These cities saw the biggest jumps in retail theft from pre-pandemic until today with NYC, LA and Virginia Beach leading the way

Cities across the United States have seen a dramatic increase in shoplifting since 2019, with New York City and Los Angeles suffering the most.

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.

Crime-ridden New York City has seen the biggest impact with a 64 percent increase in shoplifting, followed by Los Angeles with a 61 percent increase and Virginia Beach, Virginia, with a 44 percent increase.

Dallas and Raleigh, North Carolina, rounded out the top five with increases of 20 percent and 19 percent, respectively, in shoplifting.

But crime has fallen dramatically in other cities, including St. Petersburg, Florida, where thefts have dropped 78 percent, and the twin cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis in Minnesota, where the numbers have dropped 65 percent and 57 percent.

The Council on Criminal Justice has been tracking changing crime rates in major U.S. cities since the pandemic.

Reported shoplifting cases have rebounded since they dropped dramatically in 2020, and New York City saw a 64 percent increase between mid-2019 and mid-2023.

There were 11,000 additional shoplifting incidents in the Big Apple during this period, the most of any city in the study.

The NYPD continues to battle a growing wave of thefts at pharmacies, department stores and even jewelry stores.

A gang of masked men stole $2 million worth of gemstones in less than a minute in a brazen smash at a Brooklyn jewelry store.

Shocking footage showed the hooded brutes smashing their way into the suitcases with hammers before placing the goods in a large bag.

According to Mayor Eric Adams, nearly a third of all shoplifting arrests involve the same 327 hardened criminals.

Adams announced a new plan in May that provides a streamlined way for businesses to report shoplifting to the NYPD, establish a retail neighborhood watch program and create a specialized task force to respond to shoplifting incidents.

Los Angeles recorded the second largest increase at 61 percent, with 5,662 cases reported in the first half of 2023, compared to 3,518 through June 2019.

The Southern California city saw a shocking 109 percent increase in the first six months of this year.

In September, a group of flash thieves were seen storming into a Los Angeles Macy's department store at Northridge Mall before filling their bags with $20,000 worth of perfume.

Cell phone video of the crime showed several men wearing dark hoodies and blue medical face masks loading bags with what appeared to be cologne and perfume items.

Virginia Beach also saw a 44 percent increase, while Dallas saw a 20 percent increase and Raleigh saw a 19 percent increase.

The other cities where shoplifting increased were Boston, by 12 percent, and Pittsburgh, which saw an 8 percent increase.

But in 19 of 24 cities, shoplifting rates fell in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019.

St. Petersburg saw a huge drop in shoplifting, by 78 percent, and the Minnesota cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis saw declines of 65 percent and 57 percent.

While shoplifting in St. Louis, Austin and Colorado Springs dropped by 48 percent, 47 percent and 46 percent, respectively.

The number of shoplifting incidents nationwide is expected to reach 122,368 by the end of 2023, the highest number since 2018.

This figure is a whopping 35,000 more than reported shoplifting incidents in 2020.

The Criminal Justice Council offered several possible explanations, including an increase in bail reform laws and a higher percentage of stores reporting shoplifting

The study shows that the average value of stolen goods increased from approximately $75 in 2019 to $100 in 2021.

The number of shoplifting cases involving assault or another crime increased by 9 percent between 2019 and 2021.

However, the number of store attacks in the first half of 2023 was seven percent lower than in the same period in 2022.

A report from the National Retail Foundation shows that shrink – the total losses suffered by retailers – has increased by $20 billion in a year to an eye-watering $112.2 billion by 2022.

And since up to 70 percent of these losses are due to theft, that means shoplifters have stolen approximately $78.4 billion from businesses.

The study included insights from 177 brands that would account for $1.6 trillion in annual U.S. sales by 2022.

Retailers have always been vulnerable to shoplifting, but recently there has been a rise in coordinated and organized in-store robberies.

The NRF report confirms that the trend is largely driven by large urban areas. The top five locations are also Democratic-led areas.

It has led to a drastic backlash from stores, with companies like Target and CVS locking down their products to deter shoplifters.