Posted on 03/05/2021 9:37:33 PM PST by SeekAndFind
The effects of the virus pandemic and socio-economic implosion that followed compounded with failed liberal leadership could soon transform San Francisco into an empty ghost town.
Such is the case with pharmacy giant Walgreens fleeing the metro area amid a rash of shoplifting. Since 2019, Walgreens has closed ten stores in the city, with the latest store set to close later this month. The closure is the third since October 2020.
According to Washington Examiner, the Walgreens at the corner of Bush and Larkin streets posted a notification on their front windows announcing the closure on Mar. 17.
"All of us knew it was coming. Whenever we go in there, they always have problems with shoplifters," a regular customer, Sebastian Luke, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Last October, a news reporter with Inside Edition captured the moment when a man jumped over a Walgreens counter and stole an air bed. The video shows the man taking off on an electric scooter as he escaped without any intervention from employees or customers.
"I feel sorry for the clerks, they are regularly verbally assaulted," Luke said. "The clerks say there is nothing they can do. They say Walgreens' policy is to not get involved. They don't want anyone getting injured or getting sued, so the guys just keep coming in and taking whatever they want."
At one location, the San Francisco Chronicle said it loses about $1,000 per day in merchandise because of shoplifting.
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce told SFGATE that complaints of shoplifting at drugstores are "frequent."
Theft of less than $950 in goods is treated as a nonviolent misdemeanor under California law. But in most cases, for shoplifting, the criminal is released.
The San Francisco Police Department told the Washington Examiner that it is "aware of incidents of retail theft where groups of suspects enter stores, grab product and merchandise and flee."
... and with the exodus of city residents, the decimation of small and medium-sized enterprises (due to pandemic), and soaring socio-economic problems in the metro area, San Fran could one day be a hallowed out town, sort of like Baltimore and or Detroit if these trends persist.
I have friends living there, they all say things have gotten a bit too crazy since all the lockdown stuff.
One friend had to put bars up around his front porch to keep the homeless from sleeping and relieving themselves.
Too bad, SF is beautiful without San Franciscans...
This is the cause of most “food deserts” in low-income minority communities in my city. Not casting judgement at all, it’s just the way it is.
Drove by two of them this week and thought “Huhn! Took long enough “
Easy to blame Covid but just as likely junkies.
The remaining stores still open have more and more merchandise under lock and key. Laundry detergent is now locked up at Walmart!
Antihistamines, razors, shave cream, antacids, and lots more. If you need products from five different locked cabinets, you need to get five different clerks to open the cages.
Seems like there is a big automated shopping opportunity here. Maybe tap a button on the products you want (or on your app in the store) and a robot securely assembles your order for pickup at checkout. You could bring your cart with non-secure things in it to checkout and your bag of secure articles would be waiting for you. You’d pay one time for the full basket.
one can go into barrios in neighboring towns and find lots of cosmetics and other non-perishable grocery items available at a discount at informal “secondhand stores.”
I blame it more on the publicly and loudly stated disinclination of law enforcement to prosecute for shoplifting.
There are places now that have a $950 dollar minimum required to prosecute for shoplifting, and people simply go in and grab what they want as long as they don’t exceed $950 of merchandise.
They take shopping baskets and walk out the front door.
Don’t know if this is one of those types of locales, but being in California...I think it is.
Penal Code 459.5 PC is the statute that makes shoplifting a misdemeanor offense in California. This section defines shoplifting as entering an open business with the intent to steal merchandise worth $950 or less. The crime is punished by up to 6 months in jail.
Ah. Didn’t see they had that in the article about the law. I thought it was all about people under tough circumstances due to COVID.
because they’re not allowed to even confront and arrest the shoplifters due to “dat racist”
It’s not the lockdown; it’s Democrats.
The threshold for criminal prosecution of property crime is $950, which essentially amounts to Democrats in the State Legislator granting license for all manner of theft. Bicycle theft is through the roof. Shoplifting is epidemic. And ain’t nobody can do Jack about it; the DA sure ain’t gonna be any help.
Nah, don’t EVEN blame the shutdown, this is a 100% Democrat-owned crisis.
why wouldn’t you cast judgement or deviant behavior??
Finally, irrefutable proof wal-green is racist
on***
stores closing in these areas been happening pre covid. That’s not the reason. The minute these Cultural Marxists get a hold of anything they run it into the ground. The policies NEVER work and cause utter destruction, but their voting base wants to be deviants and shiftless so they keep voting for them.
“ I blame it more on the publicly and loudly stated disinclination of law enforcement to prosecute for shoplifting.”
The problem isn’t law enforcement, the stores refuse to prosecute. No victim, no crime.
I literally just had this conversation with a cvs manager two days ago. She didn’t understand why I was upset at having to wait to find an employee to unlock batteries. I pointed out I am now living with inner city conditions because they refuse to hold criminals accountable. But then, isn’t this about being less white?
Exactly
Theft of less than $950 in goods is treated as a nonviolent misdemeanor under California law. But in most cases, for shoplifting, the criminal is released.
They should be forced to stay open. It is racist to close and besides they are providing a valuable community service.
Liberalism is a mental disease. They ruin everything they touch.
Since San Franciscan’s don’t believe in sane governance I’ve completely stopped caring about San Francisco.
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