy to blame the city, but this is a Provincial and Federal issue. We need treatment facilities or jail time. Let them choose!!! Just doing what we are doing now isn't working for anyone.
My comments are not about the money loss (which is it the thousands in just in the last 6 weeks ), but its for the safety of our staff and the public. I'm likely going to get some negative comments about this post, but we need changes. Stop building housing and start building treatment facilities!!!"
Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran says he understands the frustation of business owners who are dealing with repeated crime. Some of it committed by homeless people, or as Blaneil calls them, street criminals.
Basran says the city is waiting on the province to impliment a model of housing and supports for the homeless population with the most complex issues.
"They're creating the most issues. They are the ones who take up the most RCMP and Bylaw resources. They are the ones who continue to frustrate business owners. Why are we not getting this money out the door so we can get these people off our streets?"
The Mayor says money for the housing and supports is coming from the province -- but it's not coming fast enough.