If you live anywhere near a major city and shop -- which means you're like a majority of people -- you've probably noticed that stores are taking extra measures to curb shoplifting. From locking up items behind the counter to putting special locked cases on the shelf that require an employee key, stores weren't going to just sit idly by and let shoplifters rob them blind.
That, or the stores are just closing. Like the Walgreens locations in Boston.
In California, retailers have lost $7.2 billion to shoplifters. The issue is so bad, California Democrats passed legislation increasing the penalties on retail theft (as a way of staving off Prop 36, which has even tougher penalties). In New York, theft has cost retailers $4.4 billion, and Gov. Kathy Hochul declared 'war' on shoplifting.
In short, it's bad. Or was.
Because stores implemented a lot of the things we mentioned above: locking up items, closing down stores. Things that make retail theft difficult, if not impossible.
And you'd think the 'Curious consumer reporter' for CNN would not only know this.
You'd think wrong:
What happened to the great shoplifting crisis?https://t.co/lX7btykaEm
— Nathaniel Meyersohn (@nmeyersohn) September 13, 2024
He writes:
A year ago, America’s stores declared a shoplifting epidemic. They closed stores in major cities, hired extra security, locked up key merchandise and declared big losses in their financial statements.
This year, retailers are telling a very different story — or no story at all. It’s as if the shoplifting crisis suddenly vanished.
Take Target, for example.
Last year, Target said a scourge of petty theft and organized groups stealing merchandise dented its profit by more than $500 million. Target also closed nine stores, saying “theft and organized retail crime” threatened worker and customer safety and made business unsustainable.
But now, Target is sounding a different message as it gets a better grip on lost merchandise, known as shrink. (Shrink and theft are often used interchangeably, although shrink also accounts for inventory losses from employee theft, damaged and spoiled products, administrative errors, vendor fraud and other factors.)
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But don't worry -- X users did his job for him and pointed out why retail theft is down.
“Ha. Now no one can shoplift because everything’s behind a cage or bulletproof glass. Take that, haters!”
— Carlos (@txiokatu) September 13, 2024
Right?
The stores locked up everything they could because Democrats & Soros DAs refuse to lock up the thieves. pic.twitter.com/KJ1MqYa2jG
— 𝔻𝕠𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣 𝔽𝕒𝕥𝕖 (@georg3) September 13, 2024
Look at that. Steaks behind iron bars.
Many people can’t afford a blowtorch to get to the bread.
— 🫃🏼💉🇺🇦🥥Hollaria Briden, Esq. (@HollyBriden) September 13, 2024
Heh.
Many people can't afford the bread or the gas to get to the store.
Most of the stores closed.
— EducatëdHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) September 13, 2024
And when there's nothing to steal, of course the retail theft rate goes down.
Article says they: closed stores, shut down self-checkout stations, started stocking less inventory, and placed remaining high-theft inventory behind locked displays.
— Bojac (@HeartlessBojac) September 13, 2024
Also, shoplifting rate was up.
Things are going great. pic.twitter.com/L9XhtF4d9M
OH MY GOD.
The shoplifting rate was up and the CNN consumer reporter runs with the headline 'America's stores are winning the war on shoplifting'?
You don't despise the media enough.
They even had to lock up tooth paste you smug b**ch https://t.co/fOKA0sGTiw pic.twitter.com/Pcmwl65kBZ
— Jay Asliken 🕋☪️✈️ (@assliken) September 13, 2024
He really is smug, isn't he?
I've got a great idea for a story, @nmeyersohn ...
— LincolnHillsFrau (@bayareahausfrau) September 13, 2024
Contact the retailers that used to be in San Francisco's Union Square and ask them why they have packed up and moved away.
Hint: It wasn't because there wasn't a demand for their stores. https://t.co/BK2A55YDtp
The last Denny's in San Francisco closed recently thanks to dining and dashing -- which is also theft.
https://t.co/PDhC6pgYSd pic.twitter.com/JXsk0yfoSR
— Rufus T Firefly (sworn enemy of Rakell) (@hoggomcswineass) September 13, 2024
Nathaniel Meyersohn's next story: 'how retail theft helped create jobs.'
The stores with the worst shop-lifting problems closed. https://t.co/qfEWpUAycC
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) September 13, 2024
And people lost jobs and residents of the community lost access to needed goods and services.
They closed stores in Democratic strongholds that don't prosecute crime, got rid of self-checkout in lots of areas, and locked a lot of merchandise behind glass. All of this is admitted in the piece and this apparently is a win for CNN. https://t.co/qYNBw3Yh0c
— Karol Markowicz (@karol) September 13, 2024
CNN sucks.
As your quality of life is taken from you, journalists have one job left.
— EducatëdHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) September 13, 2024
To lie to you about it. https://t.co/dILYrxgBkz
Bingo. Meyersohn even admits the measures have 'frustrated shoppers', which is a way of saying we get victimized by criminals again. And Meyersohn thinks that's a win.
You. Don't. Despise. The. Media. Enough.
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