SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Steven Becker has owned and worked at Genesee Dry Cleaning in Syracuse for years, but it has been an uneasy month for him and his staff.
“In the last month, I have been burglarized twice, and I have been robbed twice,” said Becker. “It’s still a very unsettling feeling for everybody.”
Becker said the petty crime at his store is unlike anything he has seen before. He bought the store in 2013, but worked there as a young man, when it was owned by his father. He can count on one hand the amount of times the store had been broken into, or stolen from. But he has averaged an incident per week over the last month. A couple of weeks ago, a man walked into the store, and simply took what belonged to the staff.
“He just basically came in, waited for the opportune time for when he could just grab the jar and run out the door.”
Becker expressed how thankful he was that the altercation did not turn violent. He has enacted a policy that no employee is allowed to be in the shop alone at any time. He has also beefed up his security system, installing cameras and more fortified locks to the doors. But he feels the crime has gotten worse since the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged Central New York and the nation.
After COVID it’s gotten worse, all the incidents I’ve spoken about have been since 2020,” Becker said.
The incidents that have happened at Genesee are not unique. Becker said other small business owners in the area have seen an increase in petty theft, and some are simply closing up for good. While the crime usually involves stealing $25 worth of property, it can be costly to small business owners. People like Becker are thankful to the Syracuse Police for their help and response.
“We might just call it property crime, we might say it’s not violent, but I would go and ask the victims of a burglary, the victims if their store got stolen from, it’s not a victimless crime and it really does impact people,” said Lt. Matt Malinowski, the public information officer for the Syracuse Police Department.
Violent crime has dropped by about 7% in Syracuse in 2023, but property crime has risen by 21%, according to Syracuse Police. There has been an increase in stolen vehicles, and petty theft. Under New York State law, authorities are not allowed to prosecute for a shoplifting act valued under $1,000. Malinowski feels these laws are far too relaxed, and are allowing repeat offenses to be committed like at Genesee, where the same man stole a tip jar twice.
Becker said that despite this, the shop is still safe for his customers, all of whom he loves and appreciates. He said he understands the economic struggle and wealth divide, especially in a city like Syracuse, but that stealing ad breaking the law is no way to live in a community.
“I know that there’s a lot of misfortune, I know that there’s a great disparity between the wealthy and not wealthy here in Syracuse, but there’s gotta be a line where you know, you still uphold the law and that you don’t resort to robberies, burglaries,” Becker said.
