Target has closed nine stores in San Francisco and New York as well as Portland and Seattle due to losses caused by theft and safety concerns for employees and customers.
Walmart closed several stores, including those in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Portland, and Chicago, due to “poor performance.”
Walmart did not dare to say that the cause was looting despite the fact that the George Floyd Riots had already written the story.
INSIDE LOOTED WALMART IN CHICAGO pic.twitter.com/TiRqAqHWHD
— JOHNSMITHMARKETING (@johnsmithtn) June 2, 2020
To prove our point, let’s look at the massive looting that took place in Philadelphia overnight. The scenes look like a medieval nightmare – the barbarians have been let loose on the city.
Target has not been apathetic about the thefts.
NRO:
Target stated that it had invested heavily before making the “difficult” decision to close the nine stores. The company added security staffers and hired third-party guards. It also increased its investments in cyber defense and partnered up with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s retail theft division. The company also said that it has invested in locking containers for products that are susceptible to theft.
Target said that despite its efforts, it still faces fundamental challenges in operating the stores successfully and safely.
Retail Industry Leaders Association released a statement saying that organized retail crime, theft, and violence were significant challenges for all retailers. Target’s announcement, they said, reflects the “substantial problems” that exist across communities in the U.S.
This is not just about security. The company is losing money because of these smash-and-grab robberies. The company’s executives claim that “shrink,” or losses due to thefts and poor record-keeping, will cost it $500 million in profit. The losses are close to one-fifth of the $2.7 billion profits made by the company last year.
Burglary (crimes that involve more than $950 in merchandise) is on the rise by 15.7%. While “shoplifting”, (crimes where less than $950 worth of merchandise was stolen), has remained constant, burglary has increased by 15%. The crime is concentrated around a few places, so some shops are hit hard.
Most of these incidents of mass looting do not involve violence. Instead, employees are instructed to keep out of the way of thieves. This doesn’t always work.
Wall Street Journal:
Target’s announcement comes after a series of violent incidents involving retailers. A CVS manager in Mesa (Ariz.) was fatally wounded earlier this month when he suspected a man of stealing from his store.
Cornell stated in August that it has seen an increase of 120% in theft incidents involving violence or threats during the first five months of this year. The number of incidents has not been disclosed by the company.
San Francisco residents and those of other cities with high crime rates don’t want to be reminded that their attempts to “reform” the criminal justice systems failed. The failure to enforce the law invites anti-social criminals who will take anything that is not nailed in a retail shop and laugh about it.
Not punishing criminals creates a whole generation of lawbreakers that don’t have to fear the police or prison, since they will be released as soon as a prosecutor or judge finds any reason for it.
