CVS store in D.C. forced to close after being targeted by FORTY-FIVE teenage thieves every day – leaving shelves totally empty
A CVS store in Washington DC is closing its doors after being repeatedly looted by thieves, the chain has confirmed.
The pharmacy, located in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, went viral last October when videos surfaced showing all products completely removed after being targeted by a teenage gang.
Staff claim more than 45 schoolchildren entered the store in the morning, after class and late at night and stole chips and drinks. According to the website, it closes on February 29 WTTG TV.
It comes as major retailers are increasingly forced to stockpile products such as underwear and socks to combat rampant theft.
D.C. in particular has been hit by a wave of crime among the state’s teens.
A CVS store in Washington DC is closing its doors after being repeatedly looted by thieves, the chain has confirmed
Theft at the location had gotten so bad that customers had already started shopping at other locations.
Local resident Illana Miller said WTTG TV: ‘I honestly don’t feel like shopping there.
“I just go in there and pick up my prescription, and if I need other things, I go somewhere else because there’s nothing to get.”
Illana Miller said the CVS is always empty
The outlet also reported that street vendors were allegedly paying thieves to steal items that could then be resold.
Vendors were seen selling toothbrushes, body wash for men and women, car fresheners and laundry and cleaning products just steps away from the store.
Reports of shoplifting have skyrocketed in recent years, with experts blaming organized crime gangs for the increase.
Data from the Council on Criminal Justice shows that there were 8,453 more shoplifting incidents in 24 cities in the first half of the year than in 2019.
Last May, Target said it expected to lose more than $500 million to violent shoplifters by 2023.
The phenomenon has led retailers to take drastic measures to reduce thefts.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Walmart and Target stores in California’s Bay Area had begun locking down underwear and socks.
The pharmacy, located in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, went viral last October when videos surfaced showing all products completely removed after being targeted by a teenage gang.
Staff claim more than 45 schoolchildren entered the store in the morning, after class and late at night and stole chips and drinks
According to data from the Criminal Justice Council, there were 8,453 more shoplifting incidents in 24 cities in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019.
Similarly, Sephora removed fragrances from store shelves and replaced them with tester samples. Shoppers who want to buy a bottle must now request one behind the counter.
Last summer, videos even surfaced of a chained freezer at a Walgreens in crime-ridden San Francisco. Staff said the store was typically targeted by thieves 20 times a day.
Rising crime is also blamed for America’s so-called ‘retail apocalypse’, with 20 major retailers closing 2,847 stores by 2023.
DailyMail.com contacted CVS for comment.