Crime, retail theft, and shoplifting force stores to close

Most shoppers, even in affluent areas, have seen stores lock up items, increase their security presence, or take other steps to prevent theft. 

Increased theft has been a major political story, but politics aside, retailers are feeling the pain.

"Retailers reported a 93% increase in the average number of shoplifting incidents per year in 2023 versus 2019 and a 90% increase in dollar loss due to shoplifting over the same time period," according to National Retail Federation data.

More NRF retail theft and shoplifting numbers

• 73% of retailers reported that shoplifters have become more aggressive and violent over the past year.
• 91% of retailers expressed heightened concern about the violence occurring during theft incidents.
• 66% of retailers reported a rise in repeat offenders.
• 10% of offenders account for 68% of total reported event value, indicating a concentration of significant losses among a small group of repeat offenders.

Auror, a company that offers technology solutions to prevent theft, believes that retailers need help.

“We have a serious, and often violent, retail crime issue impacting our communities around the world. Almost 20% of all retail crime events reported in Auror involve aggression, verbal or physical — even the use of weapons. It’s just not acceptable,” Auror CEO Phil Thomson shared. 

Retailers both large and small have closed due to crime

When a big retailer closes and cites theft as a reason, that can become political. Smaller retailers, however, generally aren't trying to feed any sort of political narrative. 

In the case of Kevin and Molly Woods, a husband and wife team that owns a popular thrift store, The Pop-Up, they just wanted to make a living. Their store, however, has been repeatedly robbed, according to a news story on BlockClubChicago.org. 

The Pop-Up was broken into early Aug. 19. Owner Kevin Woods said burglars took about 400 items — about a third of the store’s inventory.

That incident was just the latest burglary Woods and his co-owner and wife Molly have experienced since they launched The Pop-Up in 2019 and opened in Fulton Market in 2020. The couple decided to move their store to Bucktown in 2024 after their West Loop storefront was broken into twice in February 2024.

Three times was enough for the couple, who have decided to close the store. They shared the news on their Instagram page.

"Effective 10/1, we will be moving our operations to online only. Although this is a tough decision, it is time due to repeated robberies and a shift in personal priorities," they shared.

The post was accompanied by a video of people wearing hoodies covering their faces breaking into their store. 

Target, Walgreens and Kroger have closed stores due to crime

This is not a complete list of stores that have closed due to crime, as retailers don't always explain why a store has closed.

 2025

• Safeway (Fillmore District, San Francisco, CA): Closed Feb 2025 due to safety concerns, theft, and assaults.
• Saks Fifth Avenue (Union Square, San Francisco, CA): Closed May 2025; cited theft and crime in Union Square.
• KC Sun Fresh (Kansas City, MO): Reports in July 2025 said shoplifting, theft, and drug activity were pushing the city-funded grocery toward closure.

2024

• In-N-Out Burger (Oakland, CA): Closed March 2024; company explicitly cited ongoing crime.
• Lululemon (Uptown Oakland, CA): Closed in 2024; plagued by break-ins and security issues.
• The Market grocery (San Francisco, CA): Closed 2024; owner cited theft and crime near the former Twitter HQ.
• Kroger (Western Washington): Six stores closed in 2024, citing a steady rise in theft.

2023

• Target (9 locations: NYC, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco/Oakland) – Closed Sept 2023; cited theft and organized retail crime threatening safety.
• Whole Foods (Downtown San Francisco, CA): Closed April 2023; theft, drug use, and employee safety cited.

2021

• Walgreens (San Francisco, CA, 5 locations): Closed Nov 2021; company cited organized retail crime and persistent shoplifting.

“Our team continues to face an unacceptable amount of retail theft and organized retail crime,” Target CEO Brian Cornell told analysts in 2023. “Unfortunately, safety incidents associated with theft are moving in the wrong direction.”

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon made similar comments in December, 2023 saying that theft was on the rise at stores. In August, he told analysts that "in some jurisdictions in the U.S., there needs to be action taken to help protect people from crime, including theft," the AP reported. 

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