In a marked shift toward extreme security measures against retail theft, a Rite Aid store in Compton has placed nearly all of its merchandise behind locked glass cases. As KTLA reports, customers are met with a sea of glass upon entering the Rite Aid located on Long Beach Boulevard, where items from breakfast cereal to baby formula are sequestered away, accessible only with staff intervention.
This action, described by a store employee as having started in the summer, perhaps around July, is a reaction to a spike in bold shoplifting incidents and organized retail crime—a trend mirrored in a 60% increase in shoplifting cases in New York and Los Angeles from 2019 to mid-2023, according to a study by the Council of Criminal Justice. Despite the city's efforts and financial commitment, including millions allocated by Governor Gavin Newsom and a new task force initiated by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, retail theft remains a persistent problem. "Like many in the industry, we are seeing a higher level of brazen shoplifting and organized retail crime," Rite Aid said in a statement obtained by KTLA.
The experience is not without frustration for customers who find the environment inconvenient and uncomfortable. According to an ABC7 interview, Eduardo Ramirez speaks to the store atmosphere, "It feels weird when you walk in there. Really uncomfortable." The only merchandise not under lock and key are the drinks. Regular patron Roy Barocio lamented the cumbersome new shopping process, stating, "Now I've got to press the button and wait about 10 minutes to seven minutes for them to come and help me, and they come moody."
On the legislative front, efforts to ameliorate the situation have seen Gov. Gavin Newsom sign a bill enforcing tougher penalties on larger theft operations and smash-and-grab heists. Furthermore, the California Highway Patrol's Organized Retail Crime Task Force reported significant results, with hundreds of arrests and millions of dollars in recovered stolen goods just this year. But Rite Aid, taking matters into its own hands, says it will continue "to do all we can to provide a safe environment for associates and customers as we support the health needs of those in the communities we serve," a nod to their broader mission stated in a press release cited by CBS News Los Angeles.
With a proposal on the horizon for California voters considering the rollback of Proposition 47—which originally reduced certain non-violent felonies to misdemeanors, including instances of shoplifting—the debate continues over how best to balance the rights of individuals with the imperative of protecting businesses and maintaining a functional retail environment. Meanwhile, security remains tight at the Compton Rite Aid as they ride out the current wave of retail theft plaguing the state.
