[BlutoSays]

We witnessed shoplifting at Nike, Home Depot and Target, and nobody stopped it

“It is frustrating for people working in that store to see people stealing every day,” explained Jeremy Girard of the Oregon Retail Crime Association.


Kyle Iboshi KGW8, Portland, Oregon, www.kgw.com
Published: 4:47 PM PDT October 27, 2022

PORTLAND, Ore. — It’s 3:55 on a Thursday afternoon in the Mall 205 parking lot. I’m watching through the front windshield of our white Ford Explorer as unsuspecting shoppers zip in and out of the Target store and nearby Home Depot. 

The shopping mall, located near Interstate 205 in Southeast Portland, attracts a mix of construction workers, everyday shoppers and homeless people from nearby encampments.

I’m on the lookout. I want to find out how easy it is for shoplifters to steal in Portland and then see what happens to all that stolen merchandise.

Police, prosecutors, retailers, private security and neighbors complain shoplifting or organized retail crime is a citywide epidemic — largely fueled by drug addiction. Criminals are literally stealing merchandise off store shelves and walking out the front door with little or no fear of being arrested or prosecuted.

“It is at a crisis level,” explained Jeremy Girard of the Oregon Retail Crime Association. Girard estimates some of the hardest hit stores in the Portland-area are losing between $1 million to $5 million annually to theft. Retailers across the city have been forced to hire private security guards, lock down valuable items, change store layout, reduce hours or simply close their doors.

The Nike Community Store in Northeast Portland was closed intermittently throughout September and October reportedly because of widespread theft. Nike wouldn’t share details.

“Stores are not going to be able to sustain for the long haul if organized retail crime continues to get worse,” warned Girard.

Story Continues: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/invest ... f3c2e39323

[Unthinking Majority]

If we can shoplift now with no consequences I might go out and get myself an Xbox.

[Morgan Le Fey]

Stores have insurance for theft. Laws do not allow employees to put their hands on anyone. They can and should be sued for assault if they do.

So yes, you should go walk out with a new X-Box all your own. State Farm has your back!

Remember, if it's personal property everything about its creation is stolen: ergo stealing the final product IS the ultimate return of fate for the manufactured item.

The fun part is when the illegitimacy of insurance (a tax on poor people) is then used to repay the store's owner and you still try very hard to squint and find the victim.

[BlutoSays]

Let's take your scenario to the next step.

The companies file for reimbursement to the insurance companies and that goes on in a cycle for a while.

At some point, State Farm cedes the territory.

Next, the Walgreens, CVS and other retail and grocery stores close doors, because shrinkage eats all their profit.

Amazon.com, Homedepot.com and Walmart.com move more and more of their operations to hubs with efficient delivery.

Next, there's whining about food deserts. People with means move out of those zip codes. Who gets hurt? The rich?

- - - - -


From: Retailers worry about the millions they’re losing to ‘organized retail theft’

Shoplifting is such a big problem, that last week, when officials from Target were explaining why the company’s profit fell by 50% in the third quarter, they mentioned shoplifting as a contributing cause. Target Chief Growth Officer Christina Hennington said Target shoplifting has jumped about 50% year over year. Target estimates shoplifting has cost the retailer $400 million and most of that, Hennington said, has come from organized retail theft.

https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editi ... oplifting/

[BlutoSays]

Portland store owner discusses break-ins, rampant crime | NewsNation Prime

The store endured FIFTEEN breakins and closed its doors. Their insurance was DROPPED.

You think "State Farm" will save everyone???

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/po ... 0ad786ce99

[BlutoSays]

A second downtown San Francisco Walgreens to close this month
Madeline Wells, SFGATE
Feb. 10, 2022
Updated: Feb. 14, 2022

LATEST Feb. 14, 4:38 p.m. A second downtown San Francisco Walgreens location will also close this month, according to the San Francisco Chronicle (SFGATE and the San Francisco Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently of one another). The 88 Spear St. location is slated to close Feb. 23.

Feb. 10, 1:45 p.m. Another San Francisco location of Walgreens is closing, as first reported by San Francisco Business Times reporter Alex Barreira. Walgreens confirmed the impending closure of the 141 Kearny St. store to SFGATE. The Financial District store is slated to close Feb. 22, as noted by a sign posted at the front of the store.

"As we continue to execute our strategy to expand Walgreens role as a leader in the delivery of healthcare, we are focused on creating the right network of stores in the right locations to best meet the needs of the communities we serve," Walgreens spokesperson Fraser Engerman said in a statement to SFGATE. "There are a number of factors that we take into consideration when opening and closing locations, including dynamics of the local market and changing buying habits of our customers."

Pharmacy patients' prescription files will automatically transfer to nearby stores, Engerman added. 

Back in October, Walgreens cited "organized retail crime" as the reason behind a recent string of San Francisco store closures. The chain has closed at least 10 stores in the city since the beginning of 2019, five of which closed in November 2021.

"Retail theft across our San Francisco stores has continued to increase in the past few months to five times our chain average," Walgreens spokesperson Phil Caruso told SFGATE at the time. "During this time to help combat this issue, we increased our investments in security measures in stores across the city to 46 times our chain average in an effort to provide a safe environment.”

However, some of San Francisco's elected leaders questioned the truth of the crime explanation. 

"They are saying that’s the primary reason, but I also think when a place is not generating revenue, and when they’re saturated — SF has a lot of Walgreens locations all over the city — so I do think that there are other factors that come into play,” Mayor London Breed told reporters at the time.

Claims that larceny theft has gotten much worse over the past few years in San Francisco is complicated, which SFGATE has reported on previously. 

In any case, the closure of the 141 Kearny St. Walgreens will not leave the Financial District entirely devoid of Walgreens stores. Nearby remaining locations within a 10-minute walk include 459 Powell St., 300 Montgomery St. and 456 Mission St. Still, the neighborhood has been hit hard by the pandemic with a lack of foot traffic as San Francisco office workers continue to work from home.

Editor's note: This article was update to provide more context on larceny theft data.

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/ ... 848319.php

[Patrickov]

I actually witness a lot of people, regardless of their wealth (thatmeans, including very poor people who cannot afford anything beyond their necessities), holding up more than they can handle, effectively making at least a portion of their homes, offices, shops, etc, a garbage dump.

As such, shoplifting, at least in my place, seems a very inexplicable behavior, and sometimes a mental condition.

Calling its abundance as rampant crime seems a bit mean -- I'd definitely call armed robbery a crime but shoplifting is more complicated than something we only have to deal with in one way.

[BlutoSays]

Growing Number of CEOs Issue Warnings About Retail Theft ‘Epidemic’ Across US

Walmart CEO warns locations may close and 'prices will be higher'

December 8, 2022

An increasing number of current and former CEOs have issued warnings about an increase in retail thefts across the United States, which could trigger higher prices and cause locations to close.

“Today, this thing is an epidemic. It’s spreading faster than COVID,” former Home Depot CEO Bob Nardelli told Fox News on Dec. 8. “The degree of severity now, it’s not just theft, it’s smash and grab. There’s an entitlement out there that if you have it, you’ve worked hard to earn it, I want it. I’m just going to take it.”

Last week, an 83-year-old Home Depot worker was killed after being shoved by a thief at a North Carolina location, officials said. Gary Rasor, the worker, attempted to confront a suspect who was making off with three power washers before he was pushed to the ground; he later died because of complications from his injuries.

While appearing on CNBC on Dec. 6, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said retail theft is “higher than what it has historically been” and suggested that it will create widespread problems in some areas.

“If that’s not corrected over time, prices will be higher, and/or stores will close,” McMillon said.

“I think local law enforcement being staffed and being a good partner is part of that equation, and that’s normally how we approach it.”

He didn’t indicate what locations could be closed due to theft incidents.

In September, the National Retail Federation reported that retail theft and other inventory loss—known as shrink—reached $94.5 billion in 2021, while reports indicate that retail theft incidents increased by about 26 percent last year.

“Violence is an increasingly important concern among retailers,” including shootings and assault, the report reads. “As has been detailed throughout this report, external theft and [organized retail crime] in particular, is a significant and growing area of concern for retailers.”
‘Industry-Wide’

In an investor call, Target Chief Financial Officer Michael Fiddelke said, “This is an industry-wide problem that is often driven by criminal networks, and we are collaborating with multiple stakeholders to find industry-wide solutions.”

The amount Target has shrunk over the past year, “has already reduced our gross margin by more than $400 million versus last year, and we expect to reduce our gross margin by more than $600 million for the full year,” he said.

In the call, Fiddelke said shoplifting has increased by about 50 percent year-over-year. Most of those shoplifting incidents are due to organized retail theft, not individual shoplifters, he said.

Organized looting and retail theft gangs have caused shortfalls for the retail industry amid supply chain problems and years of COVID-19-related disturbances, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“Retail theft is becoming a national crisis, hurting businesses in every state and the communities they serve. We call on policymakers to tackle this problem head-on before it gets further out of control. No store should have to close because of theft,” the organization stated. “These crimes are not victimless.

“In addition to the growing number of thefts that turn violent, innocent consumers, employees, local communities, and business owners and shareholders bear the costs of rising retail theft. Twenty-five percent of small businesses report raising prices as a result of shoplifting. Some retailers have been forced to shutter locations in response to rampant theft.”

Notably, drugstore Walgreens has closed several locations in San Francisco amid a rise of thefts and shoplifting that had been blamed on policies implemented under District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who was recalled earlier this year.
Incidents

18 people were arrested in Los Angeles when police busted an organized crime ring that targeted clothing and shoe stores, authorities said.

The suspects ranged in age from 15 to 20 and were linked to retail thefts at chain stores on Dec. 1 and 2 in which about $23,000 worth of goods were stolen, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. They were likely involved in at least 14 earlier incidents, with stolen goods valued at $90,000, police stated on Dec. 3.

The department didn’t identify the suspects or the retailers that were hit. The stolen merchandise was recovered and returned to the retailers, the Los Angeles Times reported. The investigation included the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/growing-n ... =ZeroHedge

[Pants-of-dog]

@BlutoSays

Please define “organized retail crime”.

Thanks.

[BlutoSays]

@Pants-of-dog

Please go fuck yourself.

Thanks.

[Pants-of-dog]

@BlutoSays

Since you are unable to even define what the problem is, perhaps the problem is not actually that significant.

[Rich]

@Pants-of-dog

Please go fuck yourself.

Thanks.

Please don't lower yourself to the level of Liberal. That's what they want, to be able to avoid all difficult arguments by resorting to insults and ad hominems, turning every debate into a slanging match. I have many disagreements with @Pants-of-dog but he always seems to obey minimum standards of debate. On the occasions when I'm arguing for the same policy or point, I'm always very happy to be on the same side as him. He generally maintains a high level of ideological discipline and conscientiousness. Qualities a conservative should be able to appreciate.

[Rancid]

I witnessed robberies when I worked retail some 20+ years ago. I was instructed to never confront. It's a bigger liability if I get hurt.

[Fasces]

If they steal from Mom and Pop shops, by all means lock them up and throw away the key.

From Walmart? Honestly couldn't care less. The chains have destroyed local economies, and desperate people pilfering toiletries are a perfect example of justice. Maybe if they paid people more, had stable hours for parents and others, provided health insurance and other benefits... these communities wouldn't be so desperate that they're stealing pots, pans, and socks.

[Morgan Le Fey]

If they steal from Mom and Pop shops, by all means lock them up and throw away the key.

From Walmart? Honestly couldn't care less. The chains have destroyed local economies, and desperate people pilfering toiletries are a perfect example of justice. Maybe if they paid people more, had stable hours for parents and others, provided health insurance and other benefits... these communities wouldn't be so desperate that they're stealing pots, pans, and socks.

Yeeepppp.

Let's take your scenario to the next step.

The companies file for reimbursement to the insurance companies and that goes on in a cycle for a while.

At some point, State Farm cedes the territory.

Next, the Walgreens, CVS and other retail and grocery stores close doors, because shrinkage eats all their profit.

Amazon.com, Homedepot.com and Walmart.com move more and more of their operations to hubs with efficient delivery.

Next, there's whining about food deserts. People with means move out of those zip codes. Who gets hurt? The rich?

You can milk a cow for a life, but you can only butcher it once.

[BlutoSays]

Please don't lower yourself to the level of Liberal. That's what they want, to be able to avoid all difficult arguments by resorting to insults and ad hominems, turning every debate into a slanging match. I have many disagreements with @Pants-of-dog but he always seems to obey minimum standards of debate. On the occasions when I'm arguing for the same policy or point, I'm always very happy to be on the same side as him. He generally maintains a high level of ideological discipline and conscientiousness. Qualities a conservative should be able to appreciate.

@Rich

Please define "the".

Thanks.

[BlutoSays]

I witnessed robberies when I worked retail some 20+ years ago. I was instructed to never confront. It's a bigger liability if I get hurt.

Yes. About three plus decades ago when I worked retail at a Bradlees in Massachusetts while in college, I was hit by a car speeding off as I was coming into work.

Two people jumped in a car waiting out front of the store with with several boxes of stolen cordless phones. That was one of the big theft items at the time since they were an expensive and portable item.

Around the same year at the Dartmouth Mall in Massachusetts, a couple of thieves walked in to Zales and smashed all the jewelry counters with sledge hammers and mallets in the middle of the day and made off with thousands in jewely where my mother worked. One of the sales associates she worked with miscarried a couple of days later from the stress of the incident.

[Pants-of-dog]

The other day, I saw three homeless people steal about fifty dollars worth of groceries.

I just kept unlocking my bike, since it was not that big a deal.

[BlutoSays]

[Pants-of-dog]

Are diaper thieves such a menace where you live, @BlutoSays?