Have retailers in Phoenix given up on combating theft? (Tucson: felony, lawyer)

[kell490]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

That's the problem right there: a very lax, and rather permissive legal system. Cops can make all the arrests they want, but the final say is in the hands of the D.A., and/or a judge. These criminals fall through the system all too often with cases being dismissed, or merely a tap on the wrist as punishment. We all know what kind of message that sends: go to your neighborhood Walgreens & steal whatever you want! Of course, these retailers need to be doing more on their part to stop stealing by detaining the thieves, making them return or pay for their items, and banning them from entering the store in the future.

I doubt that is the case here in Arizona DA's are letting shoplifters off with a slap on the wrist you might find that in California. The change in store polices where Loss Prevention is no longer going hands on with thieves probably increased the amount of theft. Also, the number of transients on the streets has increased.

[recycled]

The big membership stores (Costco, Sam's) have an upper hand on shoplifters. No entry to the store without a membership card - that will block most druggies and transient thieves. It would also be pretty tough to get out of their stores with stolen goods. Sure, they likely lose a few items to theft, but they check every cart leaving the store and require the receipt to be shown. That way, there is no valid claim they are profiling or picking out only certain people to check sales slips. I like shopping at a place that does not allow rampant theft.

[kell490]

Target is getting hit hard their high prices don't help them either we quit shopping there years ago as their prices kept increasing. Not sure about their loss prevention policy if they still go hands on or if they just rely on the police.

Lot of stores putting in those automatic swing doors where you can't go back out the entrance. Fry's foods employee's security guards not sure how they react I do know from a friend who use to work LP at Fry's he says they changed their police long time ago stopped going hands on after a death resulted in a lawsuit.

[My2cents55]

Originally Posted by kell490

Target is getting hit hard their high prices don't help them either we quit shopping there years ago as their prices kept increasing. Not sure about their loss prevention policy if they still go hands on or if they just rely on the police.

Lot of stores putting in those automatic swing doors where you can't go back out the entrance. Fry's foods employee's security guards not sure how they react I do know from a friend who use to work LP at Fry's he says they changed their police long time ago stopped going hands on after a death resulted in a lawsuit.

I've been shopping at my local Target for over a decade when they first opened in 2007 the LP's would tackle the thieves and even detain them until the cops would show up. And they would have cops moonlighting during the evening working with LP to take down thieves.

Now you don't see any police around just a bunch of LP's standing around doing much of nothing while thieves are walking out with merchandise in plain view.

As the employees said they can't go after thieves anymore or touch them this has been the policy since Covid started its a liability issue for them guess. So what is the purpose of an LP if they can't combat theft in the store

As for the prices, the Target Circle app helps since you get cashback on every purchase you make and can use that towards purchases they aren't anymore expensive than any other store out there.

[My2cents55]

Seems we are now desensitized to crime and let it happen.

[pathrunner]

This is a trigger issue for me after briefly working in grocery retail, self-checkout. Oh, the stories I can tell you of the 3 short months I worked. The store management infuriated me, and I started hating many customers. Not all customers, but a fair percentage of them. The worst were nice looking people who you'd never think would cheat at the checkout station. The others were people with 5 rugrats running around and their shopping cart overflowing with at least $300 worth of groceries, unbagged. Walked right out the front door past the door person who was worthless. The door people are supposed to ask for a receipt when items are unbagged. Nope. The worthless psycho door person glared at me when I asked if she had required a receipt. That's what she's supposed to do with unbagged items! She then reported me for "harassing" her on the job.

Then there were others who would literally walk back in and say OMG I forgot to pay for this item which they had forgotten for whatever reason. Another lady left her entire wallet and phone at a station and they were instantly gone. Not turned in. I couldn't believe how calm the lady was in spite of what she faced fixing everything which is utterly vexing and time-consuming.

When I lived in New Mexico, I was exiting a small independent grocery store when suddenly a manager and ass't. manager went tearing out past me, trying to catch a woman who had shoplifted a huge $35 pot roast. She dropped it in the parking lot and kept running.

[CCS414]

Yet another reason I'm glad my family and I GTF out of the Valley. You would never see that where we live now in southern utah, regardless of whether or not it would be tolerated.

Dont know, maybe things have changed all over the country but I remember when I was a teenager, my friends and I were at metro center and JC Penny caught a young man, probably early 30's shoplifting. He was handcuffed and handled quite roughly and I also remember the manager looking quite pissed.

[phetaroi]

My guess is that this problem has worsened as more and more people started carrying guns.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by CCS414

Yet another reason I'm glad my family and I GTF out of the Valley. You would never see that where we live now in southern utah, regardless of whether or not it would be tolerated.

Dont know, maybe things have changed all over the country but I remember when I was a teenager, my friends and I were at metro center and JC Penny caught a young man, probably early 30's shoplifting. He was handcuffed and handled quite roughly and I also remember the manager looking quite pissed.

It's no exaggeration about how store employees used to be forceful with shoplifters. There was no tolerance for stealing back in the day. You can even watch season 3, episode 6 of "All in the Family" from 1972 as a good example. Unfortunately, it has reached the point where stealing is considered a "petty offense", and thieves are hardly ever approached anymore. It's not just here in Phoenix, but pretty much all over the nation. It's prevalent here because larger cities naturally have more people, and therefore, more crime.

Originally Posted by phetaroi

My guess is that this problem has worsened as more and more people started carrying guns.

The sad part is: store employees aren't allowed to carry guns to defend themselves against criminals who use weapons to threaten and/or kill innocent people!

[sunsick]

This Family Dollar employee at 68th Ave + Indian School location sure took shoplifting seriously:


https://www.azfamily.com/2023/03/25/...hoenix-police/


Unfortunately that young man probably just ruined his life and would have been better off doing nothing. Personally, I think the thief got what he deserved. If he survives, I bet he'll think twice before shoplifting again.