That was my first thought, too. But it looks like this isn't just a little mom-and-pop neighborhood hardware store. 
Posted on 08/02/2023 2:08:42 PM PDT by lowbridge
hardware store in California’s Bay Area had an eye-watering $700,000 in merchandise stolen in a single year — as organized retail theft runs rampant in the Democrat-run state.
Dale Hardware in Fremont documented record losses in 2022 due to the brazen larceny, owner Kyle Smith told The Mercury News.
He said his business loses about $1,800 a day — and that his grandfather, who first began the business in 1955, would “roll in his grave” if he knew the financial hardship the store was facing as a result of the scourge.
“You’ll go, ‘Sir, sir, sir!’ and they don’t even turn around,” Smith told the outlet.
“Or they’ll give you a look, like, ‘Do you want to go there?’”
Retail experts told the outlet a variety of things have led to the current shoplifting crisis, including an increase in “organized retail theft,” or social media posts that have seemingly prompted people to flock to stores and steal.
-snip
Other shoplifters brazenly filled a shopping cart with $11,000 in specialty wire, and kept an accomplice at the door to warn employees against pursuing the thieves because they had guns, Smith said.
-snip
Staff at the hardware store say they only call the police when the loss is greater than $10,000 because authorities are unlikely to hold the perpetrators accountable over lower-level amounts.
Other Bay Area businesses have also reported a disturbing uptick in retail theft, but many incidents don’t get reported so the problem only persists.
-snip
The store owner recalled one woman who showed him a list of items she had been tasked with stealing by an Oakland man who sent a dozen thieves out to shoplift each day in the Bay Area.
“She had already been to Target,” he said. “She’d been to Home Depot. She’d been to Lowe’s.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Oh, that’s just FUNDAMENTAL TRANSFORMATION.
Effing disgusting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DingDingDingDingDing....
That’s right. China will rule.
And I know freaking liberals who state that China is not the issue.
I know it’s bad, zero doubt. But at 700k year, $1800 a day. I gotta call BS on that. No way a family business would still have the doors open short of they have extrapolated out for a recent bad period what the loses will be over a year.
Sears catalogue shoppers shopped that way years ago .
…..
If he didn’t I can’t imagine a mom and pop hardware store sustaining a $700,000 loss and staying in business.
That was my first thought, too. But it looks like this isn't just a little mom-and-pop neighborhood hardware store.
I wouldn’t open a sh** sandwich shoppe in California.
ISWYDH
Imagine ordering your fresh groceries online and having it sit in your driveway. Even with dry ice dairy products and fresh produce won’t last long, if it isn’t grabbed by porch pirates.
If you’ve ever had to stop at a gas station in some locales you’ll see thick glass and a chute if you buy any bulky item (beer, soda, cigarettes). That was common where I grew up during the 80s.
Good point that I hadn’t thought of but I do wonder if claims are based on incident or can be bundled together & submitted as one? I’ve got to imagine insurers would be leavin cities like San Fran and the like.
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