According to data from the New York City Police Department, as of May 12th, New York City has received over 21,000 complaints of shoplifting, which is a 5% increase compared to the same period last year. The city government has recently been taking measures to curb these theft activities. However, the consequences have already been felt, with many retail brands closing their stores in New York City.
In the data above, nearly 9,000 cases of retail theft have occurred in Manhattan alone, leading to nationwide chain stores like Target, CVS, and Walgreens closing their stores and adjusting their opening plans.
For example, Target announced at the end of last year that due to theft issues, they closed nine stores in four states, including one in Harlem, Manhattan.
The company clearly stated in a statement that they were unable to continue operating these stores because “shoplifting and organized retail crime are threatening the safety of our team and customers, and leading to unsustainable business performance.”
Walgreens CEO Timothy Wentworth stated in a conference call with analysts discussing first-quarter earnings that Walgreens expects to reduce 200 stores in fiscal year 2024.
CVS announced in 2021 a plan to reduce its national retail locations by 900 stores, with an annual reduction of 300 stores over the course of three years starting from 2022.
Retired NYPD officer and adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Joseph Giacalone, told the New York Post that part of the problem is that politicians have turned a blind eye to retail theft, considering shoplifting as “not a problem,” with many criminal acts being downplayed by politicians themselves.
The NYPD recently included “retail theft” in its crime tracking CompStat report, revealing that retail theft cases in New York City have nearly doubled over the past six years.
Last Thursday, Mayor Adams announced the launch of a pilot program called “Connect New York,” encouraging businesses to share real-time surveillance footage from their stores with the NYPD precinct system, allowing law enforcement to promptly intervene in crimes and combat shoplifting activities.
“When a local pharmacy or business closes, you also lose jobs, inconvenience residents, and have a long-term impact on the quality of life in the community,” Adams said.