Target is changing the operating hours of its stores in the San Francisco area due to rising crime in the city.
Six stores in the San Francisco area will close at 6 p.m. instead of 10 p.m. due to concerns about the safety of their customers and rising theft, the company announced.
“For more than a month, we’ve been experiencing a significant and alarming rise in theft and security incidents at our San Francisco stores, similar to reports from other retailers in the area. Target is engaging local law enforcement, elected officials and community partners to address our concerns,” the retail giant said in a statement Friday. “With the safety of our guests, team members and communities as our top priority, we’ve temporarily reduced our operating hours in six San Francisco stores.”
40% OF SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENTS PLAN TO LEAVE DUE TO QUALITY OF LIFE: POLL
The pharmacy chain Walgreens will shutter 10 stores in the area in response to a surge in shoplifting, it announced in March.
A shoplifter went viral in June after he filled up a garbage bag full of Walgreens products and rode his bike out of the store with the items as a security guard stood by and watched.
“Seventeen Walgreens over the last five years, almost every Gap retail outlet is gone, CVS is under assault,” said San Francisco Supervisor Ahsha Safai about the crime surge.
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Certain crimes have been spiking in San Francisco, including a surge in car burglaries, which are up as much as 700% in some areas, police statistics showed. Burglaries, car thefts, and arson cases rose dramatically in 2020 compared to the year before, and homicides rose 17%.
Forty percent of residents are planning to leave the city in the next few years, a poll conducted by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce suggested, and 8 out of 10 San Franciscans believe crime has worsened in the city, leading to a lower quality of life for them.
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Tags: News, San Francisco, Crime, Target, Business
Original Author: Andrew Mark Miller
Original Location: Target closing San Francisco stores early in response to theft and safety concerns