Butler Ridge Energy Services covers cost of stolen items from Scoop Clothing

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Butler Ridge Energy Services is covering the cost of items stolen from Scoop Clothing last week after an employee, who was allegedly unaware of the theft, was seen with the suspect.

The theft occurred on Thursday just before the store closed at 5 p.m., and Scoop Clothing took to social media to share surveillance footage of the incident on Saturday.

Allie Gow, social media manager for Scoop, says the woman in the video came into the store while a sales associate was busy completing closing duties at the time.

After a brief conversation with the associate, the girl took a few items into the changing room, and while she was doing that, a man driving a Butler Ridge vehicle walked in and waited for her.

Gow says the woman had changed from her shirt into one of the store’s tops, came out of the dressing room, dropped off all the clothes she had tried on the counter, and quickly left.

Because the top she was wearing and the one she changed into were both black, the associate didn’t notice until she had left the store.

Gow says they also believe the woman had taken some small items in her pocket as well.

The social media manager says that even though not a lot of items were taken, staff at Scoop Clothing are tired of the thefts.

“That’s why we decided to take it to Facebook because we’ve never done that before, so we thought it might scare people a little bit,” Gow said.

As soon as the video was posted, Michael Ryder, vice president of Butler Ridge, reached out, and though the woman doesn’t work at the company, Scoop was given her name.

“We’re going to print [her name and picture] off and put it in the back. She’s obviously not welcome in the store anymore,” Gow said.

Scoop Clothing was told the woman was not from Fort St. John.

Gow says the vice president was very kind and offered to pay for the items. Ryder will come in on Tuesday to reimburse Scoop Clothing after the store takes inventory of the stolen items.

Ryder says he spoke with his employee about the policy with company vehicles, specifically about how non-employees were not allowed inside.

During the talk, Ryder also discovered that his employee didn’t know the woman well, she is a friend of a friend he had given a ride to. His employee was also completely unaware of the theft that had taken place.