Mike’s Musings: Big Box Retail theft spikes, another reason to shop local

A long time ago, I was in a convenience story buying a soft drink and candy bar, when I noticed a guy stuffing several items inside his coat. He then proceeded to walk out paying for nothing. I froze and did nothing. I was ashamed that I didn’t chase after him, or at least inform the clerk. To this day that scene haunts me.
But that was then, and this is now. Headlines blare 24/7 about flash mobs walking away with tens of thousands of dollars of merchandise. Stores in big cities are closing because retail theft is making them go broke.
2022 numbers show a staggering $112 billion attributed to retail theft. That’s a whopping 19 percent up from 2021.
Meanwhile Target posted a 120 percent increase the first five months of 2023 compared to 2022. You read it right, 120 percent. That’s outrageous. Because of the theft they are experiencing Target closed nine stores in major cities including San Francisco, which seems to be ground zero for flash mob theft, and Portland.
In the same timeframe Walmart announced the closing of four stores in Chicago. Again in that once great city, retail theft has taken over the big box stores.
The aforementioned Target, Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods have all made very public announcements about how retail theft is to blame for their earnings shortfalls. They expect the closure of more stories if they can’t get a handle on theft.
Make no mistake, criminals have found retail theft to be big business. It is fairly easy to have paid runners walk into a big box store, load up a shopping cart, and walk out the front door. In San Francisco and Portland you might not even be confronted.
Once you have the goods in a warehouse, criminals post the stolen items for sale on a variety of websites. It’s a business with no overhead and incredible profits, and we, as a society are standing idly by while it happens.
If you don’t want to be a witness of theft at a big box store, then this might be the perfect time to set your sites on making purchases at locally owned stores. These stores are not as large and have a much better handle on retail theft that their national counterparts.
For years I have asked readers to buy locally. Spend your money in the community that actually cares about you. Purchase products from businesspeople you know that contribute to local little league teams or school yearbooks.
The big box stores like Walmart and Target only take from the local community. I’m not happy that retail theft at their level has become burdensome to their bottom line, but I’m sure over time they will figure out how to combat it.
In the meantime, let’s do as much shopping locally as we possibly can. You might have to pay a few bucks more, but typically the service is outstanding, and you gotta remember when your daughter is seeking a contribution for her school project, that local merchant will be there to support her.