Several major retailers, including Dollar General, Walmart, and Target, have been facing a rise in theft and organized retail crime. Target cited theft and violence as reasons for closing 9 stores, but a CNBC investigation found that the closed locations generally saw fewer reported crimes than others nearby. This has led to a debate about whether retailers are exaggerating crime to cover up business failures. The issue has also prompted a crackdown on retail thefts at places like Oak Brook Mall and is driving a possible return to tough-on-crime policies in California. Self-checkout technology is also facing restrictions and removal from some retailers amid the critical holiday shopping season.
Target blamed theft and violence when it closed 9 stores in New York, Seattle, San Francisco and Portland, but crime is worse at locations it kept open nearby. https://t.co/n28VT2MdvT
Target didn't want to admit their small format stores were failures, so they blamed theft for closing them. https://t.co/RKvEFFdtRD https://t.co/xzauMiyHMG
Retail theft drives possible return to tough-on-crime policies in California https://t.co/57gN3TMEnI
Higher reported theft. Which is different. Besides, Target isn’t obligated to keep stores open. The level of hatred for the chain is sort of weird. $TGT
How Los Angeles police are fighting back against organized retail theft https://t.co/PFMzxVq2MA
Earlier this year, Target said it was closing 9 stores in 4 states because theft and organized retail crime had made them too dangerous to run. But a @CNBC investigation found the closed locations generally saw fewer reported crimes than others nearby. https://t.co/lMxfkUElLk
Retailers continue to hype crime to cover up their business failure. "Target cited theft, violence for store closures. Crime is higher at locations nearby" https://t.co/6hpYgd7c0Y
Exclusive via @FonrougeGab - Target blamed theft and violence for 9 store closures. Crime is higher at locations it kept open nearby https://t.co/kDeLEG0QzO
Target blamed theft and violence for 9 store closures. Crime is higher at locations it kept open nearby Great story by @FonrougeGab https://t.co/GrftnazwOI
Target blamed theft and violence for 9 store closures. Crime is higher at locations it kept open nearby https://t.co/hhA2HPUUnq
Self-checkout technology is facing a reckoning amid the critical holiday shopping season: Some retailers are adding restrictions, while others are pulling out completely. https://t.co/6eicLCDc3X
Tiffany Caban: Retail stores are fabricating a crime wave to blame declining profits on everyone but themselves. Retail stores: https://t.co/GshhgkoMfz
Forget theft, Target, Walmart, big retail have a bigger problem https://t.co/kou1SIsIHD
Police work to crackdown on retail thefts at the Oak Brook Mall https://t.co/bwqHmsC6PB
With Theft on the Rise, Dollar General, Walmart, and Other Retailers Ditch Self-Checkout Machines https://t.co/h1Ui4KOQhZ