The surge in shoplifting across America and its cost to businesses and consumers

I’ve been reading and hearing about how this has impacted such companies as Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, etc., as well as many smaller companies and businesses as well.

Walmart CEO Dough McMillon reports that retail theft is rising at the chain’s U.S. stores
The retailer may be forced to hike prices or close stores if the problem isn’t brought under control
Other retailers – notably Target, as well as Home Depot, Best Buy and Rite Aid – have reported soaring retail thefts

“For every $330 worth of products stolen, a retailer has to sell an incremental $300,000 worth of goods to break even,” said Burt Flickinger, managing director of retail consultancy Strategic Resource Group. “We’ve talked to retailers across America who say shoplifting is now 2% to 3% of their total sales. That’s up from 0.7 to 1% pre-pandemic.”

It’s basically has become an easy way for many Americans now to make a living! Today’s criminal element clearly has a friend in today’s Democrat Party who do nothing but provide excuses for such activity. The typical argument is that these people don’t have jobs and hence cannot provide for their families in any other way. The hypocrisy is that out of the other side of their mouth they talk about how we need essentially unlimited and unrestricted immigration to deal with our labor shortage!!! One of the great ironies contributing to this is how mask wearing has actually benefitted the criminal element more so than anyone else!

Although organized shoplifting sprees were on the rise even before the pandemic, Lowe said that post-Covid lifestyle adjustments have made it easier for offenders to get away with the crime.

“Think about mask wearing. Pre-pandemic, would we have ever thought about everyone in a liquor store wearing a mask covering half of their face and allowing them to remain anonymous?” said Lowe.

Clearly this isn’t going away anytime soon. The criminal element in America is growing and emboldened. Heck theft pays and there are no consequences. The question becomes to what measures businesses will take and what will be the consequences to communities and consumers?

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Obvious consequences are the following:

an uptick in shoplifting that could lead to higher prices and closed stores if the problem persists, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said Tuesday.

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Mask wearing is the best habit Americans have ever picked up. Can’t believe it used to be normal for everyone to breathe all over everything.

How much does it cost in comparison to hiring armed security?

If it’s Walmart then does it mean that this is becoming a suburban problem also? Not just City problem?

Where in the article does it say that the thefts are happening mainly or predominantly or even somewhat more in democrat controlled areas?

Is shoplifting now at least in part a suburban problem too? If so then what’s driving that?

“Reparations”

In other words… 97% of their goods are not stolen. A surge went from 1% to 2-3%

What’s the solution? Longer prison sentences?

What did the democrat party do to enable more stealing from Walmarts which mostly exist in suburban and rural areas? (Likely republican ran)

Criminals wore face covering before the pandemic. Are you seriously this naive to how criminals evade being caught?

Low down thievery from low class criminals.

It doesn’t… it’s an assumption in the OP. Walmarts are mostly in rural/suburban areas.

Also the OP offered no evidence that Democrats enabled these crimes anymore than Republicans did.

Now, what was happening in May/June 2020?? If only we could remember…

Looks like dimocrat voters to me. And as we all know, "if you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black.” - joe biden

https://www.wral.com/update-on-protests-and-looting-in-fayetteville/19122202/

Embarrassing.

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How much does the increase in theft have to do with the increase in the use of Self Checkout lanes?

He knows it was demorat voters.

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I am glad you posted this thread but I do not believe that particular calculation.

My own perception is that not only is shoplifting much more frequent than in the recent past but defiant shoplifting, once called “smash and grab” has absolutely skyrocketed.

Today, “shoppers” will fill bags or carts, then laugh and dare the store employees to intervene as they walk out the door and load their cars.

Don’t bring in logical theories.

You did a lot a work to not answer my question.

How didn’t democrats enable more shoplifting? How do we know it’s only democrats who do the shoplifting?

Lastly what is the solution to reducing this, in your opinion?

The Walton’s and Dougie McMillions must be having trouble paying for the Broncos football team.

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So there’s NO Walmarts, Targets, Home Depots, Rite Aids, etc., etc., etc., in big inner cities?

Why is it happening, especially now with all the jobs available?

Or simply kill them if they get in the way:

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