Target is closing nine stores because of 'retail theft'

[thelakelander]

Target is closing nine stores because of 'retail theft'

NEW YORK (AP) — Target said Tuesday that it will close nine stores in four states, including one in New York City’s East Harlem neighborhood, and three in San Francisco, saying that theft and organized retail crime have threatened the safety of its workers and customers.

The closings, which will be effective Oct. 21, also include three stores in Portland, Oregon, and two in Seattle. Target said that it still will have a combined 150 stores open in the markets where the closures are taking place. It said it will offer affected workers the opportunity to transfer to other stores.

The Minneapolis retailer said the decision to close the stores was difficult.

https://apnews.com/article/target-theft-store-closures-national-retail-federation-2355eb9fa3f323e13691d6061bb81019

[BridgeTroll]

More retail stores to follow…

[pierre]

Look at the videos of the looting in Philadelphia last night. I don’t blame retailers for closing.

[jaxlongtimer]

Stores need to start putting in unbreakable "hurricane glass" or, as done over the years in high crime areas, build the solid walls up several feet or add burglar bars.  And, like some jewelry stores, may have to start buzzing people in... sad!

This may just drive more shopping to online too.

More needs to be done to investigate sellers on sites like Ebay, especially sellers selling unopened merchandise for bargain prices.  Just as pawn shops require ID, online needs to "know your customer" and have standards for setting up sellers.

Can never fully eliminate the problem but more could probably be done to limit it.

[CityLife]

It's sad, but stores are going to have to require people to leave a valid credit card on deposit upon entry or something like what Amazon is doing with Amazon Go. I recently went shopping with a friend in Chicago at one and it's a great idea. The cart is linked to your account and it rings up items as you put them in. Then you automatically pay at the end without going through a checkout line.

https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=16008589011

[WarDamJagFan]

Asking stores to spend more money to protect themselves from barbaric behavior is a joke.

We don't need stores buying hurricane glass or developing KYC for online retail. We need heavy consequences for those who continue to do this crap. The reason these stores continue to be looted out of existence is because the perps do not have the slightest fear of repercussion from the law, not because stores don't have burglar bars. And until that fear is returned, these acts will continue. It's the whole point of paying local taxes so law enforcement can do their job. Perhaps a tik tok video from the Philly PD sawing off a few fingers of those arrested would do the trick. (Yes I realize it's an extreme example that would never be implemented here but you get the picture)

We like to point to other countries about gun violence, or lack thereof and sometimes those points are fair. I wonder how the smash-n-grab business is doing in places like Singapore or Dubai these days..

[Steve]

I think it's a much deeper problem. Some look at this as, "Target is a big company; who cares." This is a HUGE issue and solutions like what Jewelry stores do and such are band-aids on a broken leg.

This is an example where I do think the Law-and-Order approach needs to be heavy handed. Putting situations like a 9 year old taking things off the shelf at the candy store aside, theft is absolutely premeditated. Can't have it happen.

[jaxlongtimer]

I support the "law and order" approach.  However, there are some issues for store owners with that.

First, confronting a shoplifter can be dangerous.  Wrongfully detaining someone is sure to result in a lawsuit leading to a big settlement.

Next, even when someone could be rightfully arrested and charged, I have experienced that many larger companies (and maybe some smaller ones) typically don't want to take the time and effort to file supporting police reports and go through paying employees to take off from work to act as witnesses and testify in depositions and/or trials as they see it as throwing good money after bad.  If you have ever been called to testify, you know it can easily be an entire day or more, being at the beck and call of attorneys.  Without that cooperation, the state attorneys can't successfully prosecute.  And, then, there is no guarantee of a conviction, restitution or lengthy time in prison.

Thus, either accept theft as a "cost of doing business" or invest in stronger loss prevention... hence, my suggestions previously.  I did like the Amazon idea of inserting a legit credit card to access a store.  Interesting idea.  Costco is close in this regard as you have to have a Costco membership card to enter at the door.  Costco also seems to be laid out where it is not easy to exit the store without running through a gauntlet of registers, food tables, a crowd of shoppers in line to show their receipts and advertising displays  .  I might add Costco stores don't have any glass storefronts and use roll down steel doors when closed.

[jaxlongtimer]

^ To my comments above, here is a CNBC report stating Costco is not having shrink like that of Target:

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2023/09/27/costco-shrugs-off-shrink-while-target-closes-stores-due-to-theft.html?&recirc=taboolainternal

[jaxoNOLE]

It's almost like all of the "Defund the Police, ignore petty crime, turn-a-blind-eye to riots" rhetoric emboldened the criminal element. The burden of cooperation for companies hasn't dramatically changed in the past 3 years, so why the spike in shoplifting to unsustainable levels all of a sudden? A lack of enforcement.

If stores start requiring a membership or valid credit card to enter, who will suffer the most? Low income families. Same is true when stores close. I read not too long ago about an area of DC where the last grocer may soon close due to unsustainable shrinkage after investing over $100,000 in upgraded security measures. This low-income area is on the verge of becoming a food desert as a direct result of rampant crime, yet active movements to defund the MPD are still alive.

The problem is not universal nationwide. DAs can be voted out and replaced with people who will enforce the laws on the books. Councilmembers can be replaced with those who don't aim to cut public safety funding. This is a problem the people in affected areas can largely fix if they choose to, but it may require an uncomfortable squaring of reality with ideology.