Decreased Penalties Foster Crime, Not Economic Poverty

Retail theft in the United States has become a serious problem, with the National Retail Federation reporting that it amounts to $94 billion. This represents a shocking 90 percent increase since 2018.

Many shoplifters justify their actions by claiming it’s necessary to feed themselves or their families, an idea reinforced by the progressive media.

However, the rise in shoplifting is not primarily driven by economic factors but rather by organized theft that takes advantage of a lenient criminal justice system.

Blue States Relax Civil Penalties, Increasing Crime

Retail theft in America has grown to a $94 billion epidemic, according to the National Retail Federation—a staggering 90 percent increase since 2018. https://t.co/YA9zKJr15F via Steven Malanga

— City Journal (@CityJournal) July 24, 2023

The US invests over $185 billion in social safety nets, such as food stamps and nutritional welfare programs, to address poverty. However, these efforts have not prevented the increase in retail theft over the past few decades, which surpasses the current economic condition of the country.

Retailers argue that retail theft became more prevalent about ten years ago when many states started decriminalizing low-level shoplifting offenses.

This led to an increase in the minimum value of stolen goods required for prosecutors to pursue felony charges.

Frequent Theft Has Diminished Economic Opportunities

This is Scotty Enoe.
Enoe is a CVS security guard who was arrested in NYC just over a week ago after defending himself from Charles Brito, a shoplifter, who attacked him, threw him to the ground, and punched him in the face after Enoe confronted him over shoplifting, which… pic.twitter.com/wh1BC554fW

— Leftism (@LeftismForU) July 18, 2023

The prevalence of shoplifting has had a detrimental impact on job and business growth, forcing many companies to leave high-crime areas in blue states.

Walmart recently closed its only store in Portland, Oregon, a city facing disorder issues, and four other stores in crime-ridden areas of Chicago.

Home Depot has also acknowledged that shoplifting poses a significant threat to the company’s profitability, highlighting the seriousness of the retail theft problem in the nation.

Shoplifting has evolved into a sophisticated industry with assigned tasks and roles. A significant portion of the stolen merchandise, known as “boosters,” is now sold through online platforms, making it difficult to identify or trace the perpetrators.

The illicit industry also involves “cleaners” who remove security devices from stolen goods or repackage them, as well as money launderers who handle the transactions.

This article appeared in The Record Daily and has been published here with permission.