<p>In today&#8217;s America, the startling surge in organized shoplifting has spotlighted the worrying side effects of certain &#8220;woke&#8221; policies. With losses amounting to an astounding $100 billion in 2021 alone, businesses are being crushed under the weight of these so-called &#8220;progressive&#8221; approaches to criminal justice.</p>
<p>Former Home Depot CEO Bob Nardelli pointedly remarked, &#8220;Biden&#8217;s America has become a lawless society.&#8221; And this, in turn, is having catastrophic repercussions on businesses. Giants like Whole Foods, Walmart, Walgreens, Nordstrom, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Lululemon have all felt the pinch, not to mention the countless mom-and-pop stores that are on the brink of bankruptcy.</p>
<p><em>&#8220;The kind of theft that’s mostly happening isn’t run-of-the-mill shoplifting. It’s organized crime,&#8221;</em> said Mark Mathews of the National Retail Federation. Indeed, the scale of this issue is monumental, and shockingly, many liberal policies seem to be indirectly fanning the flames.</p>
<p>The NRSS reported that <em>“Many offenders target multiple retailers. If these retailers are not collaborating with each other and law enforcement, then they will not be able to detect that offenses against their organization are part of a larger pattern of organized criminal activity.”</em> Yet, how can collaboration truly thrive when a culture of leniency and disregard for small-scale crimes permeates the justice system?</p>
<p>A critical point of contention is the decision by many liberal-led urban areas to classify petty theft and similar offenses as &#8220;quality of life&#8221; crimes. There&#8217;s a profoundly flawed belief that these crimes don’t cause any genuine harm. Not only is this categorically false, but it also shows a stark disconnect between policy-makers and the reality on the streets.</p>
<p>Blake Mohs, a 26-year-old security official at Home Depot, and Gary Rasor, an 83-year-old worker at another Home Depot, tragically lost their lives to incidents related to shoplifting. It&#8217;s just the tip of the iceberg.</p>
<p><em>&#8220;When businesses shutter because of the unacceptable risks and loss caused by repeated thefts, local residents&#8230;have to travel longer distances (and pay higher prices) as a result,&#8221;</em> highlights the tangible and immediate impact of these policies.</p>
<p>This &#8220;woke&#8221; wave has created an environment where criminals brazenly exploit the laxity in the system. Brian Cornell, Target&#8217;s CEO, lamented that they are battling <em>&#8220;an unacceptable amount of retail theft and organized retail crime.&#8221;</em> Target&#8217;s projected losses for the year from theft alone are an eye-watering $500 million more than the previous year&#8217;s staggering $800 million.</p>
<p>This dramatic uptick in theft and its visible impact on businesses has finally pushed CEOs to publicly voice their concerns. Yet, many remain hesitant, fearing backlash for seeming too political. <em>&#8220;Until recently, CEOs have been reluctant to admit that rampant theft in their stores has been a problem,&#8221;</em> because acknowledging the direct implications of certain policies could stir a hornet&#8217;s nest.</p>
<p>However, it’s essential to recognize that the long-term consequences of these &#8220;woke&#8221; policies are not sustainable for businesses. They are costing jobs, causing stores to close, leading to increased prices for consumers, and, most alarmingly, resulting in lost lives.</p>
<p>A return to the fundamentals of law and order is the need of the hour. It&#8217;s high time for district attorneys in major cities to step up and ensure that every criminal, no matter the scale of their crime, faces the consequences of their actions. Only through strong law enforcement and just legal proceedings can this growing menace be curtailed.</p>

The $100B Cost of Risk-Free Shoplifting – The Consequences of “Woke” Crime Policies
