Police say they have no information to back up a report that more than a dozen uniforms have been stolen from drycleaners less than two weeks before the G20 summit in Toronto.
Radio station 680 News, quoting unnamed police sources, reported that the uniforms were lifted from drycleaners across Toronto over the last few days.
But Toronto police said they couldn’t verify the reports, and one of their drycleaners said that not a single uniform is gone.
“We’ve made several calls. We have yet to find and verify any uniforms gone missing,” said Constable Wendy Drummond, a Toronto police officer and spokesperson for the Integrated Security Unit that is handling security for the G20.
“It would be a concern if uniforms were stolen. If someone impersonates a police officer, it’s a public safety issue.”
She said there had been instances of uniforms going missing in the past from time to time, but wasn’t sure if there was any case involving a drycleaner.
The uniforms are cleaned in bulk by two cleaners with whom the police have contracts, Const. Drummond said.
Betty Skoutakis, director of operations at Sketchley Cleaners, which handles some of the uniforms, said none have been stolen.
She said the company cleans all uniforms at a central location. While she declined to elaborate on how the garments are kept safe, she said the company has rigorous security protocols to make sure nothing is lost or stolen.
“If even a belt were missing from a police officer, I would know. That’s how tight it is,” she said. “There is nothing stolen, no break-in, nothing.”
The G20 summit is set to start in downtown Toronto late next week and will see scores of world leaders and their entourages descend on the city.
Const. Drummond said that, summit or no summit, police would be concerned if any uniforms were unaccounted for.
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