- There were 8,453 more shoplifting incidents in 24 U.S. cities in the first half of 2023 than in the same period in 2019, according to a new study
- New York City saw the greatest impact with a 64 percent increase, followed by Los Angeles with 61 percent and Virginia Beach with a 44 percent increase
- But crime has also fallen dramatically in other cities, including St. Petersburg, Florida, where the number of thefts fell by 78 percent
Cities across the United States have experienced a huge increase in retail theft since 2019, with New York City and Los Angeles suffering the most.
According to the Council on Criminal Justice, there were 8,453 more shopliftings in 24 cities in the first half of 2023 than in the same period in 2019.
Crime-prone New York City saw the biggest impact, with a 64 percent increase in retail thefts, followed by Los Angeles, with a 61 percent increase, and Virginia Beach, Virginia, which saw a 44 percent increase.
Dallas and Raleigh, North Carolina round out the top five with shoplifting increases of 20 and 19 percent, respectively.
But crime has also fallen dramatically in other cities, including St. Petersburg, Florida, where thefts fell by 78 percent, and the twin cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis in Minnesota, where crime fell by 65 and 57, respectively percent has decreased.
Cities across the United States have experienced a huge increase in retail theft since 2019, with New York City and Los Angeles suffering the most. Pictured: Masked thieves steal $2 million worth of gems in New York City. According to the Council on Criminal Justice, there were 8,453 more shopliftings in 24 cities in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019. Two male robbers They wore black hoodies and medical masks to hide their identities
The Council on Criminal Justice has tracked changing crime rates in major U.S. cities since the pandemic.
The number of reported cases of shoplifting increased again after declining dramatically in 2020, and in New York City there was a 64 percent increase from mid-2019 to mid-2023.
During this period, there were 11,000 additional retail thefts in the Big Apple, more than any city in the study.
The NYPD continues to battle a growing wave of thefts at pharmacies, department stores and even jewelry stores.
A gang of masked men stole $2 million worth of gemstones in less than a minute in a brazen raid on a Brooklyn jewelry store.
Shocking footage showed the hooded beasts smashing into the boxes with hammers before stuffing the goods into a large bag.
According to Mayor Eric Adams, nearly a third of all shoplifting arrests involve the same 327 experienced criminals.
Adams announced a new plan in May that included a streamlined way for businesses to report shoplifting incidents to the NYPD, establishing a neighborhood retail monitoring program and creating a dedicated task force to respond to shoplifting incidents.
Los Angeles saw the second largest increase at 61 percent, with 5,662 cases reported in the first half of 2023 compared to 3,518 through June 2019.
The Southern California city saw a shocking 109 percent increase in the first six months of this year.
By the end of 2023, the number of nationwide shoplifting incidents is expected to reach 122,368, the highest level since 2018. Pictured: Dallas store robbed at gunpoint in May. The study shows that the average value of stolen goods increased from around $75 in 2019 to $100 in 2021
In September, a group of flash thieves were seen storming into a Macy's department store at Northridge Mall in Los Angeles and filling their bags with $20,000 worth of perfume.
Cell phone video of the crime showed several men wearing dark hoodies and blue medical face masks loading bags of what appeared to be cologne and perfumery products.
Virginia Beach also saw a 44 percent increase, while Dallas saw a 20 percent increase and Raleigh saw a 19 percent increase.
The other cities where shoplifting increased were Boston, at 12 percent, and Pittsburgh, which saw an 8 percent increase.
But 19 of the 24 cities saw a decrease in the number of retail thefts in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019.
St. Petersburg saw a huge 78 percent drop in shoplifting, while the Minnesota cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis saw drops of 65 and 57 percent, respectively.
While retail thefts in St. Louis, Austin and Colorado Springs decreased by 48 percent, 47 percent and 46 percent, respectively.
By the end of 2023, the number of shoplifting cases nationwide is expected to reach 122,368, the highest level since 2018.
This number is a staggering 35,000 higher than retail thefts reported in 2020.
The Criminal Justice Council cited several possible explanations, including tightening bail reform laws and a higher rate at which stores report retail thefts
The study shows that the average value of stolen goods increased from around $75 in 2019 to $100 in 2021.
In May, New York City Mayor Eric Adams vowed to crack down on retail theft in the Big Apple as a crime wave continued to plague businesses in the Democratic-run city. A report from the National Retail Federation found that Los Angeles had the highest rate of theft and “organized retail crime” for the fifth consecutive year
The number of shoplifting cases involving assault or another crime increased by 9 percent from 2019 to 2021.
However, store robberies were seven percent lower in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.
A report from the National Retail Foundation found that shrink – the total loss suffered by retailers – rose by $20 billion in a year to a staggering $112.2 billion in 2022.
And since up to 70 percent of those losses are due to theft, that means corporate shoplifters stole about $78.4 billion.
The study included insights from 177 brands that accounted for $1.6 trillion in annual sales in the U.S. in 2022.
Retailers have always been victims of shoplifting, but recently there has been an increase in coordinated and organized store robberies.
The NRF report confirms that the trend is largely being driven by large metropolitan areas. The top five locations are also Democratic-run areas.
This has led to drastic pushback from stores, with companies like Target and CVS locking up their products to deter shoplifters.