HOPKINS, Mich. — A small business in Hopkins, called High Ranch Meats, captured security footage of a woman stealing from the store on Tuesday, which is something that all small businesses need to be watching out for as the holiday season ramps up.
Wende Brinkhuis owns High Ranch Meats with her husband. When reflecting on the incident, she said, “It’s disheartening that there are people out there like that.”
Since Brinkhuis has another career, High Ranch Meats is self serve. “If we're not here, our scanner is always on and the computer is always set up,” Brinkhuis said.
Brinkhuis says her store essentially runs on an honor system. “We want to trust people, but one person can ruin it for everybody,” Brinkhuis explained.
Since Brinkhuis is not always present at High Ranch Meats while it's open, she and her husband rely on their security cameras inside and outside the store. So, the woman who stole $70 worth of their products was identified within 24 hours.
Brinkhuis says that although the woman stole $70 worth of products, she paid a total of $20. “She knew she was on camera, so she was trying to make it look like she was putting some money in and paying for some of it,” Brinkhuis said.
The woman also switched bar codes around on the clothing items on display.
“The cameras work, and we are watching," Brinkhuis said. "We're not the only little business around here that has cameras like this."
Brinkhuis says that even though the $50 that was stolen doesn't seem like much, for a small business like hers, it's huge.
“When you do take from businesses, you're hurting everybody," Brinkhuis said. "We can't be here if it continues, because we would have to raise our prices so much.”
Brinkhuis says she and her husband do not plan to file a lawsuit. Since the woman has been identified, it's now in the hands of State Police.
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