NYC shoplifting has never been worse, say weary bodega owners


Shoplifting at city bodegas “is the worst I’ve seen it in my life,’’ a 20-year store owner said Sunday — the day after The Post reported some shops are so desperate to curb criminals that they’ve put locks and chains on their detergent.

“We’re losing a lot of money, and we have to pay employees only to check, to sit by the door and watch — otherwise, we’re going to lose everything,” said Barbara Trinidad, who owns a bodega in Manhattan and another in The Bronx, while attending a press conference Sunday by a bodega-owners a*sociation decrying the crime.

Other owners are also moving heavy equipment to block aisles to prevent thieves from fleeing, putting up PlexiGlas even around candy and planning to lock up their ice cream, the organization said.

Corner stores across the five boroughs experience “looting” daily, said United Bodegas of America President Fernando Mateo at Sunday’s gathering.

“You’ll notice on some of the aisles the more expensive products are chained up so that people don’t come in and steal them and sell them” Mateo said of Fordham Hill Food on Sedgwick Avenue in The Bronx, which hosted the press conference.

The bodega’s laundry detergent was decked with heavy chains during Matteo’s announcement. Detergent is the most expensive item on the shelves, and it’s easy to resell, he explained.

The store’s ice-cream refrigerator was empty “because of so much theft,” Mateo said — adding that the store’s owner planned to get a lock for the fridge in the future.

Locks on everyday items makes the entire bodega experience less seamless for customers, Mateo said.

Trinidad estimated losing 15 to 20% off her bottom line to theft.

Mateo blamed the scourge of bodega shoplifters on a lax criminal-justice system that allows thieves to get off with a desk-appearance ticket instead of being locked up.

“NYPD is doing their job, they come when you call them. They will make an arrest, but that person will usually get a desk-appearance ticket, and nothing will happen to him because the district attorneys and the judges are not willing to prosecute these type of crimes. And that is a problem,” Matteo explained.

“We hope that this will stop. The sooner the better. We don’t have a gauge. We are in a recession. People out there are desperate, and they’re looking for a quick buck. So what’s the fastest buck you can get and get away with it? Coming into a bodega and running out with whatever you can and selling it.”

 https://nypost.com/2023/0 .. bodega-owners/

Mateo blamed the scourge of bodega shoplifters on a lax criminal-justice system that allows thieves to get off with a desk-appearance ticket instead of being locked up.

The law is on the criminal side. Stealing more than the ticket itself. Call it capitalism.

Bish got a bodega in Manhattan and the Bronx and complaining about her bottom line.

This is only the beginning.

Plexi glass on candy?

Knicks lost.

Better make a prepay app or take call in orders where the customer orders and pays online then comes by 15 mins later to pick up.

Limit the amount of people who can enter at a time.

Refundable deposit to enter, get it back on your way out.

Gotta so sum, put on your thinking cap and get creative or lose it all to some low lives.

Put all expensive sh*t behind the counter

No Religion said Better make a prepay app or take call in orders where the customer orders and pays online then comes by 15 mins later to pick up. Limit the amount of people who can enter at a time. Refundable deposit to enter, get it back on your way out. Gotta so sum, put on your thinking cap and get creative or lose it all to some low lives.

r.burgundy said Put all expensive sh*t behind the counter

Startup Created by Google Bros Aims to Crush Your Local Neighborhood Bodega

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This is when the mafia would step in and take 1/3 or half of the pie. Can’t really blame em doe, why else would we seriously protect your business if it’s not ours

whatevaitakes said Startup Created by Google Bros Aims to Crush Your Local Neighborhood Bodega view image view image

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BlackjesuS said view image

Oh I know....but someone will try again.

they hungry

greatest city in the world b

High taxes

grocery and bag taxes

rats and roaches everywhere

rent in the hood costs 2000+

Most segregated public school system in the U.S.

Gonna hafta start defending your property with your amendment rights. Oh yes. Your guns. If thieves were shot more often they wouldn’t be so ballsy.

good carry yo bi*ch a*s back to your country all Arabs on the bodegas any fu*king way. pieces of sh*t treat all the neighborhood customers like sh*t that's why they come rob they a*s

But they will buy all the stole sh*t off the cracks heads. They started it

I thought they said if you can make it here you can make it anywhere

Who tf buys detergent at a bodega sh*t probably crazy expensive

Bronx? Not surprised.

There are some interesting comments on the first page but y'all should know my take on this.

fu*k thieves and fu*k all that bum sh*t.

AC_89 said Who tf buys detergent at a bodega sh*t probably crazy expensive

people who can't or don't want to travel far to get to a grocery or department store

Your store needs to have some rep In the hood to not get robbed. If everybody know papi or Ak as a good dude who helps out u can function without the fukery. That’s how it is on my block. The stores been here for years.

What you expect the major at the drake concert

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you gotta be retarded breaking your back to pay high a*s nyc rent