‘Stores are scared,’ warns former Toys ‘R’ Us CEO, as fears grow that retail crime is ‘changing the fabric of society’

A RETAIL warning has been issued by a former CEO of Toys “R” Us as he says rising crime in stores could change society.

Gerald Storch explained how retailers apparently became fearful of stopping robberies and shoplifting.

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The former retail leader explained how changing attitudes had an impact on the rise in retail crime.

Storch said an apparent focus on this type of theft has impacted stores.

He claimed there was disrespect in prosecuting crimes at the store.

“The law does not punish, prosecutors do not prosecute,” he said Fox Business.

The former CEO said police often didn’t stop or arrest thieves because “they know that if they arrest someone, they’ll just go back out on the street.”

Storch also said these changes in attitudes could have a bigger impact on people, not just police officers or stores.

“I think in recent years there has been an attitude that we have bigger things to deal with and this isn’t as serious a crime, and let’s focus on the big crimes rather than the petty thefts as they can be. call it,” he added.

“But the reality is that the big misunderstanding about what’s happening is changing the structure of society.”

He explained that there have been several victims of the increase in retail theft.

The former CEO was angered by the increased use of glass to cover and lock items in stores.

This anti-theft method would require an employee to approach and unlock these doors to retrieve merchandise for customers.

Storch said one impact of this would be increased costs for stores and therefore consumers.

He also explained that rising theft rates could lead to some closures.

“Stores close in high-theft areas, leaving less competition, prices go up again because of this and people become unemployed,” he said.

Despite this, Storch said these retailers are concerned about stopping the crime that affects them.

“Stores are afraid to stop people because they are afraid of being sued,” he said.

CEO SPEAKS

Storch wasn’t the only retail leader to speak out about the impact of crime on retail.

The former CEO of Best Buy spoke out last year about Target’s decision to close several stores.

Hubert Joly said companies need to learn to deal with “many tensions” in society.

“The root cause may be beyond my pay grade, but when you’re dealing, for a retailer, if you’re dealing with organized crime in an environment where your stores have traditionally been quite open and the guidance that retailers give their workforce is, that’s just thing, so don’t get killed,” he said.

“So people are taking advantage of this, which is really sad.”