Walgreens

I read that Walgreens is closing five more stores in San Francisco (SF)*. Five more??? That means they've already closed stores there. In fact, it's been more than 10 since 2019. Why? The short answer -- democrat policies.

* SF has a population of over 800,000 which accounts for the number of stores that are (were) there.

• Proposition 47, a CA state referendum passed five years ago, downgraded shoplifting less than $950 from a felony to a misdemeanor, effectively giving shoplifters the green light to take just about whatever they want without serious (if any) consequence. It's called "criminal justice reform."
  
  The thinking is, too many blacks wind up with felonies on their record, limiting their opportunities for employment and housing -- and that's racist, don't you know. So, you simply downgrade the penalty and voila! Problem solved, right? Wrong! By virtually decriminalizing shoplifting, they've created a huge problem for store owners/employees, law enforcement and locals who depend on these stores.
  
  
• CBS reported one SF Walgreens was closed because the store was losing $1,000 a day to shoplifting. ¡Ay, caramba! Believe it or not, stores cannot sustain that kind of loss and stay in business -- and so they close. Imagine the impact on a community when their local drug stores are disappearing. Residents have to go farther and farther (or do their shopping online) to get prescriptions (and other purchases), which can be problematic especially for seniors -- but that's ok. The larger value of giving career criminals an infinite number of "second chances" is worth any inconvenience, loss of jobs and worsening local economies -- just ask any democrat in CA. Ain't social justice grand?
  
  
• FOX reported two years ago that organized crime rings in SF have turned shoplifting into a well-organized racket. Fencers, often from Mexico and Guatemala, set up shop around SF's United Nations Plaza area. Shoplifters, who seemingly grow bolder by the day, know exactly where to go to turn their merchandise into cash. Retail heists taking place aren't just small-time operators but include sophisticated networks of international dealers who cross the border to buy stolen goods. What's worse is that a majority of the handoffs happen in view of City Hall. Wonderful.
  
  
• YouTube is full of videos on the subject. They are appalling. One video from KBIX CBS SF ends with the reporter saying "We reached out to both the SF police department and Walgreens for comment on the incident but neither responded to our request." I get Walgreens not wanting to comment** but shouldn't police departments be obligated to respond to local media requests for comment? Where's the accountability?
  
  ** No way Walgreens is going to comment. If they come out against Prop 47 or demand more law enforcement, they'll be targeted by BLM activists for racism since the majority of those involved in shoplifting are black. Walgreens' management is damned if they do and damned if they don't. So, they simply keep quiet, write off their losses, cut bait and move on.
  
  
• CA isn't just chasing businesses away with high taxes, they are literally closing stores because of their political policies. They provide lip service that crime will not be tolerated and then look the other way when people take whatever they want from stores. Even if arrested, prosecutors often don't -- prosecute -- and the revolving door -- revolves.

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  Need a few new hangbags? No problem. Just grab some and go -- but while you're going, fill them with whatever else you can get your hands on.

 

Shoplifting ala bicycle? Really? This guy rode around in a SF Walgreens stashing his goodies in what appears to be a large garbage bag. I'd say you can't make this stuff up, but here you go.

The security guard attempted to stop him but failed. Keep in mind, security guards are (usually) not police officers. They don't carry weapons. They have no authority to arrest. This guard is taking a huge risk just trying to stop this guy who could have a weapon on him and cause injury or death to anyone getting in his way.

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shoplifters at Neiman Marcus (where a handbag can sell for $1000)

These shoplifters aren't stealing necessities. No, they're targeting higher priced items for resale -- and they're getting away with it -- in broad daylight. CNN has an interesting video at the top of this page.

Here's a video from ABC7.

Here's one more video from FOX news -- black, white, women, men all have a common theme: the situation is completely out of control.

What all of these shoplifters don't realize is that they are killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, destroying their own communities. In other words, there goes the neighborhood.

Meanwhile, the liberal left stands and applauds their criminal justice reform policies and legislation, overlooking the larger truth that liberalism, in the name of progress, compassion and social justice, destroys everything it touches.