A local men’s wear shop that has been in operation for more than 40 years in Edmonton is picking up the pieces after a movie-like break-in over the weekend.
Sterling Derk recently opened up the brand new Mr. Derk location on 102 Street at 80 Avenue on Nov. 21. Early Sunday morning, the store was hit by thieves who Derk said entered through the walls of a neighbouring unit.
“You think you have all your bases covered, but people can exploit something internal that you don’t really notice yourself or you think would actually happen. I don’t think in my life I’ve ever heard of people breaking through walls into the building,” Derk said.
“That’s something like in a movie where it’s a bank heist, where you’re cutting holes through the wall. Obviously it’s a little bit more rougher the way that they did it, but they did it.”
Derk said he believes the masked thieves initially broke through the walls of the store around 2 a.m.
“Through that access they were actually coming through the walls, they were grabbing the product hanging on the walls so our security system wasn’t able to catch it — because we’re not used to gathering things on the inside of walls and looking out for that for it to be secure. We’re usually focusing on the outside walls, the windows, the extremities and the doors,” he explained Monday morning.
“After breaking in and coming through the walls for an hour and grabbing product slowly, they crawled into the space on the ground and made their way inside and grabbed product. And they did one final big rush where they came in and they did — at this point we’re tallying probably over $100,000 worth of product and damage.”
Derk said everything from suits and jackets to blazers and pants were taken.
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Surveillance video from inside the shop shows at least three people in masks, hoods and ski goggles inside the store. Derk said audio from the video appears to show the thieves knew what they were looking for.
“There’s audio where they’re actually talking about specific products they were looking for when they came in to grab. They didn’t want to leave without specific items,” he explained.
“Usually people come in, they just grab whatever they can. This is something where someone went after specific products… that’s kind of the most upsetting part of this is that these guys had planned this. It wasn’t just something that was spur of the moment.”
Derk said he was out with his son, shopping for a Christmas gift for his father when he got the call about the break-in.
“I was just feeling happy to be in a position where I was able to buy my dad things and I got a call and my heart dropped,” Derk said, getting emotional. “I didn’t know what to do. I just rushed over here. My wife came and grabbed my son and we just tried to pick up the pieces.
“Obviously these guys have no soul to do something to a family business like this.”
It’s a devastating blow for the business, which has already struggled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Predominantly dealing with weddings and special events, men’s attire for office — no one is going to work, things like that and then with the lockdown — it’s been super challenging,” he said.
“We experienced huge delays on opening because of COVID with construction, so we were already in a point where it was challenging but we were looking forward to the new year and getting out of 2020.
“This is just like the nail in the coffin, really.”
Construction crews were on site Monday to repair the walls. Derk said they were in touch with a security company Monday and the building landlord to ensure the security system is as updated as it can be to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
A spokesperson with the Edmonton Police Service said it appears the suspects accessed the clothing store through an unoccupied adjoining unit. Scott Pattison said police do not have a dollar value yet for what was taken.
Pattison said anyone with information about the break and enter is asked to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile device.
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