Shoplifting is such a big problem in the US that stores are locking up everything. Poverty and inequality in a country with GDP-per-capita of $83,000.



https://v.redd.it/h3u2inm0a1we1

by wakeup2019

38 comments

  1. I’ve been in a store similar to that.

    It’s a dumb solution. Every time you want something, you need to search the guy with the keys. Sometimes he isn’t even carrying the right keys. A 2 minute purchase can become 10 minutes easily.

    I would like to see the sale numbers of these places to compare before and after the lockers. Not sure if it worth to sell less to prevent stealing.

  2. They should just hire personal shoppers and a drop-off service.

  3. This video has been reposted hundreds of times since 2020 when riots were happening. This isn’t widespread as people make it to be. It started in the Target sub due to the riots and it was a particular Target store in San fran again, not widespread.

  5. Lets show one video and act like all stores are like that in the UK to make yourself feel better.

  6. It is such a hassle to get someone to unlock one of those cabinets I have just walked out of a store while I was waiting. How long before you go to a store and everything is just inside vending machines?

  7. They do this in low income areas and in some cities as well.
    I’m waiting for it to turn to forced order by app and pick up style which is currently optional at a lot of places. Of course when you no longer have a choice they won’t drop the charge for the service despite not offering an option that doesn’t cost.

  8. Super misleading title.

    I’ve lived in the US for 40 years and never lived anywhere with these.

  9. A lot of REALLY rich people and a lot of poor people.

  10. I saw my local Walmart start to lock up the baby formula. It was so sad to see.

  11. I asked the employee in the past. They locked the socks cabinets due to shitty people who frequently open packages to try the socks. Same as deodorants, shitty people open the package to try the smell. As for the laundry liquid section, there are plenty of TikTok videos that these people take one and fill another to the brim, and claim the mfg cheated them when the amount is clearly printed on the package.

    Do they lock the shirt sections? No. Do they lock the more expensive jeans section? No. Do they lock the powder detergent? No.

    It has more to do with shitty people than poverty.

  12. I’m about to steal my dinner tonight, the rents paid tho!

  13. trust the gov’t with nukes but can’t trust the citizens with socks

  15. It’s a problem because stores are cutting down on labor. You definitely see it with just the number of actual employees on the floor. The employees are usually there to just be fulltime stock guys with a side of customer service (where the lion’s share of time is spent “in the back” moving/unpacking inventory). Without labor on the floor acting as a deterrent, you might as well be one of those farm markets in the middle of nowhere with daily stock on wooden benches and a locked box with a slot for payment.

  16. I realized GDP is just a number and the reason US has such a high number compared to the other developed countries is simply because we monetize everything whereas other countries value intangibles. There is no way Japan has a quality of life half as good as US. In fact, their quality of life I would say is better than US. So yeah it’s just a number.

  17. Perhaps it’s the decline of moral foundation which allows individuals to gleefully steal. Education is the only way up and out but some segments of society look down on those seen as ‘acting white’ through achievement.

  18. Who are the thieves? Are they too lazy or too proud to work?

  19. They’re locking it up because it’s cheaper than paying for security guards. And probably less of a hastle.

  21. Shoplifting is not an inequality problem, it’s a values and impunity problem

  22. Most of that stuff is crap we don’t actually need anyway

  23. Honestly, just move to an Argos style system, there’s no shelves but mini computers to order stuff on, you pay for it and get a number, someone comes out of the warehouse with your stuff 5 minutes later

  24. My local Walmart does this with the tools and electronics.

  25. I don’t understand why people aren’t scanned and ID’d at the entrance. Not perfect, but way better than this.

  26. Shopping at Target is a most uncomfortable experience. As soon as I enter the store I can feel their Asset protection staff following me around.
    I usually go to see their clearance toys and believe me I would never consider “lifting” any of their overpriced JUNK.
    Seems there’s always more store police than actual customers whenever I’m there.
    I wouldn’t shed a tear if block and mortar stores became a thing of the past.

  27. It’s not poverty and inequality. It’s a cultural, educational and parenting issue.

    My parents came to this country as refugees of war 50 years ago. They had even less money and opportunity than these criminals plus they didn’t speak the language. Not once did they resort to retail theft.

  28. In my store the shoplifters were stealing the makeup in mass quantities. To the point makeup was a loss leader. I get it. Small, valuable items which can find new homes on ebay or at the local stolen market.

    So we put the makeup behind glass.

    Only the laundry detergent started growing legs and walking out. Then the shoplifters stopped being subtle; they would get 3 carts every night and load up on Tide, All, Persil, etc. Wipe out the laundry shelves of everything, every single night.

    It was hit and run, we didn’t have security, and they were organized asf, so the police would arrive 20-240 minutes after the shoplifters left. Yeah, response time of 20 minutes to 4 hours. After running the numbers, we were losing $40-60k per WEEK, just detergent.

    So. That’s why it’s behind the glass, and why your receipts are being checked at the door.

    If you’re at a swap meet/perusing ebay and see a whole bunch of detergent or makeup, keep going. This keeps happening because someone is buying the stolen product. If they couldn’t get rid of it, they wouldn’t see it as a means of income.

  29. It’s not because of poverty: it’s because of organized shoplifting groups. I know because I know someone who is a fence for these goods, lol.

  31. I doubt shoplifting is actually that much worse for this to be necessary. These stores are understaffing. Just stop supporting companies that do this,buy online only. They’ll change their tune real quick

  32. There are professional shoplifters who fulfill your shopping list for a %age and people proudly refer them. The social contract is broken.

  33. I have seen this at Walgreen’s stores even in upper middle class suburbs of Denver. Every body shoplifts now I guess.

  34. You want to fix crime? Education initiatives in underserved and previously redlined areas, all the billionaires in your state get taxed for the value they could never spend in their lifetime and provide the necessary resources. Give people in these areas more green spaces and rec activities, more grocery stores, and more (yes, an unequally greater amount) of opportunity until they themselves can compete.

    First fight is with billionaires continuing to take.
    Next fight is with the government not giving back and focusing elsewhere.

  36. And under staffed. I buzzed a few times and waited for 15 minutes to get some things. Nobody came. I left and ordered it on Amazon.

  37. Bogus headline. Have been in many major cities and surrounding areas. Have never seen this.

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