SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News)- Across the country, retail theft is on the rise, and Syracuse, New York is no exception. According to Syracuse Police, the city has seen a 55% spike in shoplifting.
Syracuse Police Department’s Public Information Officer, Matthew Malinowski, believes that the community has been too lax on shoplifting. He warned that in times of excused shoplifting, people’s behavior tends to deteriorate.
“If you have people simply stealing from the mall, then potentially stealing from the parking lot, or stealing from your house. So it really depends on a community to say we’re not going to tolerate even the smallest amount of theft.”
Malinowski says the police have updated their strategy in order to prevent repeat offenses.
“There is definitely a core group of people that continually steal and we continually make arrests so this program is really designed to identify those top twenty offenders and then we’re going to really throw everything behind the prosecution.”
Shoplifting has detrimental effects on any businesses, but small businesses get hit the hardest. Soulspressions is a crystal shop, located in Destiny Mall. At Soulspressions, good energy is a priority, and shoplifting does not align with their message.
Employee Tonya Kassler expressed their shop’s side of the story.
Tonya said, “We want you to know what small businesses are dealing with and why we have camera signs all over, we why have certain things. If you’re getting threatened by that, then that just means you’re up to no good.”
Soulspressions even went as far as customizing a large banner to go in the front of their store. As shoppers walk inside, they’re greeted by a life-size sign warning them that if they come in with the intent to steal and are successful, they will be carrying ‘bad energy’ with them.
Ryan Morris, one of the owners at Soulspressions, shared the feeling he gets when someone shoplifts. To this small business, it amounts to more than not paying for a product, it’s taking something they value.
“Everytime we get shoplifted, it definitely feels like it’s like a personal attack, it’s like someone that would walk into your house and let’s say you have a favorite vase and they’re just like I’m gonna help myself to that and sorry you’re out of luck,” said Morris.
Shop Owners like Morris urge people to think twice before shoplifting.
