Giant Foods has 190 stores in five East Coast states, but a dozen of them in Washington, DC, Baltimore and elsewhere in Maryland are suffering from what it describes as “unprecedented levels of product theft” that have made business unsustainable.
So, a week ago it implemented a policy that no one under the age of 18 can enter the store without an adult. Customers must also agree to allow their bags to be searched on the way in and out. Derrick Hollie of Project 21 has seen the problem firsthand.
“I’ve witnessed it myself, where people literally walk into a Giant Food store with a bag, fill it full of groceries, and walk out,” he said.
Inaction by local police and courts gives great confidence to the thieves.
“They know that they're not going to get in trouble. They know they're not going to get prosecuted, so therefore they continue to do and practice this kind of activity, because they know there are no repercussions for what they do,” Hollie said.
"Retail theft in our market area affects everyone," Giant Foods said in a statement. "It limits product availability, creates a less convenient shopping experience, and, most critically, puts our associates and customers in harm’s way."
Theft is rampant in most large cities, Hollie said, but only the Giant Food Stores in these locations have taken the preventive step of banning minors without supervision after dark.
“It’s unfortunate that there's not better leadership in these urban cities that are democratically run – run by Democrats, okay?”
The other problem, he says, is the lack of a father’s presence in the home, particularly black homes.
It’s as though a single-parent home is a badge of honor.
“It’s almost as if it's being promoted, you know, the strong black woman, and there's no need for the father in the home, and it's just unfortunate that's what we're facing right now,” Hollie said.
