San Francisco Walgreens pharmacy chains up freezers to thwart shoplifters
SAN FRANCISCO – As stores struggle with retail crime, a Walgreens pharmacy in San Francisco has appeared to chain up its freezer section in an attempt to thwart shoplifters.
Chains have been spotted in front of freezers at the Walgreens location on Geary Boulevard and 15th Avenue in the city's Richmond District. Store workers said Monday that they made the move within the past two weeks.
According to employees, the store sees more than 20 shoplifters every day, with items such as pizza and ice cream being cleared out every single night.
Video of the freezers has gone viral, even capturing the attention of Twitter CEO Elon Musk.
20 times a day?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 18, 2023
In a written statement, a Walgreens spokesperson told KPIX that retail crime is one of the top challenges facing their industry.
"We are focused on the safety of our patients, customers and team members. We continue to take preventative measures to safely deter theft and aim to deliver the best patient and customer experience. And we are working closely with law enforcement, elected officials and community leaders to draw greater attention to and improve our response to retail crime," the spokesperson said.
With retail thefts an ongoing issue, retailers are trying different techniques to thwart thieves. Some Safeway locations in San Francisco have recently installed gates where customers have to scan their receipts to exit.