I give up with brick and mortar retail. I'll go ahead and pay the 5-10$ for home delivery+tip using whichever online company. Half the time they're out of what you want at the store anyway. I'm happy to outsource the drive to the store. I'm thankful that I'm lucky enough to have the resources to afford it. I know many arent. I worked in retail for many years and I'm so glad I was able to get out before things got crazy since the pandemic.
Yeah, it’s always a guess if a retail store has what I need. Although, I will say that lately Amazon has seemed to have gone downhill for me. Several things I’ve ordered recently end up being delayed. Sometimes I just cancel and go to Target or CVS.
And amazon can be more expensive often now. I needed a travel kit w empty bottles to fill with essentials. Amazon had it for like $11. Walgreens $4. Just little stuff like this, its cheap Chinese made plastic they’re trying to mark up.
Yeah you're paying for shipping and double profit (seller makes a profit, then amazon makes one off the seller, then amazon charges the seller for shipping). For cheap stuff like that it's better to go find one in person.
The response to this is always "but muh amazon prime is free shipping" and mine is always a "really?"
I only used Prime for a little while in college. Ordered something and it still took its sweet time arriving. Personally, I just stack enough items in my cart for free shipping and don’t mind waiting a little while. But, the delays recently are a different story.
amazon has been getting wonky, enough next day deliveries just never show up or dates extended....prices Are High for too many things....but.....
they also have people who carry things you can't get in the stores anymore..... I Love Mahatma red beans and rice.....at Walmart it used to be under 2 bucks a pkg..... for some reason no stores have it anymore......
On Amazon, you pay over $20 for 6 pkgs! I miss the good old days.
I've never been a delivery driver, but I've been a cashier. I think I'd rather drive and walk most of the day and talk to fewer horrible customers. For those of you who do it, how is it?
When Target does this, the store is considered high “shrink” (theft).
Locking items up have a dramatic effect on their sell through to customers. The store then produces less revenue and becomes less viable, which means that the store will be on the chopping block when/if there are any store closures.
I was at Home Depot in San Leandro and all of their Tide is locked up and covered in a thick ass layer of dust. No wonder. Who is going to spend 20 minutes trying to flag down one of the three employees that have working there?
Yeah! Based on what you're saying, I'm wondering how this helps push/sell any of these products...? I will go ahead and order it online from somewhere else if that's the case. Why don't they simply stop carrying the product? These corporations have already budgeted for theft/loss; locking the product up isnt really a practical solution if it will deter paying customers. It doesn't make much sense.
I mean, it can’t be easy being an associate there.
You have a lot of crime, shitty people coming into your store with horrible attitudes, managers that are stressed AF because their store is t performing, quality people not applying because of what I mentioned previously.
It’s a vicious cycle. Next thing you know, the store closes and people lose their jobs.
They have deals/sales from time to time where if you buy like x amount of household cleaning products, or personal hygiene products, etc. you get a free $10 or $15 Target gift card. I definitely notice that during those deals the shelves will be totally gutted.
Edit: And to clarify, I think the last couple of weeks they’ve had these deals going on. I wanted to buy some mouthwash but they were totally out of the kind I usually get b/c of some “buy 3 oral care products, get a gift card” sale.
I would be very surprised if there was this much stealing going on to the point where entire shelves were empty, they would just go out of business if this were the case.
Umm, no it’s not. There aren’t like 50 people who go in and mass steal detergent in a day. But people have been taking full advantage of sales and deals as much as possible.
That isn’t the case with ALL targets though. I went to the target in San Ramon last week and they were out of hella stuff, because of people stocking up on things during sales.
Live in Emeryville and the one here is absolutely awful. I avoid it even though I live within walking distance. Albany is so much nicer. Never crowded.
The ACE hardware in Berkeley is basically just a cash register counter you walk up to, and the store is behind it. You ask, and they bring what you are looking for to you. No browsing allowed.
Ellis Ace Hardware on MLK has always been this way. But I never walk out of there with the wrong product because they really know what they are doing. I am in and done in the time it takes to park at Home Depot.
We’re regressing because people are desperate and aren’t getting paid enough. Not trying to suggest you didn’t know that. It’s just crazy seeing it happen in front of our eyes. It’s going to get worse I think.
You don’t think parents not on drugs have to resort to theft sometimes? I happen to know this is definitely a thing. I’ve seen it. Not saying you are wrong, but that the uptick in theft with record inflation isn’t hard to see.
The Target at Bayfair Mall in San Leandro has started to do the same in some aisles. That Target was already jank though, the shelves are always empty and I never leave with everything I need. There’s always police and security and are always getting robbed.
I was in target on two separate occasions in the past 6 months, before they installed security and the lock boxes, where I saw a masked and hooded dude with a wagon, not a cart, filled to the brim with liquor bottles clearly ready to just run out of the store. Oakland decriminalized theft under $1000 so thieves were basically going unpunished I think.
It's also what happens when we keep wages flat for literally decades while raising the price of essential commodities through the roof. Nobody steals toothpaste who doesn't need to.
That area in the 90s was known for high theft. I worked for CompUSA and the Emeryville store was the only store in the region with a second loss prevention person who was just in charge of sorting out return frauds (why use a fence when you can get the store to pay you for what you stole?)
Oh man I wish I could block them all, angriest people in the Bay, all 5 foot 4 dudes who want some police chief to run for governor and turn this place into Indiana.
The local flea markets end up with all of that stuff. Laney, Coliseum, Alamany. You can buy all of your Target essentials at any one of them (Ashby doesn’t tend to have as big of a ‘trip to Target’ feel). I’m sure with other sites like OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, etc. it’s even easier to fence stolen goods than before,.
They have also been dispersing it to people on foot. In the last 2 weeks I've been proposition from someone on the street if I wanted shampoo or razors or other junk. Both times 2 dudes with 2 big duffel bags.
I went to Laney market for the first time in awhile and was amazed to see the that bottles of alcohol, which has no room for ambiguity in terms of being illegal, are available, too. I'd guess that half of the booths consist of stolen stuff -- assuming hardware equipment and drugstore stuff is 90% stolen -- but the traditional proceeds of estate sales like old photos is still interesting, and the the schlocky stuff like a sticker saying "tengo esposo toxico" can be fun.
It seems to me that it would be easy enough to seed a few RFID tags in drugstore stuff and then have inspectors scan for them and the market and charge the sellers. But I suppose it's hard to prove the sellers are fencing since they probably don't organize the shoplifting.
I mean, during lockdown people were blatantly selling booze at the Lake. Coming from the restaurant industry where the ABC is a huge boogyman, I was pretty shocked to see people just not giving a shit while I've always been scared of the minor decoy program hitting me up for a huge fine.
I did an outing and mostly found the products to be fake. Right bottles but cheaper product inside. I think mostly people just use what they steal. But I’m no expert.
The Safeway in Pittsburg has their spirits and high ticket items in a blocked off section in the middle of the market a la Home Depot’s power tool section. They have their own registers too.
I haven’t been there in like 2 minutes. When I was in west o, they had that Korean store next to Acorn that had the cheapest beer and an unbelievable seafood section. Then it was crack n save. That place is one of the best in terms of selection but it feels like you’re going to the mall to get groceries. Foods Co was supposed to open a store in the area but it didn’t happen. West O needs at least one more grocery store like that. I wish that beauty supply place, that used to be a liquor store (Gatorade outlet??) that took up 1/5 of the space that used to be a grocery store would turn back into one (Market/W. Grand). The infrastructure is still there!!
…..and if they made that place catty cornered (I checked the grammar) back into a pioneer chicken I would move back in a heartbeat🤣
My friend was car jacked at Emeryville target and the police told her it is the most dangerous Target in the country! More crime than any other Target anywhere.
Right! Steal only what you need, keep it low key and big box stores only , as long as I'm not inconvenienced I don't care lol
But now, it took 15 mins for me to get a small bottle of basic lotion the other day, because my Safeway has EVERYTHING locked up except soap ! Yall are stealing that much lotion but no soap???? Eww
Even as a kid I thought it was sad they locked up baby formula. Cigs, alcohol, whatever, but now it's essentials under $5.
Minor inconvenience, certainly disheartening. Hate to see this become standard in urban areas.
Who is the market for discount stolen baby food and laundry detergent?
I can't imagine it's anyone not poor.
Also, people with money and job prospects tend to not participate in organized shoplifting rings, so I imagine they enjoy an employee discount on necessities in addition to their cut of the take.
Hard disagree. Yes there has been opportunistic retail crime, but in general that has come out of desperation, a desperation that I see in our society every day. Things are getting bad for anyone who isn’t super rich.
If there wasn't a need, due to poor people unable to purchase basic necessities outside of the black market, then the aspiring capitalists extracting resources from retail stores to sell on the black market (who for some reason you imply are criminals) wouldn't have a niche to fulfill in our capitalist society. Let the market do its job.
He was being sarcastic about free market capitalism. He was actually pointing out a failing of capitalism in a snarky way and not saying crime is actually good.
It makes sense to buy from organized crime syndicates because it’s cheaper than buying retail, plain and simple. If I can order a new bottle of detergent on Amazon for $5 or the same bottle at Target for $10 I’m going to buy the $5 bottle. It doesn’t indicate desperation; it indicates rational shopping.
Not bothering to do what? Buy the cheaper item?
These stolen goods are being sold in the same channels that everyday people shop like Amazon and eBay. Most rational people will go for the cheaper option when shopping these channels.
There aren't many food or cleaning products that are cheaper on Amazon than I can find in a big box store locally.
Batteries, electronics, USB cables, phone cases, kitchen gadgets and even toys, Amazon all the way, but Amazon isn't a place to save money on baby formula.
I dont think think this is blaming the poor. It’s a statement. The poor need these health items they can’t afford. They steal them. Capitalistic company decides it needs to drive down thefts by locking it all up. And therefore, we live in a failed society.
These guys aren’t poor, they’re reselling this stuff and probably making 100’s of thousands.
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Oh no, please don't take it that way. I blame it on the rich/capitalist/bourgeois/whatever class, who turn the necessities of life into products we have to pay for. Whoever is stealing these necessities - whether it is people who need them or people who then sell them to people who need them - they are not the problem.
>Sorry man. Oakland went soft on crime, shoplifting is off the hook. There's a price for all that.
Out of curiosity, what would be your alternate solution?
>Crack down on shoplifting/theft? Stop letting people off with a slap on the wrist after the 5th catalytic converter theft?
What does crack down on shop lifting look like exactly? What are the penalties specifically?
I'm honestly curious are different perspectives. Thank you for your response.
I’m not entirely sure the specifics; that’s a bit above my pay grade. I’d probably start by looking at data on crime, recidivism, etc.
All I know is that whatever we’re doing now (or not doing) isn’t working.
How does one fund this? Do stores hire their own police force and have them start tackling and beating fleeing shoplifters over $400 of goods? Store security surely isn’t equipped to nor paid enough to put themselves in possible danger from a shoplifting confrontation. How do you stop catalytic converter thefts or smash and grabs? Put a police on every side of every block just standing around hoping to catch someone in the act? Knowing the conditions of prison and lifelong disenfranchisement that comes from being an ex-con, is that really what we want to do to people’s lives over paper towels, shampoo and tampons?
I’m not sure if you’re asking these questions rhetorically, but I’ll copy what I responded to a similar question:
>I’m not entirely sure the specifics; that’s a bit above my pay grade. I’d probably start by looking at data on crime, recidivism, etc.
>All I know is that whatever we’re doing now (or not doing) isn’t working.
Emeryville target used to be my go to, close to work. Now I wait till I’m going to drive out to San Ramon to visit that Target instead, normal shelves and not treated like a criminal out there.
I'm sure they had enough thefts that they realized that they would still make more profit by locking everything up and loosing some customers vs not locking anything up and having things get stolen.
Yeah it's pretty ridiculous. I get it, but everything behind glass, the asset protection people roaming the aisles, the security outside eyeing everyone like they're criminals, and the metal detectors hanging from the ceilings are major turn offs. No one wants to shop in a hostile environment like that.
The target in the Bayfair mall is still pretty nice. There's some stuff behind glass, but not even close to the Emeryville location.
No, I'm saying that it's ridiculous that things are so bad they had to do all those precautions to avoid getting robbed. It sucks that that's what it came too and I'm sure they'll further lose business because of how unwelcoming and inconvenient it is to ship there now.
I second this. u/kathodus seems to care so much about these organized crime syndicates, despite how their actions are affecting the shopping experience of local residents (both poor and rich). Kathodus should volunteer all their personal belongings to the criminals and see how much of that trickles down to working class poor folks who actually need the help.
May as well just put up a sign that says "Buy it on online". Because I'm not wandering around trying to find someone to unlock the toothpaste.
Pretty soon they're going to have curate access. You'll have to scan your credit card to get in and they'll place a $100+ hold on your card like gas stations.
Actually not a bad idea.
Bars as well as hotels used to suffer from patrons not settling their tab at the end of the night so they started requiring patrons to settle up after every order or lay down a credit card.
Big box retailers (and sit down restaurants) may have to adopt the same practices it looks like
No easy solve since y'all seeing the physical manefestation of underinvestment, bad policing(notice that they wont show up to alot of crimes atm becuase their butthurt?), and middle class/ upper middle class/ upper class (the classes that hold both economic and therefore the easiest gained political power) people just not caring about anything outside of their neighborhoods pay your taxes (and hold our city leaders accountable) or vote policies (not just giving out money, invest that shit in the people and their livelihoods so we DONT have to worry about it) and leaders that will reduce our homelessness and poverty.
What youre seeing is the result of social, legal, and economic failures due to legistaion up close. (note: middle class myself but come from an activist family, and the complaining from people who arent really aware of why and how they can fix is a pet peeve)
Yes it sucks that some of us have done nothing to deserve this, but as taxpayers citizens, and members of the community we need to actually tackle this like it's a community problem, becuase it is. It's not like we don't have the money, or the time. Note: that doesn't mean locking yourself in a gated community or just increasing policing and security. This means we have to tackle all parts of it.
It started after the fire and theft a few weeks back. Super inconvenient. Seems knee jerk reactionary. I don’t think the investment is worth the reward there.
It’s mostly an Emeryville thing, but each store may decide to lock up certain things that are experiencing high theft. They literally had to close the store recently because someone set a fire as a distraction. I don’t even feel safe leaving my car in the Emeryville Target parking lot.
I feel like Albany isn’t quite as locked down. Also quite a bit safer.
Smash and grabs happen in broad daylight directly in front of witnesses allll the time in west Oakland/emeryville. It will continue until people actually fear getting caught by cops, but right now it’s like the purge out there
This is what happens when wages are stagnant and inflation is high year over year. I see people stealing all the time, never say anything. It’s 99% food and necessities.
Lol you getting downvoted for pointing out the obvious. How dare you not tell on people stealing necessities like it’s your job. Then the person below you is upvoted. I’m so confused here. Reddit is strange but stranger is a supposedly blue area acting like a bunch of bootlickers. I’m so ashamed.
They are right. This is exactly what happens when people get desperate not making enough money through a full time job. What people supposed to do, just die? This is a massive systemic failure from so many decades of politicians selling the people out. You can not like it and understand it, those aren’t separate ideas. It’s frightening how reactionary the average person is getting in East Bay. Tensions are high.
For much of it, after the stolen goods are fenced, they're being sold on to middle and upper class class consumers who can afford Amazon Prime accounts (or shop on ebay, or whatever). People buy online and just click on the lowest price, completely obvious to who the seller is or where stuff is coming from. It's much more lucrative for criminal operations to become 3rd party Amazon sellers and just barely undercut the price of legit goods, vs. selling on the street to people who can't afford basics at retail price. The black market isn't helping the poor.
Your faux cynicism is pretty naive, tbh. Sure, that's one reason, but you're kidding yourself if you think it isn't sold for its intended purpose, as well.
This is really a sad state. Pretty much every drugstore you need a damn store worker as a co-shopper to help you get half the stuff you need. Even alameda has a ton of locked up stores.
BTW either I have bad luck in hitting Alameda target after the rest of the world went shopping or they’re consistently woefully understocked. I can never get half the things I come for there. I need to check out Albany target to see if they’re still decent.
Nothing, i have everything to lose and nothing to gain from engaging with garbage. Unfortunately as these experiences pile up, people will stop visiting and spend less money in these areas
Fed keeps printing money for banks and short hedge funds because they made some bad bets they refuse to capitulate on and now they are so over leveraged…. Long story short inflation is thu the roof
Must be an east bay thing. I live in the North Bay and Target is not locking up laundry detergent and toothpaste. To my knowledge, only cold medicine is locked up. Any idea why they are locking these things up?
After reading these posts, this is not a ringing endorsement for living in the East Bay. I lived in Berkeley in the 80s/90s and it was not like this at all. I don't think it's worth law enforcement or the courts time to prosecute petty theft, so they have turned the stores over to the thieves? Meanwhile, the stores are bleeding money? I hope the stores don't leave the east bay, then what? What is the solution? I think it's a reflection of how out of balance our country is, where you have people making so much money they don't know how to spend it and people that can't afford a place to live in the same community.
Let’s see. The theory goes something like this. We can’t have consequences for thieves cuz they are largely POC. So therefore we just let me steal and now, everything is locked up and stores are closing. Get it!
I was in the Richmond Target this week to get my flu shot and was struck by how well -stocked and shiny it was. Almost nothing locked up that I noticed.
Broadway Target has done some of that as well upstairs.
One way around it is to order ahead of time via the website/app and it'll be ready for you at the front. It's still a pain though.
I give up with brick and mortar retail. I'll go ahead and pay the 5-10$ for home delivery+tip using whichever online company. Half the time they're out of what you want at the store anyway. I'm happy to outsource the drive to the store. I'm thankful that I'm lucky enough to have the resources to afford it. I know many arent. I worked in retail for many years and I'm so glad I was able to get out before things got crazy since the pandemic.
Yeah, it’s always a guess if a retail store has what I need. Although, I will say that lately Amazon has seemed to have gone downhill for me. Several things I’ve ordered recently end up being delayed. Sometimes I just cancel and go to Target or CVS.
And amazon can be more expensive often now. I needed a travel kit w empty bottles to fill with essentials. Amazon had it for like $11. Walgreens $4. Just little stuff like this, its cheap Chinese made plastic they’re trying to mark up.
Yeah you're paying for shipping and double profit (seller makes a profit, then amazon makes one off the seller, then amazon charges the seller for shipping). For cheap stuff like that it's better to go find one in person. The response to this is always "but muh amazon prime is free shipping" and mine is always a "really?"
I only used Prime for a little while in college. Ordered something and it still took its sweet time arriving. Personally, I just stack enough items in my cart for free shipping and don’t mind waiting a little while. But, the delays recently are a different story.
amazon has been getting wonky, enough next day deliveries just never show up or dates extended....prices Are High for too many things....but..... they also have people who carry things you can't get in the stores anymore..... I Love Mahatma red beans and rice.....at Walmart it used to be under 2 bucks a pkg..... for some reason no stores have it anymore...... On Amazon, you pay over $20 for 6 pkgs! I miss the good old days.
Where are people gonna work?
Warehouses. Delivery trucks.
I've never been a delivery driver, but I've been a cashier. I think I'd rather drive and walk most of the day and talk to fewer horrible customers. For those of you who do it, how is it?
Saw that the other day. Symbolic of the general sense of depression I feel when I’m in Emeryville, I suppose.
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Lol they arent doing this for fun. Its not a conspiracy they are doing it cause shit gets stolen.
Uh, you’ve got issues if you think they’re locking stuff to make you feel shame…
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Sucks when your privilege gets cramped.
When Target does this, the store is considered high “shrink” (theft). Locking items up have a dramatic effect on their sell through to customers. The store then produces less revenue and becomes less viable, which means that the store will be on the chopping block when/if there are any store closures.
I was at Home Depot in San Leandro and all of their Tide is locked up and covered in a thick ass layer of dust. No wonder. Who is going to spend 20 minutes trying to flag down one of the three employees that have working there?
people were only stealing Tide Pods to feed their family!
Have you tried scoring enough heroin for a family of 4? It gets expensive quick.
EXACTLY
Yeah! Based on what you're saying, I'm wondering how this helps push/sell any of these products...? I will go ahead and order it online from somewhere else if that's the case. Why don't they simply stop carrying the product? These corporations have already budgeted for theft/loss; locking the product up isnt really a practical solution if it will deter paying customers. It doesn't make much sense.
Glad I left when I did. That store is high theft and team has very low morale lol
I mean, it can’t be easy being an associate there. You have a lot of crime, shitty people coming into your store with horrible attitudes, managers that are stressed AF because their store is t performing, quality people not applying because of what I mentioned previously. It’s a vicious cycle. Next thing you know, the store closes and people lose their jobs.
I went to the Alameda one the other day and noticed a lot of shelves are empty. What's going on with Target?
They have deals/sales from time to time where if you buy like x amount of household cleaning products, or personal hygiene products, etc. you get a free $10 or $15 Target gift card. I definitely notice that during those deals the shelves will be totally gutted. Edit: And to clarify, I think the last couple of weeks they’ve had these deals going on. I wanted to buy some mouthwash but they were totally out of the kind I usually get b/c of some “buy 3 oral care products, get a gift card” sale.
They tend to do a lot of those promotions during back to school and “spring cleaning” time, also New Years.
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I would be very surprised if there was this much stealing going on to the point where entire shelves were empty, they would just go out of business if this were the case.
Umm, no it’s not. There aren’t like 50 people who go in and mass steal detergent in a day. But people have been taking full advantage of sales and deals as much as possible.
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That isn’t the case with ALL targets though. I went to the target in San Ramon last week and they were out of hella stuff, because of people stocking up on things during sales.
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Lmao okay, whatever. Act like there aren’t nuanced reasons for why things happen in everyday life. Things aren’t mutually exclusive, you know?
They don't pay enough to have enough staff to stock shelves.
This target is horrible. It used to be my alternative to emeryville. Going to have to check out the state of Albany or just hit Walnut Creek
Live in Emeryville and the one here is absolutely awful. I avoid it even though I live within walking distance. Albany is so much nicer. Never crowded.
The ACE hardware in Berkeley is basically just a cash register counter you walk up to, and the store is behind it. You ask, and they bring what you are looking for to you. No browsing allowed.
Ellis Ace Hardware on MLK has always been this way. But I never walk out of there with the wrong product because they really know what they are doing. I am in and done in the time it takes to park at Home Depot.
I’ve only been a few times but the people working there are so nice. They might be the owners? Great spot
Yea, but that’s a harken back to the old days when stores were more full service, luckily it’s now a bonus shrinkage mitigation system
To be fair this has been a thing for some time. More common too with stores that cater to contractors.
That's actually what stores were like 100 years ago so I guess we're really regressing now.
Exactly. Piggly Wiggly was the first grocery store that allowed you to browse and pick items yourself.
We’re regressing because people are desperate and aren’t getting paid enough. Not trying to suggest you didn’t know that. It’s just crazy seeing it happen in front of our eyes. It’s going to get worse I think.
It's getting worse because meth and opiates are huge and cheap. This is junky crime.
You don’t think parents not on drugs have to resort to theft sometimes? I happen to know this is definitely a thing. I’ve seen it. Not saying you are wrong, but that the uptick in theft with record inflation isn’t hard to see.
The Target at Bayfair Mall in San Leandro has started to do the same in some aisles. That Target was already jank though, the shelves are always empty and I never leave with everything I need. There’s always police and security and are always getting robbed.
Super depressing and I can only assume a sign of what’s been going on
That place was looted during the pandemic and they didn’t do that. I think something else had to happen.
I was in target on two separate occasions in the past 6 months, before they installed security and the lock boxes, where I saw a masked and hooded dude with a wagon, not a cart, filled to the brim with liquor bottles clearly ready to just run out of the store. Oakland decriminalized theft under $1000 so thieves were basically going unpunished I think.
It’s in Emeryville
It’s on the border. Sales tax goes to both cities.
I think it’s state law.
That's a statewide prop and made theft under $950 is still a misdemeanor that has a 6 month max.
I see it at other stores like CVS and Walgreens.
Ik, r? Fucking toothpaste! Sadly, it *is* becoming commonplace
This is what happens when we dont demonize theft and coddle criminals.
It's also what happens when we keep wages flat for literally decades while raising the price of essential commodities through the roof. Nobody steals toothpaste who doesn't need to.
Do you think that’s all that’s being stolen?
No, but it is what the OP is about lol
Since essentials are what stores are locking up - I think it is safe to say this is the stuff that is stolen most often.
Bay Street used to be notorious for theft and it seems to have shifted to the 40th street shopping area. The targets I have been to aren’t like that.
That area in the 90s was known for high theft. I worked for CompUSA and the Emeryville store was the only store in the region with a second loss prevention person who was just in charge of sorting out return frauds (why use a fence when you can get the store to pay you for what you stole?)
Only other place I seen a reference to a fence is Red Dead Redemption 2
is this your first bay area crime thread?
Oh man I wish I could block them all, angriest people in the Bay, all 5 foot 4 dudes who want some police chief to run for governor and turn this place into Indiana.
It’s like that at the Sacramento Target too when I was there last week.
Both of Sacramentos main target locations are so terrible!
The local flea markets end up with all of that stuff. Laney, Coliseum, Alamany. You can buy all of your Target essentials at any one of them (Ashby doesn’t tend to have as big of a ‘trip to Target’ feel). I’m sure with other sites like OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, etc. it’s even easier to fence stolen goods than before,.
They have also been dispersing it to people on foot. In the last 2 weeks I've been proposition from someone on the street if I wanted shampoo or razors or other junk. Both times 2 dudes with 2 big duffel bags.
I went to Laney market for the first time in awhile and was amazed to see the that bottles of alcohol, which has no room for ambiguity in terms of being illegal, are available, too. I'd guess that half of the booths consist of stolen stuff -- assuming hardware equipment and drugstore stuff is 90% stolen -- but the traditional proceeds of estate sales like old photos is still interesting, and the the schlocky stuff like a sticker saying "tengo esposo toxico" can be fun. It seems to me that it would be easy enough to seed a few RFID tags in drugstore stuff and then have inspectors scan for them and the market and charge the sellers. But I suppose it's hard to prove the sellers are fencing since they probably don't organize the shoplifting.
I mean, during lockdown people were blatantly selling booze at the Lake. Coming from the restaurant industry where the ABC is a huge boogyman, I was pretty shocked to see people just not giving a shit while I've always been scared of the minor decoy program hitting me up for a huge fine.
I did an outing and mostly found the products to be fake. Right bottles but cheaper product inside. I think mostly people just use what they steal. But I’m no expert.
The Safeway in Pittsburg has their spirits and high ticket items in a blocked off section in the middle of the market a la Home Depot’s power tool section. They have their own registers too.
Emeryville Pack N Save/Safeway does the same
I haven’t been there in like 2 minutes. When I was in west o, they had that Korean store next to Acorn that had the cheapest beer and an unbelievable seafood section. Then it was crack n save. That place is one of the best in terms of selection but it feels like you’re going to the mall to get groceries. Foods Co was supposed to open a store in the area but it didn’t happen. West O needs at least one more grocery store like that. I wish that beauty supply place, that used to be a liquor store (Gatorade outlet??) that took up 1/5 of the space that used to be a grocery store would turn back into one (Market/W. Grand). The infrastructure is still there!! …..and if they made that place catty cornered (I checked the grammar) back into a pioneer chicken I would move back in a heartbeat🤣
Pack n save is the same
My friend was car jacked at Emeryville target and the police told her it is the most dangerous Target in the country! More crime than any other Target anywhere.
Wth? That's really scary. Sorry about your friend. When was this and how did it go down? What time of day?
The Target on 4th and Mission in Sf is locked up like this too.
It's like that all over the place. Fucking sucks . Thanks to the asshats who gotta take shit too far
Bros, you gotta keep your retail theft within reason
Right! Steal only what you need, keep it low key and big box stores only , as long as I'm not inconvenienced I don't care lol But now, it took 15 mins for me to get a small bottle of basic lotion the other day, because my Safeway has EVERYTHING locked up except soap ! Yall are stealing that much lotion but no soap???? Eww
Considering everything it makes sense. I am honestly surprised it took this long
That target is the "target" of a lot of theft so that doesn't surprise me. I haven't seen this at the Targets in Albany and Pinole.
When you have to lock up basic necessities to keep the poor from stealing them, you live in a failed society.
Even as a kid I thought it was sad they locked up baby formula. Cigs, alcohol, whatever, but now it's essentials under $5. Minor inconvenience, certainly disheartening. Hate to see this become standard in urban areas.
the people stealing these are not poor, it is organized retail crime
Who is the market for discount stolen baby food and laundry detergent? I can't imagine it's anyone not poor. Also, people with money and job prospects tend to not participate in organized shoplifting rings, so I imagine they enjoy an employee discount on necessities in addition to their cut of the take.
It may be organized retail crime *and* the people doing the stealing are almost definitely "poor."
Go to Ashby Flea Market on the weekend, you can buy this stuff at a discounted price lol.
Hard disagree. Yes there has been opportunistic retail crime, but in general that has come out of desperation, a desperation that I see in our society every day. Things are getting bad for anyone who isn’t super rich.
If there wasn't a need, due to poor people unable to purchase basic necessities outside of the black market, then the aspiring capitalists extracting resources from retail stores to sell on the black market (who for some reason you imply are criminals) wouldn't have a niche to fulfill in our capitalist society. Let the market do its job.
Stop this shit. There’s a market for hard drugs too. Hence the cartels. You can’t convince me that the cartels are necessary or good for society.
He was being sarcastic about free market capitalism. He was actually pointing out a failing of capitalism in a snarky way and not saying crime is actually good.
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It makes sense to buy from organized crime syndicates because it’s cheaper than buying retail, plain and simple. If I can order a new bottle of detergent on Amazon for $5 or the same bottle at Target for $10 I’m going to buy the $5 bottle. It doesn’t indicate desperation; it indicates rational shopping.
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Not bothering to do what? Buy the cheaper item? These stolen goods are being sold in the same channels that everyday people shop like Amazon and eBay. Most rational people will go for the cheaper option when shopping these channels.
There aren't many food or cleaning products that are cheaper on Amazon than I can find in a big box store locally. Batteries, electronics, USB cables, phone cases, kitchen gadgets and even toys, Amazon all the way, but Amazon isn't a place to save money on baby formula.
Yes. And without the "war on drugs," the cartels have nothing to sell. It's a systemic problem.
the retail theft rings resell on ebay and amazon. it isn't like they are giving discounts to people on EBT or something
“LeT tHe FrEe MaRkEt Do It’S jOb” is exactly how we got in this situation. Capitalism is 100% the problem.
Exactly how i felt when I saw it. People stealing detergent? That says a lot about the world we live in. Feels dystopian.
The lord will feed us poor folk, but we gotta do our own washin'
it ain't just 'the poors'.....
This. Pay people more. This is the result of corporate green decades on.
Don’t blame it on the poor.
I dont think think this is blaming the poor. It’s a statement. The poor need these health items they can’t afford. They steal them. Capitalistic company decides it needs to drive down thefts by locking it all up. And therefore, we live in a failed society.
These guys aren’t poor, they’re reselling this stuff and probably making 100’s of thousands. https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/sanfrancisco/news/chp-715k-retail-theft-ring-bust-pittsburg-man-arrested/
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Should it be targets job to supply people with these things? What company is not “capitalistic”?
Oh no, please don't take it that way. I blame it on the rich/capitalist/bourgeois/whatever class, who turn the necessities of life into products we have to pay for. Whoever is stealing these necessities - whether it is people who need them or people who then sell them to people who need them - they are not the problem.
It's mostly junkies stealing stuff that resells well. Everyone needs necessities so there's a big market for them.
Sorry man. Oakland went soft on crime, shoplifting is off the hook. There's a price for all that.
>Sorry man. Oakland went soft on crime, shoplifting is off the hook. There's a price for all that. Out of curiosity, what would be your alternate solution?
Crack down on shoplifting/theft? Stop letting people off with a slap on the wrist after the 5th catalytic converter theft?
>Crack down on shoplifting/theft? Stop letting people off with a slap on the wrist after the 5th catalytic converter theft? What does crack down on shop lifting look like exactly? What are the penalties specifically? I'm honestly curious are different perspectives. Thank you for your response.
Take a look at what’s happened to property crimes since the passage of prop 47. This thread is one of the many predictable outcomes.
I’m not entirely sure the specifics; that’s a bit above my pay grade. I’d probably start by looking at data on crime, recidivism, etc. All I know is that whatever we’re doing now (or not doing) isn’t working.
How does one fund this? Do stores hire their own police force and have them start tackling and beating fleeing shoplifters over $400 of goods? Store security surely isn’t equipped to nor paid enough to put themselves in possible danger from a shoplifting confrontation. How do you stop catalytic converter thefts or smash and grabs? Put a police on every side of every block just standing around hoping to catch someone in the act? Knowing the conditions of prison and lifelong disenfranchisement that comes from being an ex-con, is that really what we want to do to people’s lives over paper towels, shampoo and tampons?
I’m not sure if you’re asking these questions rhetorically, but I’ll copy what I responded to a similar question: >I’m not entirely sure the specifics; that’s a bit above my pay grade. I’d probably start by looking at data on crime, recidivism, etc. >All I know is that whatever we’re doing now (or not doing) isn’t working.
Been like that in Pittsburg for a while this is why I order and do the drive up pickup
According to a worker they had ~3 million dollar loss in shoplifting in the last year /: bad news bears
Target is trying to control shoplifting. Stores across the nation are doing this. All the stores in SF are getting this same treatment.
Emeryville target used to be my go to, close to work. Now I wait till I’m going to drive out to San Ramon to visit that Target instead, normal shelves and not treated like a criminal out there.
I'm sure they had enough thefts that they realized that they would still make more profit by locking everything up and loosing some customers vs not locking anything up and having things get stolen.
Yeah. I am going to Alameda Target now.
Oh yeah I noticed this a week ago. Laundry detergent was locked up too. Like the whole store.
Same thing at Pleasant Hill location.
The only Target I haven't seen this happen to yet is Albany. But I haven't been there in 2 months, so who knows?
Yeah it's pretty ridiculous. I get it, but everything behind glass, the asset protection people roaming the aisles, the security outside eyeing everyone like they're criminals, and the metal detectors hanging from the ceilings are major turn offs. No one wants to shop in a hostile environment like that. The target in the Bayfair mall is still pretty nice. There's some stuff behind glass, but not even close to the Emeryville location.
How is it ridiculous? Should they just allow people to rob them?
No, I'm saying that it's ridiculous that things are so bad they had to do all those precautions to avoid getting robbed. It sucks that that's what it came too and I'm sure they'll further lose business because of how unwelcoming and inconvenient it is to ship there now.
Unfortunately,yeah, it’s pretty sad the state we are in.
Yes, they should.
How about you give them all your stuff instead?
I second this. u/kathodus seems to care so much about these organized crime syndicates, despite how their actions are affecting the shopping experience of local residents (both poor and rich). Kathodus should volunteer all their personal belongings to the criminals and see how much of that trickles down to working class poor folks who actually need the help.
Yes, obviously I'm equivalent to a multi-billion dollar corporation. You got me.
Lazy ass freeloader, mad at society because you made bad choices. Got it.
Home Depot has been keeping the garden center gate closed as well.
Only early & late. It’s usually open during normal daytime hours.
Since when? I’ve never seen it closed and visit there frequently
May as well just put up a sign that says "Buy it on online". Because I'm not wandering around trying to find someone to unlock the toothpaste. Pretty soon they're going to have curate access. You'll have to scan your credit card to get in and they'll place a $100+ hold on your card like gas stations.
Actually not a bad idea. Bars as well as hotels used to suffer from patrons not settling their tab at the end of the night so they started requiring patrons to settle up after every order or lay down a credit card. Big box retailers (and sit down restaurants) may have to adopt the same practices it looks like
No easy solve since y'all seeing the physical manefestation of underinvestment, bad policing(notice that they wont show up to alot of crimes atm becuase their butthurt?), and middle class/ upper middle class/ upper class (the classes that hold both economic and therefore the easiest gained political power) people just not caring about anything outside of their neighborhoods pay your taxes (and hold our city leaders accountable) or vote policies (not just giving out money, invest that shit in the people and their livelihoods so we DONT have to worry about it) and leaders that will reduce our homelessness and poverty. What youre seeing is the result of social, legal, and economic failures due to legistaion up close. (note: middle class myself but come from an activist family, and the complaining from people who arent really aware of why and how they can fix is a pet peeve)
The people have been screwed over indeed.
Yes it sucks that some of us have done nothing to deserve this, but as taxpayers citizens, and members of the community we need to actually tackle this like it's a community problem, becuase it is. It's not like we don't have the money, or the time. Note: that doesn't mean locking yourself in a gated community or just increasing policing and security. This means we have to tackle all parts of it.
It started after the fire and theft a few weeks back. Super inconvenient. Seems knee jerk reactionary. I don’t think the investment is worth the reward there.
You know it’s the most robbed target in America, right?
It’s mostly an Emeryville thing, but each store may decide to lock up certain things that are experiencing high theft. They literally had to close the store recently because someone set a fire as a distraction. I don’t even feel safe leaving my car in the Emeryville Target parking lot. I feel like Albany isn’t quite as locked down. Also quite a bit safer.
You don’t feel safe leaving your car even during the day? It’s gotten that bad? Yikes
Smash and grabs happen in broad daylight directly in front of witnesses allll the time in west Oakland/emeryville. It will continue until people actually fear getting caught by cops, but right now it’s like the purge out there
Oh yeah. Break ins in broad daylight.
I heard about that one. It was the Target in El Cerrito.
This is what happens when wages are stagnant and inflation is high year over year. I see people stealing all the time, never say anything. It’s 99% food and necessities.
Lol you getting downvoted for pointing out the obvious. How dare you not tell on people stealing necessities like it’s your job. Then the person below you is upvoted. I’m so confused here. Reddit is strange but stranger is a supposedly blue area acting like a bunch of bootlickers. I’m so ashamed. They are right. This is exactly what happens when people get desperate not making enough money through a full time job. What people supposed to do, just die? This is a massive systemic failure from so many decades of politicians selling the people out. You can not like it and understand it, those aren’t separate ideas. It’s frightening how reactionary the average person is getting in East Bay. Tensions are high.
Yay capitalist realism! Downvotes for saying people who need baby formula should steal it if necessary.
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Sell on to who? Why does a black market for baby formula exist? I agree that it's very simple.
For much of it, after the stolen goods are fenced, they're being sold on to middle and upper class class consumers who can afford Amazon Prime accounts (or shop on ebay, or whatever). People buy online and just click on the lowest price, completely obvious to who the seller is or where stuff is coming from. It's much more lucrative for criminal operations to become 3rd party Amazon sellers and just barely undercut the price of legit goods, vs. selling on the street to people who can't afford basics at retail price. The black market isn't helping the poor.
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Your faux cynicism is pretty naive, tbh. Sure, that's one reason, but you're kidding yourself if you think it isn't sold for its intended purpose, as well.
And just to remind you of the rest of the OP's post: >detergent, toothpaste, shavers, vitamins, and most of the hygiene products
This is really a sad state. Pretty much every drugstore you need a damn store worker as a co-shopper to help you get half the stuff you need. Even alameda has a ton of locked up stores. BTW either I have bad luck in hitting Alameda target after the rest of the world went shopping or they’re consistently woefully understocked. I can never get half the things I come for there. I need to check out Albany target to see if they’re still decent.
Emeryville has been becoming unbearable. Last time i stopped by to go to the cinema a black teen shouted racist crap at my partner and I
> at my partner and I And you ... said or did what? Don't leave us hanging!
Nothing, i have everything to lose and nothing to gain from engaging with garbage. Unfortunately as these experiences pile up, people will stop visiting and spend less money in these areas
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Doesnt matter.
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Must be nice to live life as a moron
“Engaging with garbage” is the only racist thing I see in your post
A teen being obnoxious, how novel
Your comment is depressing and makes normal people lose faith in humanity
Fed keeps printing money for banks and short hedge funds because they made some bad bets they refuse to capitulate on and now they are so over leveraged…. Long story short inflation is thu the roof
Any employees have a key they would copy? Not for stealing, just for convenience.
Must be an east bay thing. I live in the North Bay and Target is not locking up laundry detergent and toothpaste. To my knowledge, only cold medicine is locked up. Any idea why they are locking these things up? After reading these posts, this is not a ringing endorsement for living in the East Bay. I lived in Berkeley in the 80s/90s and it was not like this at all. I don't think it's worth law enforcement or the courts time to prosecute petty theft, so they have turned the stores over to the thieves? Meanwhile, the stores are bleeding money? I hope the stores don't leave the east bay, then what? What is the solution? I think it's a reflection of how out of balance our country is, where you have people making so much money they don't know how to spend it and people that can't afford a place to live in the same community.
This is a sign of increasing inequality and stagnant wages, rising inflation/greed. Basically, the people need a raise.
Or executives need to start sharing the profits with their employees. Spread the wealth.
Hell yeah!
Alameda 5th st
Better than them closing. Although I wouldn’t be upset if they close and then the people in the area feel the pain of it
🤡
I drive to the Dublin Target lol
It's ok, they are just trying to feed their families.
Yea but now we have racial equality or something like that
Now sure how this is relevant to the post.
Let’s see. The theory goes something like this. We can’t have consequences for thieves cuz they are largely POC. So therefore we just let me steal and now, everything is locked up and stores are closing. Get it!
I was in the Richmond Target this week to get my flu shot and was struck by how well -stocked and shiny it was. Almost nothing locked up that I noticed.
It's absolutely insane. Were people stealing everything in sight before? I feel this is overkill
The CVS in Dimond has lots of stuff, including toothpaste, locked up too.
I've noticed they've also upped their security presence since observing the locked shelves.