An increasing number of stores around the Bay Area are locking up merchandise as a way to combat a rise in organized retail crime.
From vacuums and cleaning products at Home Depot, to hard drives and headphones at Office Depot, to shaving cream and detergent at Target, big box retailers are putting more items behind plexiglass.
"Getting deodorant, toothpaste, stuff like that are now locked up behind cabinets is immediately frustrating cause typically you want to go in and grab what you want and get out, but you have to wait for people to unlock the cabinets," shopper John Powell said.
Retail theft isn't a new problem. It's happening all over the country.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
Recent surveys show San Francisco and Oakland are part of the five top metropolitan areas being targeted.
Retailers nationwide are putting more money into prevention efforts against organized retail theft – a crime that cost businesses $96.5 billion in 2021, according to the National Retail Federation.
Home Depot said high-risk products will always have multiple levels of security. In a statement, Target sad aside from increasing security, the retail giant is also working with lawmakers to address the rise in crime.
Local
"Theft and organized retail crime are urgent issues that are increasingly impacting the team and guests…limiting product availability, creating a less convenient shopping experience and putting our team and guests in harm’s way. We will do everything in our power to continue to keep our stores open," Target stated.
