Scenes like these may become increasingly common if upcoming elections don’t address key security concerns. Recently, several 7-Eleven stores have been targeted, including one in Los Angeles on October 5, where a group forcefully entered the store, attacking a clerk who attempted to stop them.
This highlights a pressing need for effective measures to restore safety and reduce incidents of retail theft. Strengthening law enforcement and security is essential to prevent these situations and ensure safer communities.
“Flash mob” robberies, also known as “smash-and-grab” crimes, have increased in the U.S., especially in cities like Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. These incidents involve coordinated groups storming stores to steal merchandise quickly, often overwhelming security and escaping before police arrive. Retailers report high financial losses due to these crimes, with theft-related “shrinkage” reaching $112 billion in 2022, a 20% rise over the previous year. Factors include ease of coordination via social media and reselling stolen items on black markets.
Retailers and law enforcement agencies are enhancing security, but the quick, coordinated nature of these thefts poses a major challenge. In response, measures like smoke bombs, limited store access, and additional patrols have been implemented.
