Stores in question:

Portland Galleria: 939 SW Morrison St.
Portland Powell: 3031 SE Powell Blvd.
Portland Hollywood: 4030 NE Halsey St.

So Galleria, the one by the Hollywood MAX stop, aaand… 30th and Powell? No idea there was even one there…

  • [email protected]@lemmy.federate.cc
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    1 year ago

    Anecdotally, I have seen people calmly and slowly walk out of Target with a full shopping cart of unpaid stuff, on more than one occasion- right past security guards and minders, who do little more than ask “don’t you think you should pay for that?” in an annoyed tone.

    I’m not sure what they could have done better but one assumes something. I can’t understate how little the security staff seemed to care about blatant shoplifting. Not a huge surprise they’re closing given that.

    Saw this twice at the Galeria one downtown and once at the one over by PDX.

      • NateNate60@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        It seems the Portland police are either stretched too thin and need more resources, or they are too lazy to be bothered, or the distribution of police resources is not very efficient. I don’t know which it is but I definitely think there’s something wrong if theft is not being seriously prosecuted. It’s pretty easy to catch thieves–even a security camera and a number plate lookup will catch a large portion of the laziest shoplifters.

        Of course, the underlying social issues that cause people to shoplift ought to be looked into as well. But there’s nothing more I can say about that because I’m not well-informed enough to comment.

          • NateNate60@lemmy.ml
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            1 year ago

            Shoplifting gangs, I think, are one of the few crime outfits that think rationally. It’s a game of risk and reward.

            • How much is the reward for us if we get away with everything?
            • What are the odds of getting caught?
            • What is the punishment if we get caught?

            The retailers and manufacturers can influence the first factor, the police can only influence the second, and only the district attorneys and the Legislative Assembly can influence the third.

            • Umbrias@beehaw.org
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              1 year ago

              Crime is generally far more rational and systemically induced than you give it credit for. If you make it unnecessary to commit crimes, they generally happen less.