Free Republic

Almost all of the Big Apple’s supermarkets have been hit by shoplifters in the past year, with a majority crying they’re being targeted daily, a new survey found. Sticky-fingered customers have swiped detergent, coffee, and other sundries from 93% of supermarkets in the five boroughs this year, members of the National Supermarkets Association reported in a September survey, whose results were shared with The Post. In all, 60% said their stores are burglarized seven days a week.

Thousands of independent grocers across New York City are forming a fast-growing political coalition to demand that elected officials and law enforcement clamp down on shoplifters, claiming that increasingly brazen and violent heists have created a crisis, The Post has learned. The group — which already represents nearly 4,000 stores, including corner bodegas and supermarkets like KeyFood and C-Town in the New York metro area — is calling for prosecutors and judges to set bail for “repeat theft offenders,” reversing key provisions of New York’s sweeping and controversial bail reform law in 2019. Collective Action to Protect our Stores, or...

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A Central Florida supermarket chain is about to close almost all of its local stores. It's part of a move by Albertson's to end the majority of its operations in the state. For the last year or so, Albertson's has been shrinking the number of stores it operates in Florida. In Central Florida, six more stores are going to close in the next few weeks. Only a store in Altamonte Springs will remain open. Albertson's says the Florida market is not good for it, and with fuel and utility costs being what they are, it's closing all...

Nearly all the 24 Malt-O-Meal bins were empty, refrigerated dairy cases had but a few gallons of milk, and many shelves of Wiens Food Center were bare Friday. "It's going to be a sad day tomorrow," Lisa Stephan said as she shopped for food for her family's upcoming vacation to Branson, Mo. At 6 p.m. today, the only grocery store in Lewiston will close. Scott Wiens, who owns it with his wife, LouAnn, said he can't get enough business with the store at its present size and can't afford to expand to compete with bigger stores nearby. Any remaining food...

OAKLAND, Calif. — Dressed in bow ties and dark suits, nearly a dozen men carrying metal pipes entered a corner store, shattered refrigerator cases and smashed bottles of liquor, wine and beer, terrifying the clerk but stealing nothing. The just wanted to leave a message: Stop selling alcohol to fellow Muslims. In urban America, friction between poor residents and immigrant storeowners is nothing new. Nor are complaints that inner-city neighborhoods are glutted with markets that sell alcohol and contribute to violent crime, vagrancy and other social ills. But the recent attack at San Pablo Liquor — and an identical vandalism...

Oakland grocers set to fight vandals Police say they will have more details this week in the attacks on two liquor stores By William Brand, STAFF WRITER NATION OF ISLAM minister Tony Muhammad, standing in front of Muhammad Mosque 26 in Oakland on Saturday, says the Nation had no part in the destruction inside two West Oakland liquor stores Wednesday night. (GREG TARCZYNSKI) OAKLAND — The president of the Yemini American Grocery Association said Saturday that grocers have the right to defend themselves if their stores are invaded like two West Oakland markets were hit Wednesday night. The association, which...

Sometimes you hear a discussion or debate in which the participants seem to be getting nowhere, don't understand the subject and can't see the obvious. A prime example of this is the illegal-immigration controversy, and the folks making lots of noise are on conservative talk radio. The conversations on the subject usually revolve around two main themes: The president has sold out his conservative base, and he is ignoring national security by allowing illegal aliens to swarm over the border. Tune in to any of the far-right talk shows, and you can hear variations on these two themes just about...

<p>The strike by 70,000 grocery store workers, now joined by 8,000 truck drivers, has been taking its toll in Southern California. Shoppers are inconvenienced by half-empty shelves and closed stores. Supermarket workers are trying to cope with meager strike benefits and mounting bills.</p>