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Pushout Theft is Surging - Wheel-Locking Tech Can Curb It
Using a cart, shoplifters can steal up to 50X more goods than carryout theft incidents

The Rising Tide of Pushout Theft: A Challenge for Retailers

By Robert Harling, Gatekeeper Systems

In the retail world, a unique type of theft has been steadily increasing: pushout theft. This phenomenon, where shoplifters brazenly wheel out carts laden with unpaid merchandise, is causing significant financial strain on retailers. As this form of theft becomes increasingly sophisticated, the industry is scrambling to find effective solutions.

Rising Rate of Pushout Theft

Using a cart, shoplifters can steal up to 50X more goods than carryout theft incidents, with total cart worth ranging from nominal amounts to staggering figures exceeding $12,000 per incident.

The consequences of pushout theft extend beyond mere inventory loss. Retailers face increased operational costs, including higher insurance premiums and the need to raise prices, which can alienate customers​​. Moreover, the nature of these thefts and their increasing violence pose a direct threat to the safety and well-being of store employees and customers​​. This creates a pressing need for retailers to address theft to protect profits and maintain a safe shopping environment.

Retailers’ Responses to Combat Theft

Wheel-locking technology for shopping carts is becoming increasingly popular. These systems are designed to trigger when unpaid merchandise attempts to leave the store, disabling the wheels and setting off an alarm regardless of who is pushing the cart and what items are within it.

This non-confrontational method acts as a first line of defense, allowing security officers to assess the situation before engaging. In most cases, shoplifters walk away from the cart, leaving the merchandise in the store. It not only deters potential thieves but also serves as a reminder of the store’s vigilance against theft, contributing to the overall security of the shopping environment​​.

By integrating these strategies, retailers are addressing the immediate challenge of pushout theft and reinforcing their commitment to creating a secure and welcoming environment for all customers.

Future of Theft Prevention: The Role of AI: retailtouchpoints.com


'Most Dangerous Target' in America?
Streamer films walkthrough of 'most dangerous Target' in US with armed security – warning 'coming to store near you'
A walkthrough of a downtown Target location showed some of the toughest anti-theft measures, including armed forces at the front door. A Target in downtown San Francisco, California, was referred to as "one of the most dangerous" stores in the US with almost every item having some sort of lock.

Benny Johnson, a streamer and the host of The Benny Show posted a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, of a glimpse of the San Francisco Target and its locked-up products. In the first few seconds of the video, Johnson recorded a man getting caught trying to steal.

“That guy just got caught attempting to shoplift by armed security. Looks like special forces,” Johnson said, referring to the armed guard. Johnson did a stroll through the Target and came across locked-up supplements, underwear, shoes, face masks, and more.

Johnson sarcastically ended his video suggesting that more Targets will soon have locked up products and said, “Get ready America, coming to a Target near you.”  the-sun.com

'Freeway to Theft': More Retailers Remove Self-Checkout
Safeway removes self-checkout kiosks from some Bay Area stores
Shoppers at some Bay Area Safeway stores will no longer have the option to use self-checkout kiosks. Safeway officials said they're removing the kiosks because of problems with theft – too many customers steal items when they go through the self-checkout.

"Operational changes have been made at select stores throughout the Bay Area given the increasing amount of theft," according to Safeway's statement. "Self-checkout kiosks have been removed at a few stores. Like other local businesses, we are working on ways to curtail escalating theft so we can ensure the well-being of our employees and foster a welcoming environment for our customers."

The Safeway on Pleasant Valley Road in Oakland removed them earlier this month. And this store isn't the only one. Retail experts said Safeway likely looked at the data on the amount of theft at those stores, and did the calculations.

"You have to take out the self-checkouts because you can't make money," said Patrick Penfield, Syracuse University professor of practices and supply chain management. "This is a real conundrum for these retailers trying to offer the best customer service, the best customer satisfaction, but still trying to make money."

Meanwhile, a California lawmaker is pushing to crack down on self-checkout kiosks, noting that they are essentially a freeway to theft.

Se. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) said the kiosks cause about 16 times more loss than cashier checkout stands with a $10 billion annual loss attributed to the machines.

She introduced legislation that sets a minimum staffing level of one worker for every two self-checkout machines. She believes that this measure would reduce theft and save jobs.  ktvu.com


California Lawmakers Try to Derail Prop 47 Ballot Measure
Calif. lawmakers speed retail theft bills ahead of Prop. 47 ballot measure deadline
California lawmakers plan to expedite their bills to address retail theft — an effort to derail a movement to put a question on the November ballot that would toughen a law that made certain lower-level crimes misdemeanors. The deadline to qualify that ballot measure is June 27, and the bid appears to have momentum. Now lawmakers may be attempting to head off the issue by speeding along their packages of bills.

Legislative leaders would rather pass measures to address the issue because they do not believe Proposition 47 — a 2014 voter-approved initiative that reduced penalties for some drug and theft crimes — needs the significant changes that a ballot measure would implement.

Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, on Wednesday said they plan to send their bills to Gov. Gavin Newsom sometime next month. The announcement comes as the measure altering Proposition 47 is close to landing on the general election ballot.

McGuire, Rivas and Newsom are all against such changes to the ballot, saying they can address retail theft without altering the measure. The leaders also say they want to avoid undoing criminal justice reforms and returning to stringent sentencing laws of the past that led to mass incarceration of Black and brown Californians.

Californians for Safer Communities, the group backing the measure, said last month it had gathered more than 900,000 signatures in favor of it. sacbee.com


ORC Arrest Leads to International Counterfeit Ring
Products made in China, shipped to the U.S. through Europe, and then wound up in Calif.

Shoplifting bust at Target leads to major international counterfeit investigation
What started as two shoplifting arrests at a Target in California has cracked open what police are calling an international counterfeit ring. The Clovis Police Department said a worker at the store in called the department's organized retail crime task force unit, saying people were stealing.

Police said they found a man, 18-year-old Vasile Stoian, and a teenage girl in the parking lot Friday night and caught them with several different counterfeit Apple products. After searching the couple's SUV, police said they got a warrant to search their hotel room in Fresno, where they were staying.

According to detectives, they found $12,000 worth of counterfeit Apple Airpods and I-watches that detectives believe were made in China, shipped to the U.S. through Europe, and then wound up in Fresno. Police said Stoian and the teenager were arrested for misdemeanor theft and conspiracy charges. They were cited and released.

Now, detectives are trying to find out if more people are involved and they want to remind the public to always look out for red flags when purchasing counterfeit goods. katv.com


Russian Missiles Rip Through Ukrainian Retail Center
Moment Putin’s missiles destroys Ukraine store killing 14 as it could take weeks to identify dead with relative’s DNA
This is the terrifying moment "madman" Putin's deadly missiles blasted a Ukrainian store on Saturday - killing at least 14 civilians. Two Russian missiles ripped through a retail park in the war-torn city of Kharkiv with rescuers fearing it could take weeks to identify all of the victims with the number of deaths expected to sharply rise.

Harrowing CCTV footage taken from moments before the deadly blast shows shoppers casually walking around a DIY store before a giant fireball erupts. Sparks and debris can be seen flying through the air as massive plumes of black smoke take over the Epicentre construction hypermarket.

Stores were quickly ablaze after the two missiles fired by a S-300 weapons system were unleashed overhead. It took 16 hours to extinguish the flames completely with rescue operations going on well into Saturday evening before continuing today.

Horrified witnesses told The Sun reporter on the scene, Paul Sims, there were 200 people inside the 10,000sqft hypermarket when it was blasted. Many are still yet to be found in the carnage with at least 43 suffered injuries. the-sun.com


'Rogue Prosecutors' Fueling Retail Crime Closures?
Societal Rot, Part 4: Nonprosecution of Retail Theft Gutting Urban Centers

Fourth in a five-part series. Read part 1 here, part 2 here, and part 3 here.

Societal rot is a choice. Do you think people have a right to their property? Of course. Do you believe that businesses have a right to charge people for their merchandise? Of course.

Do city residents without cars rely on stores in their neighborhoods such as Walgreens, Target, and CVS for groceries, medicines, and other necessities? Obviously. Do city businesses provide jobs and tax revenues, and contribute to the life and health of a city’s essence? Yes.

Organized theft and shoplifting of city businesses that result in those businesses closing down are mislabeled as mere “quality of life” crimes by rogue prosecutors.

Are the policies that encourage this type of activity defensible? Not at all. So why are George Soros-funded rogue prosecutors doing just that? Societal rot is a choice.  dailysignal.com


Memorial Day Shooting Map Shows Over a Dozen Injured, Killed
More than a dozen people were injured or killed in Memorial Day shootings that took place in multiple U.S. cities.

Police in at least 12 cities reported shootings that took place over the holiday on Monday. At least five people were killed in shootings reported in Lansing, Michigan; Jacksonville, Florida; Chicago; Baltimore and North Highlands, California.

The shootings also resulted in a minimum of 14 injuries, including six in Lansing, two in both Chicago and Philadelphia, and one in each of Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Phoenix. newsweek.com


Editorial: A retail theft conspiracy?

Opinion: Progressives silent when illegal migrants commit violent crime
 

Deadly Storms Rip Through Central U.S.
80 people who sheltered in gas station survived

At least 19 dead as tornadoes and storms batter central U.S.

Tornado watches and warnings continued Sunday night in multiple states, including Kentucky. The storms will continue to move east and finish off Monday on the East Coast.

At least 19 deaths have been reported after a series of severe storms and tornadoes battered the South and the Great Plains over Memorial Day weekend, leaving hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses without power.

Eight storm-related deaths were reported in Arkansas, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at a news conference Sunday evening; seven storm-related deaths were reported in Cooke County, Texas; two in Mayes County, Oklahoma, and two in Kentucky: one in Louisville and another in Mercer County, where a tree fell on a house.

Residents in Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee were hit with twisters, heavy winds and flooding in terrible conditions that began Saturday and moved into Sunday. Tornado watches and warnings were issued across multiple states Sunday night.

More than 334,000 customers were without power Sunday evening in Texas, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kansas, according to poweroutage.us. nbcnews.com


Walmart Layoffs & Relocations
Up to 2K Walmart jobs in Texas, California impacted by relocations and layoffs

The retailer earlier this month confirmed hundreds of corporate layoffs.

Walmart recently notified state employment officials in Texas and California that a total of over 2,000 people in those states could be let go as part of previously announced corporate job cuts, though the company anticipates the number to land in the hundreds.

The notices come after Walmart last week confirmed corporate layoffs, with Chief People Officer Donna Morris saying in a May 14 memo that business changes “will result in a reduction of several hundred campus roles.” Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications filed this week with Texas state employment officials indicate that up to 1,472 people who work two Dallas area Walmart sites may lose their jobs. Walmart filed similar notices with California officials last week that up to 568 people may be let go from their employment in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.  retaildive.com


Ollie’s wins bankruptcy bid for 11 former 99 Cents Only Stores

Amazon Fresh is the latest retailer to cut prices to win over inflation-weary shoppers

Last week's #1 article --

Homeland Security Agents: There's An 'Army of Shoplifters' Hitting U.S. Stores
A 'new breed of high-volume shoplifters' are targeting stores and 'prison time is rare'

Professional shoplifters wreak havoc on stores nationwide
U.S. Homeland Security Investigations agents say there is an army of professional shoplifters wreaking havoc on retailers all over the United States, helping to raise prices for law-abiding customers and causing some stores to go out of business.

Federal agents say organized retail crime rings cost the national economy an estimated $127.5 billion a year, and the number keeps rising.

"Retailers are seeing unprecedented levels of theft ... and the situation is only becoming more dire," said David Johnston, vice president for asset protection at the National Retail Federation.

"If people had any idea how rampant it is, they would be shocked," said Lt. Emil DeVincentis of the Cheektowaga Police Special Investigations Bureau in New York. "We've arrested people who already had more than 200 shoplifting arrests on their record."

About 90% of the shoplifters his department encounters are organized "professionals," DeVincentis estimated, as opposed to those who shoplift because of poverty or drug addiction. trib.com