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Big Grocery Chains Fighting Back Against Theft
How grocers are getting creative in their battle against theft

From receipt checks to bag size limits, Kroger and Giant Food are among the food retailers implementing new in-store measures to reduce shrink.

Grocers' war against shrink wages on with new moves by Kroger, Giant Food and Safeway.

Kroger confirmed in an email Tuesday that six of its Columbus, Ohio-area stores recently added safety measures, including receipt checks, in response to increased incidents of theft.

Local news reports noted that shoppers are also no longer allowed to bring in suitcases, duffle bags or roller bags at those select stores and that the grocer has the right to search bags, Spectrum News 1 reported.

Giant Food is also looking to limit bag sizes to prevent theft, a spokesperson for the grocer confirmed via email on Tuesday.

The policy is in place at select stores that are "experiencing high shrink to mitigate the unprecedented levels of product theft that have become unsustainable for our business," according to the Giant's emailed statement. The grocer did not specify which stores will enforce this new rule.

Self-checkout has long been a culprit of shrink, and grocers have been struggling to find a balance between preventing theft and maintaining a smooth customer experience. Safeway is reportedly removing the self-checkout option altogether at several of its California stores, according to local news reports.

Select San Francisco Bay Area locations will get rid of self-checkout machines due to ongoing theft problems, KTVU reported earlier this week.

Since at least last summer, Safeway has been introducing receipt-scanning gates at self-checkout areas at select locations, including bringing the technology to several San Francisco stores followed by some stores in the Washington, D.C., area. Albertsons, Safeway's parent company, said in a statement in February that the gates are part of "long-planned security improvements" aimed at preventing theft.  grocerydive.com


Lawmakers, Prosecutors, Retailers, Law Enforcement All Play a Role
California's High Theft Rates: Protecting Yourself from Property Crimes
California has experienced a surge in property crime, particularly theft, in recent years. This trend is concerning for residents who want to protect their belongings and maintain a sense of security in their communities.

The increase in theft rates has been attributed to various factors, including changes in state laws and the growing prevalence of organized retail crime. As a result, it is crucial for Californians to take proactive steps to safeguard their property and minimize their risk of being targeted by thieves.

Strategies for Prevention and Protection

Improving Public Safety Measures

Public safety measures play a crucial role in preventing and protecting against property crimes in California. These measures include collaboration between the police, California Highway Patrol, and other law enforcement agencies who together can effectively safeguard communities. Moreover, businesses and stores can further enhance public safety by employing security guards and installing surveillance cameras to deter offenders.

Legislative Actions and Reforms

The California Legislature, along with the Attorney General and other officials, has been working towards enacting laws and reforms to tackle high theft rates. A recent example is the California Retail Theft Reduction Act, introduced by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur. This legislative package seeks to combat organized retail crime and protect businesses in the state.

Community and Individual Responsibilities

Within local communities, public meetings and workshops can raise awareness about theft-related issues and encourage individuals to adopt preventive measures. Retailers, especially high-end stores, should invest in robust security systems and collaborate with law enforcement to apprehend offenders and maintain safe shopping environments.

Prosecutors play an important role in ensuring that retail theft offenders face appropriate punishment, which can serve as a deterrent for potential criminals. Transparency in the criminal justice system can reinforce collective efforts to reduce property crime rates.  therolladailynews.com


Is California Fighting Retail Theft in the Wrong Way?
Opinion: California Lawmakers Try to Tell Retailers How Best to Address Theft

All California employers must develop a 'workplace violence prevention plan' or face civil penalties

Now, they want to tell retailers how to operate self-service checkout terminals, supposedly as a means of addressing retail theft. Under a new state Senate bill, such terminals will have to be manned by an employee, defeating the whole purpose of the terminals.

While this bill also aims to "protect good jobs," according to the press release, it is part of an effort to address the explosion of retail theft in California, which the state's own policies have caused.

Rather than acknowledge that these policies have been a disaster, 19 Democrat and two Republican lawmakers recently proposed a new 29-bill package to address crime prevention and rehabilitation for offenders, with Ms. Smallwood-Cuevas among them.

California's state Senate Democrats passed Senate Bill 553, seeking to make it a law that employees cannot be required to stop retail theft. The bill received significant backlash from retailers.

Now state lawmakers are at it again, seeking to tell retailers how best to address theft. Senate Bill 1446 would require grocery stores and drugstores that have self-checkout stations to assign employees to watch over them. The employees may not have any other tasks and must not be responsible for more than two stations. Further, customers may only use the stations if they have 15 or fewer items.

This silly bill clearly would do nothing to address the theft problem. Shoplifters and smash and grabbers do not stand in a checkout line. They come in, usually in large numbers, grab items off the shelf, and run out.

What the bill really seems designed to do is stop retailers from relying on new technology to reduce labor costs. Once again, the left creates a problem through bad policy, then seeks to solve the problem through government intervention. It never works, in turn requiring more government intervention. californiaglobe.com


California Lawmakers Continue to Roll Out Anti-Theft Laws
Opinion: We cannot afford to do nothing about retail theft

By Juan Alanis, a Modesto Republican who represents the 22nd Assembly District

While many of the retail theft bills before the Legislature are a serious and real step in the right direction, they are not enough to combat the rampant organized crime and retail theft issues we face.

My bills, AB 1845 and AB 1972 are positive steps toward real solutions. They are strategic proposals to address the resource shortage that law enforcement agencies across our state are grappling with. AB 1845 will establish the Identifying, Apprehending, and Prosecuting Resale of Stolen Property Grant Program, providing crucial funds to support law enforcement agencies and prosecutors. AB 1972 aims to bolster the California Highway Patrol's property crimes task force to combat organized cargo theft. These bills, which have already received unanimous bipartisan support, are a significant step towards equipping law enforcement with the resources they need to fight against retail theft.

The reality is that because the voters themselves passed Proposition 47 into law, only the voters can choose to change or repeal the law. After a decade of living under the policies of Proposition 47, I believe the voters deserve the right to reevaluate the law and perhaps change their minds.   cerescourier.com


Are Anti-Theft Measures Pushing Shippers Online?
Editorial: In-person shopping is no longer pleasurable

It's a lot easier to assume the worst of your customers than it is to hire more staff. It's also cheaper and better for the bottom line

Retailers are doing a good job of driving us out of their shops and thus negatively affecting a city's economy. Cases in point: Having to pay for the use of a shopping cart; being asked to produce a receipt as you leave the store; metal gates and alarms linked to your purchase.

Meanwhile, the big box store demands I produce a receipt before it allows me to leave after dropping a few hundred dollars on plants. The world just shrugs at this and other affronts to those of us who are not predisposed to steal stuff. Call it a developed sense of morality.

Clearly, the five-finger discount has become more than just an occasional problem, but any idiot could have predicted decades ago that once stores started piling stuff on shelves and cutting floor staff, this would happen. It's a lot easier to assume the worst of your customers than it is to hire more staff. It's also cheaper and better for the bottom line.

None of this is news; none of this is ever likely to change. But it certainly explains why online shopping has surged in popularity. calgaryherald.com


The Postal Service Fights Surging Crime
Amid crime surge, USPS law enforcement relying on 'outdated' data to justify staffing

The number of serious postal crimes - including burglaries, robberies, assaults, and homicides - increased almost every fiscal year between 2017 and 2023.

The Postal Service is seeing a surge in postal crime - including a sevenfold increase in robberies - but relies on outdated crime data to justify the size of its law enforcement workforce, according to a watchdog report.

The Government Accountability Office, in a report publicly released Wednesday found the number of serious postal crimes - including burglaries, robberies, assaults, and homicides - increased almost every fiscal year between 2017 and 2023.

According to the Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Postal Service's law enforcement agency, USPS saw nearly 1,200 serious postal crimes in 2023 - with robberies of letter carriers accounting for about half of them.

USPIS data shows guns are increasingly involved in postal crimes. Firearms were present in about 68% of robbery cases in 2022 and 66% of cases in 2023. The data shows USPS employees aren't physically harmed in 95% of robbery cases - but local law enforcement and USPS employee organizations say letter carriers often experience trauma and stress from these armed robberies. federalnewsnetwork.com
 

Boston mayor says criminals should not be prosecuted for theft
 
Louisiana law makes it crime to stand too near police
 

Jefferson County, CO: Colorado teen suspected of stealing $20,000 worth of Legos and other merchandise
A teen is suspected of breaking into a Colorado business and stealing thousands of dollars worth of Legos and other merchandise. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office highlighted the case on social media this week explaining the alleged crime was carried out on May 12 at about 4:30 in the morning at the Bricks and Minifigs Lego shop. The business is located along Bowles Avenue. Surveillance video reportedly shows the suspect gaining entry to the store by using a car and straps to pull the doors open. The suspect then entered the business while wearing a face-covering "The suspect quickly loaded 14 sets of Legos and 1,180 minifigs into his car, stealing $20,000 worth of goods," the post by the sheriff's office reads. "Fortunately, the shop owner shared her story on social media, and one of her loyal customers made a crucial connection to help solve the case. The customer saw someone trying to sell the exact same stolen items online." Investigators arranged a meeting with the suspect and confirmed the items sold to them were connected to the burglary. After a search warrant was executed at the suspect's home, nearly all the merchandise was recovered. The suspect was identified as a 17-year-old boy from Denver. The suspect is charged with second-degree burglary, felony criminal mischief, and felony theft.  kktv.com


Fond du Lac, WI: Alleged shoplifter arrested after leading Fond du Lac police on pursuit
Authorities in Fond du Lac say one woman was arrested on Sunday night after allegedly shoplifting from a Wal-Mart before leading police on a high-speed pursuit. According to a release from the Fond du Lac Police Department, officers responded at 10:42 p.m. to the Wal-Mart on 377 North Rolling Meadows Drive for reports of a woman actively shoplifting from the store. Officials say they arrived on the scene as the suspect was leaving the parking lot in her vehicle. A traffic stop was attempted, however, the driver refused to pull over before running a red light at the intersection of North Rolling Meadows Drive and West Johnson Street and proceeding to flee southbound on Highway 41. Police reportedly pursued the vehicle on Highway 41 which reached speeds of 88 miles per hour before it finally exited onto South Hickory Street and pulled over. Officers say the 37-year-old Milwaukee woman was then arrested without further incident on the following potential charges: Felony retail theft, Fleeing from an officer. Felony bail jumping, Second offense possession of marijuana, Probation/parole warrant and Two (2) Waukesha County warrants for shoplifting and retail theft.  wearegreenbay.com


New Castle, DE: State Police Arrest One Suspect for Several Power Tool Shopliftings in New Castle County
Delaware State Police arrested 35-year-old Robert Williams of New Castle, Delaware, for several shoplifting charges following a series of power tool thefts predominantly from Home Depot locations in New Castle County over the last several months. Troopers are seeking assistance in locating his coconspirator (pictured above), 33-year-old Brandon Williams, who remains at-large. Between August 22, 2023, and May 5, 2024, troopers investigated several shopliftings of a similar nature from New Castle County area home improvement stores. In each shoplifting, an unknown white male suspect took various power tools and left the business without paying. Through investigative means, troopers identified Robert Williams as the suspect responsible for 18 power tool shopliftings from multiple Home Depot locations in New Castle County. Additionally, troopers identified Williams as the suspect responsible for 2 additional shopliftings in New Castle County; one of which was of power tools from Lowes, and the other was of various household goods from Walgreens. The 20 shopliftings, which occurred mostly in March and April of this year, totaled over $23,200 worth of stolen merchandise. In 4 of the 18 Home Depot shopliftings, Williams shoplifted with a coconspirator, who was identified as Brandon Williams.  dsp.delaware.gov


Liberty Center, OH: Two arrested, accused of stealing thousands in merchandise from Liberty Center store

Clarkston, WA: Lewiston man now Facing a 7th Felony Charge After Stealing From Clarkston Walmart