Dozens of people have been arrested in Philadelphia following ransacking of many stores in the city.
Incident unfold: A large group ransacked various stores across Philadelphia on Tuesday night, stealing merchandise in a fast-paced spree.
* 49 adults and three juveniles were later arrested in connection with the looting.
* Interim Police Commissioner John M. Stanford Jr. clarified that these incidents were not connected with the protest held earlier, over a controversial judge’s decision related to a police shooting.
Responses & Repercussions: As a result of the looting, the police increased their presence and warned of more arrests.
* The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board closed all of its retail locations in Philadelphia for employee safety, pending damage assessment.
* Big retailers like Target have been closing stores in several states, citing theft and organized retail crime.
Retail Crime Context: Large-group thefts, known as smash-and-grabs, have raised concerns among retailers nationwide.
* “Shrink” – the industry term for losses due to thefts, amounted to $112.1 billion in 2022, up from $93.9 billion in 2021, as per a National Retail Federation survey.
* These figures also include losses from employee theft, cashier errors, incorrect pricing, and more.
Reaction from Security Experts: Drew Neckar, president of Security Advisors Consulting Group, highlighted the difficulty of disrupting large-scale lootings due to their swiftness and the large number of people involved.
* Retailers have been advised to implement security measures such as laminated glass and securing high-value merchandise to reduce risk of such incidents.
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