‘It’s So Sad That It’s Going’: Target Shutters Nine Stores in Democrat-Run Cities Due to Theft and Violence

Target is shuttering nine stores across four states because of organized retail theft that threatens employee and customer safety, CEO Brian Cornell said.

All nine stores are in Democrat-run cities.

Customers and employees at a Target located in Harlem, New York, are mourning the store’s impending closure. The Target offers goods at affordable prices for nearby residents on a fixed income at walking distance from their homes, ABC7NY reported.

“You don’t have to go to Jersey,” Martiza Fabian told ABC7NY. “You don’t have to go downtown. You walk down the block, you come to Target, it’s like home. And it’s so sad that it’s going.”

Target stated “extra security and locking up merchandise” have failed to effectively deter thieves.

Cornell predicts losses from theft could top $1.2 billion this fiscal year, Breitbart News reported.

Violent incidents against Target workers increased by 120% for the first five months of the year compared with the same period a year ago. 

“Our team continues to face an unacceptable amount of retail theft and organized retail crime,” Cornell said  “Unfortunately, safety incidents associated with theft are moving in the wrong direction.”

In addition to closing the Harlem, New York store, the retail giant will be closing two locations in Seattle, three in Portland, Oregon, and three in San Francisco, effective October 21. 

While the store closings account for just a fraction of the 1,900 stores Target operates nationwide, the move is significant. It underscores the big challenges that retailers like Target face in reducing theft in stores as they wrestle with protecting their workers and customers while trying to serve the community, particularly low-income and minority groups who rely on the local stores for necessities.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) found that shrink accounted for $112.1 billion in losses in 2021. Theft accounted for nearly 65% of shrink. 

“Retailers are seeing unprecedented levels of theft coupled with rampant crime in their stores, and the situation is only becoming more dire,” said NRF Vice President for Asset Protection and Retail Operations David Johnston. “Far beyond the financial impact of these crimes, the violence and concerns over safety continue to be the priority for all retailers, regardless of size or category.”