Shoppers struggling to find items that aren’t locked up as shoplifting takes a toll on more than just stores

The response from major retailers to pick up the slack in combatting shoplifting resulting from progressive politics left customers fed up and demanding things be returned to “the way it used to be.”

“It’s a struggle. It makes your day longer.”

Videos of shoplifters raiding stores and hauling off trash bags filled with merchandise have become increasingly more commonplace and even led to some companies shutting down business locations altogether. For those seeking to ride out the spiking crime rates in leftist havens, law-abiding customers have felt the brunt of policies meant to protect their bottom line.

Friday, the New York Post visited stores in and around New York City where they reported finding everyday items, “including Dawn dishwashing liquid ($2.19), Vaseline lip balm ($2.79), kids toothbrushes ($3.99), Cadbury chocolate ($3.99) and the $1.79 can of tuna — locked in cabinets that require customers to ring a bell and then wait for employees to eventually get them.”

“If you pick this one and want another one, you gotta call them twice,” 37-year-old Brooklyn resident Kay O’Neil told the Post. “It’s a struggle. It makes your day longer.”

The outlet spoke with retired Rikers Island corrections officer Karen Brown at the Port Authority Bus Terminal’s Duane Reade who reported similar frustration. “I be coming and ringing that bell all the time to get what I need.”

“It’s totally annoying,” she said and added, “It’s not going to change because they keep stealing. It’s not going to stop because the economy is going down the toilet.”

Earlier this month it was reported that New York City Mayor Eric Adams had unveiled a plan supposedly aimed at cracking down on shoplifting that had climbed by about 77 percent over the last five years. But suggestions like installing kiosks to connect thieves with social service programs and offering intervention programs instead of prosecution were met with understandable derision.

“The consequences for stealing aren’t severe,” Brown conveyed to the Post. “When they steal from these stores, [authorities] hit them with a citation and tell them to go home.”

“They don’t lock them up, they give them a Desk Appearance Ticket and let them go home,” she went on, “so why wouldn’t they just grab something and walk out with it?”

Meanwhile, CWB Chicago reported that a Walgreens in The Windy City has resorted to a kiosk system for all but two aisles in the store, leaving customers seeking anything deemed “non-essential” to have to wait for a clerk to bring it up to the counter for purchase.

A spokesperson for the company provided a statement touting the move as a “new experience at this store with new concepts, technologies, and practices to enhance the experiences of our customers and team members.”

“It will continue to offer retail products and pharmacy services, just with a new look and feel that focuses on shopping digitally for convenience. Inside the store, customers will find an area where they can pick-up orders, digital kiosks for placing an order, as well as an area to shop for essential items,” the spokesperson added.

At a Walgreens location in Kensington, New York, 69-year-old Emily Milbouer called out the problem for what it was. “It’s the way society is right now.”

“They should start arresting people for doing the wrong thing,” she said and reiterated “The answer is to arrest people for doing wrong — the way it used to be.”

Kevin Haggerty

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles