Small Businesses Resort to Extreme Security Measures Amid Shoplifting Surge

The rise in retail theft, linked to lenient crime laws, forces owners to adopt stringent security protocols.

Small business owners in major US cities have implemented extreme security measures, including employee escorts for customers, to combat increasing shoplifting.
The surge in retail theft is attributed to soft-on-crime laws and bail reform, leading to a lack of prosecution for shoplifters.
High-end retailers are employing chaperones or screeners to deter theft, though these measures mainly affect opportunistic thieves, not organized crime rings.
Shoplifters are motivated by the low risk of consequences, with many believing that the reward outweighs the potential punishment.
Retailers reported $112.1 billion in losses due to theft and other inventory losses in 2022, with the top cities for organized retail crime being Los Angeles, San Francisco/Oakland, Houston, New York City, and Seattle.