New York is open for business, but not the kind of business reputable retailers want in their state. Crime has grown into a significant problem throughout the state with New York City seeing some of the biggest spikes in recent years.
More crime isn’t a surprise in Blue states like New York where radical politicians pass laws to let criminals roam the streets even after they are arrested multiple times. As more instances of crime occur across the state, consumers and businesses are paying the price – not the criminals.
Some state lawmakers have tried to lock down the crime problem, but the Democrat governor continues to stand in their way. Gov. Kathy Hochul doesn’t appear ready to stop rampant crime after she killed a measure trying to solve the problem.
New York lost a staggering $4.4 billion last year to theft and Hochul vetoed a proposal last week designed to put a stop to the losses. New York retailers are up in arms after Hochul tanked the proposal that would have created a 15-member task force of appointed experts to tackle organized retail crime.
According to Breitbart, the Retail Council of New York State has called upon the governor to address the situation but was met with the veto instead. A council representative said there is a “need for immediate action and an effective, collaborative response to this problem,” but Hochul has not acted on their behalf on this issue.
“Stores that invest in New York communities lose $4.4 billion to retail theft, and this illegal activity certainly has community safety implications,” the council said in a statement last week.
Hochul’s team offered the excuse for the veto by stating that the proposed task force would have cost $35 million that was not budgeted. This inaction comes at a time when retail theft has spiked across the state.
New York City has experienced a 64 percent surge in reported retail theft incidents from mid-2019 to June of this year, according to a Council on Criminal Justice report. Breitbart also noted that officials have said that smaller cities throughout the state have also seen tremendous losses from organized retail theft.
Chief Joe Cecile, Syracuse Police Chief, said last month that there has been a 55 percent spike in shoplifting since 2021 and believes that number is less than the actual amount due to under-reporting. He noted that a local pharmacy chain has suffered losses of more than $250,000 per year, and that small businesses are struggling to sustain operations as crime surges.
Police in the state capital of Albany fielded 23 calls for larcenies at a single convenience store this year, up from 14 at this time in 2022, according to Breitbart. The owner eventually had to shut down.
Key Takeaways:
- Efforts to combat surging retail theft is killed by this Blue state governor.
- More than $4.4 billion in losses occurred under New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
- The Democrat said there is no budget to stand up a crime-fighting task force.
Source: Breitbart
