A Target location in downtown San Francisco is robbed at least 10 times each day, according to employees of the store in the Metreon, a mall near Union Square.
One store employee who asked to remain anonymous said thefts happen every 10 minutes, according to The San Francisco Standard.
“Look in some corner of the store, and you’ll see people shoveling stuff into a bag — food, cosmetics,” the worker said.
“I’d say 10 thefts a day,” another worker told The Standard on Tuesday.
They also asked to remain unnamed since they didn’t have permission from management to speak to press.
As a result, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, makeup, snacks and other everyday items are now locked up behind plastic cases.
Lipstick and nail polish are not barricaded.
A third unnamed Metreon Target employee said that the items are popular among the thieves, according to The Standard.
“They were stocked this morning, now they’re empty,” the worker told The Standard, motioning towards empty shelves that were lined with lipstick just hours earlier.
“It’s sad seeing it, that someone has to steal diapers for their kid,” an anonymous worker told The Standard.
The worker said it was common to see people who appeared to be homeless taking food such as cereal and eating it in the store.
Another employee told the publication that they would see empty candy bar wrappers, opened cans of soda, and used liquor bottles around the store around five times per day.
“I understand,” the employee said. “They need to eat.”
A Target spokesperson told The Standard: “Retail crime is an urgent issue that is increasingly impacting the team and guests at Target and other retailers.”
“It’s an issue that affects all of us, limiting product availability, creating a less convenient shopping experience, and most importantly, putting our team and guests in harm’s way.”
Last month, another Target location in the city made headlines when video footage showed that it placed all of its cosmetic and toiletry products on lockdown.
The Bay Area has been especially hard hit by a national organized retail crime epidemic that ballooned during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading chains such as Walgreens to close five San Francisco stores due to theft.
Other chains such as Whole Foods, Nordstrom, CVS, and Amazon have either left downtown San Francisco altogether or announced their intention to do so.
A total of 568 emergency calls were made to one Whole Foods location on Market Street over the 13 months it was open.
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