Posted on 02/10/2022 9:48:27 PM PST by Right Wing Vegan
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A couple of Rite Aid stores in Manhattan are closing following an uptick in shoplifting.
Rather than following suit, another store chain says it’s doing something else to deal with the problem, CBS2’s Alice Gainer reported Thursday.
Though the 30 Gristedes and D’Agostino supermarkets in New York City have seen a significant increase in shoplifting, chairman and CEO John Catsimatidis says he won’t close any. He’s just upping security.
“We are hiring more and more security. We hired a lot of retired cops,” Catsimatidis said.
READ MORE: Gristedes Manager The Victim Of Hammer Attack In Chelsea; Former Mayoral Candidate Catsimatidis: ‘I’m Concerned For Our City’
Some businesses have told their employees not to confront shoplifters, but Catsimatidis said he is taking a different approach.
“You want to stay in business? You want to keep the store open? Do what you have to do,” Catsimatidis said.
Just last month, Chris Paliophilos, the store manager on 40th Street and Second Avenue in Murray Hill, said he went up to a guy stealing more than 70 pints of ice cream.
“I fought with the guy. I grabbed the bag. The handle broke and he realized he can’t win so he ran off,” Paliophilos said.
He has been with the company for more than 40 years. He says in the past would-be thieves felt threatened by a call to police.
“Now? Call the police. I don’t care. What they gonna do to me? So that’s why they leave, they come back, they leave, they come back,” Paliophilos said.
READ MORE: NYPD Reports Shoplifting Levels Not Seen In Nearly 30 Years As Organized Retail Crime Ramps Up Nationwide
There has been an outcry for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to do something. On Wednesday, he addressed the issue with the Association for a Better New York, saying he’s working with his newly formed small business alliance to brainstorm solutions regarding repeat offenders.
“So if someone is taking $200 from four stores and sort of going along, for lack of a better word, their route, being able to aggregate that conduct so they can be charged at a higher level is something that we’ve been talking to retailers about. You know, the charge then being more significant,” Bragg said.
NYPD data shows citywide retail theft complaints that include petit larcenies, grand larcenies, and robberies that initially began as shoplifting were up more than 11,000 in 2021 from 2020 and nearly 6,000 from 2019.
If I was a business owner there, I would hire former military guys to guard my store and post a very large sign that said ,‘ this store is protected by former armed military and have been given instructions to shoot on sight anyone looking to make trouble. Enter at your own risk. have a nice day.
That’s just racist- they should hold the door open for the crooks- not stop them! /s
Yeah..."uptick"...minimalization at it's finest.
““We are hiring more and more security. We hired a lot of retired cops,”
What for? So that they too will be ordered to stand down and do nothing but watch the store being robbed?
You are quick, and talented.
Cats own businesses? I kid. I kid.
“That’s a Shame.”
I love this story: Al Sharpton of all people was complaining about the store thefts and his fellow black leftist attacked him stopping short of calling him RAYSIST!
“John Catsimatidis, owner of the Gristedes/D’Agostino’s chain,”
Trivia => Name a movie which mentions D’Agostino’s.
I believe that the correct term is petty larceny (etymologically related to the French word "petite," meaning "small").
Regards,
Reverend Al should remind them, “Thou shalt not steal!”
But quoting the 10 Commandments is not allowed.
Nah. Just follow them ‘til you find them alone, and then put on masks and beat the living sh!t out of them. Take back the stuff if possible, and skeedaddle. Was it the store security? Who can say? They were wearing masks.
To all the stupid, useful idiot democrat taliban party voters: Elections have consequences.
Trivia => Name a movie which mentions D’Agostino’s.
Death Wish
There has been an outcry for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to do something. On Wednesday, he addressed the issue with the Association for a Better New York, saying he’s working with his newly formed small business alliance to brainstorm solutions regarding repeat offenders.
............................
Solution.. Arrest , Incarcerate... DUH!
If you have to have a brainstorming session to figure that out..Brother.
A few shoplifters’ heads on pikes outside the stores would get the point across real quick.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.