The shoplifting problem has become so bad in San Francisco that while reporting on the issue, CNN witnessed three thefts in the span of 30 minutes.
At the start of the segment heavy chains and padlocks are shown locking up the freezer section to prevent theft, just one example of the extreme measures stores are taking to protect their merchandise.
“This is just more icing on the cake telling us that rampant crime has become a regular part of life,” San Francisco resident Richie Greenberg told CNN.
“So typical that in the 30 minutes we were at this Walgreens, we watched three people, including this man, steal,” CNN's Kyung Lah followed up, showing footage of a young man walking out of the store, past their cameras, without paying.
It’s why workers at this Richmond area San Francisco Walgreens grew so frustrated that they resorted to chaining the freezer section. Corporate ordered it down bc of the negative messaging it sent. But the problem remains— unabated theft. pic.twitter.com/6U4Yaj9I1Z
— Kyung Lah (@KyungLahCNN) July 25, 2023
In San Francisco, we went to the Walgreens that is the #1 spot for theft in all the 9000 US stores, per Walgreens. This is where chains once shut the freezer section. And we saw 3 thefts right in front of us. But across SF, coffee, mustard, nail polish-- are all locked up: pic.twitter.com/IfYBVgpeI2
— Kyung Lah (@KyungLahCNN) July 25, 2023
Months earlier, CNN reported that the "numbers" don't support store claims that shoplifting is a national crisis.
CNN, meet CNN pic.twitter.com/0CQSi95iBN
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 25, 2023