There was an interesting sight inside the Harris Teeter on Lawndale Drive in Greensboro recently, one that many customers hadn’t seen before: A long traffic jam of shoppers with shopping carts waiting to exit the store.
It wasn’t caused by a very slow store patron taking too much time to leave – instead, the line was the result of a new electronic surveillance system built into a special wheel of each shopping cart.
In part due to rising food prices, Harris Teeters in Greensboro and Guilford County – along with other Harris Teeters in other parts of the country – have been seeing rampant theft like never before.
One method used by thieves is to get a shopping cart, load it up with food and other desired items and then just head out of the store without ever going through either a checkout lane or using the self-checkout. They simply fill the cart and leave without paying.
Now those who do so will cause a loud alarm beep when the wheel of a cart being pushed by someone suspected of not paying crosses an electronic line embedded in the floor of the exit area.
Also, now there are often one or two employees at the door working security to deal with those who set the alarm off.
As with any new theft detection system, often a false positive sets off the alarm, which can cause backups while Harris Teeter security workers assess the situation.
An employee working the door explained how the system works to the Rhino Times. He said that an electronic device in one wheel of each shopping cart tracks the amount of time that the cart is in the checkout area. If that time has been too short, or if it is non-existent, then the security system alerts staff that it may be someone who has filled a cart and is exiting the store without paying.
The employee stated that it was his understanding that all local Harris Teeter stores had either gotten the new security systems or were in the process of getting them.
Reports from around the country note there has been an explosion in theft and shoplifting at grocery stores in general, including Harris Teeters. While some stores instruct employees not to intervene, the problem has apparently become so bad that many stores are now taking action.
At some Harris Teeters in the North Eastern US, staff has started checking the receipts of customers leaving the store. In other Harris Teeters, two armed guards are being placed at the exits.
Other Greensboro stores have been using on and off again shoplifting prevention methods. For a while last year, the Walgreens at 300 E. Cornwallis Dr. greeted shoppers with a sign that stated, “Attention. We will NOT be able to allow ANY large purses or bags in the store at this time.” The sign also apologized for the inconvenience.
Once inside the store, shoppers noticed that the store had removed the shopping carts and hand-held baskets in an effort to prevent thieves from using those to shoplift.
Back then, a Walgreens employee said the step was just one more prevention method implemented at that store and noted that that particular measure may not be practiced at other Greensboro Walgreens since the other locations in the city aren’t open all night long like that one is.
And, of course, many drug stores and other stores now place high-priced items in locked cases.
In one notable incident, in September of 2021, a man – now known as the “Body Wash Bandit” – entered the Walgreens on East Cornwallis with a large tote bag, walked straight to the personal hygiene section in the back, and stuffed the bag full of body wash and related products.
According to some internet sites devoted to combating shoplifting, personal hygiene items have a relatively high resale value at flea markets and other places where those ill-gotten items are often sold.
Do you think a city and county controlled by Democrats will file any theft charges? I doubt it.
This is ironic since Trump has not paid income taxes in many years and has thrown people out of thier homes. To say that democrats are thieves is just more of the Trump cult mentality.
Can I cone to your house and take what I want? What is your address? Since you are an anarchist.
Guess who else hasn’t paid any income taxes. Every rich profit hungry person in this country. Biden has been nothing but puppet that allows these people to squeeze the working man to death. We have had enough. Covid was a scam. Another way to steal money. We need to hold these politicians accountable. Jail time. Biden has to doomed us all.
You are misinformed, or uninformed.
Peggy, Peggy, Peg……gy!!! WAKE UP!
Why does everything always have to be political with you people
I’ve never seen evil so rampant.
Could it be a combination of the sin nature in the hearts of humans meeting BiDemonics.
Gene, I suggest the separation of wealth gap has been growing under both republicans AND democrats driving down our average standard of living since the early 90s. Both parties economic policies support big business over individuals. Always have since SCOTUS allowed corporate sponsorship of politicians. Maybe politicians should be dressed up like NASCAR race cars.
Unoriginal worn out comment
Then be specific, what about Biden’s economic policy is driving this behavior? The inflation was a global inflation issue due largely to Covid supply chain disruptions, war in Europe, and climate impacts on global agriculture production (especially in SA).
Rubbish! Perfect rubbish!
US inflation was caused by the explosion in the money supply that was consciously engineered by the Biden Administration.
There can be no inflation without an increase in the money supply – only a reallocation of resources. And Biden turned on the taps.
Did you sleep through the crime waves of the Eighties that resulted from the crack epidemic? Oh, you want to make this about politics since you see Left vs Right as good vs evil.
I suggest a big part of the increase in groceries theft is the drive towards a self-checkout model. It is just too easy with the current self-service models. They tried it at a local Dollar General and had to remove the self-check machines as theft when up 200% after they installed the machines. People are naturally opportunistic and as the wealth separate continues to drive down the average standard of living in the US, people with take advantage of ‘big business’ as much as they can.
But you be you. It’s ok.
…and brazen.
This is going to happen in a society that has been so lenient of the possibility of theft in stores
Have you noticed all the theft prevention devices in retail stores all around Greensboro! It appears 25% of the items at the Walmart Store on East Cone Blvd. are under lock and key? Perhaps a ineffective District Attorney Avery Crump, a understaffed and ineffective Guilford County Sheriff’s Dept., and a Mayor Nancy Vaughan that doesn’t support law enforcement are responsible for this disgusting trend?
How about a judicial system that no longer locks people up for crimes!
The theft issues have been there for Harris Teeter. Just a out 10 years ago, if the store is in high theft areas, they always had cops standing, and the lock on HBC. I used to work there, and once saw the criminal walking into customer service counter and filling the shopping cart with cigarettes, and walk away. HT don’t care, cuz they can get money back for the large theft. And they will make sure you will be charged, after stealing more than $500. Even with employee thefts, they wait until they let the employees steal 3 times to make sure they are recorded.
Stores that have a policy, written or otherwise, not to stop a thief while stealing are contributing to inflation. Retail stores will raise prices on products to cover the loss. Therefore, thieves are not only a menace to society, but they also contribute to higher prices. Recently someone saw blatant shoplifting going on at a drug store. The manager was told of the theft in progress. The manager’s response? Thank you, but no action taken. Shoppers should stop going to stores that allow theft for two reasons: Lack of action invites more thieves resulting in higher prices, and the store is not safe.
The decline of ethics and morality is rampant. A continuing decline in religious attendance. A lack of leadership in Washington, Raleigh, and Greensboro. Leadership 101: lead by example.
The LEFT is responsible for most of this.
For those citing lower religiosity as a reason for more crime, the facts don’t match your story. Countries that are often rated as the best (happiest, highest standard of living, least crime, etc.) in the world and that rank higher than the US are far less religious. The US is still the most religious and most Christian develeoped country in the world. If a lack of God or church attendance correlated with higher crime, then countries like Japan, Sweden, and Norway world be dangerous cesspools.
I disagree. Japan has their own moral code, for example. My comments were about the decline of ethics and morality. The decline of Christian Churches is just an example.
Why dont Harris Teeter STOP the purse theives..they know them, they see them on camera, but THEY let them leave store with someone’s purse. FRIENDLY Center and Lawndale have customers robbed every day and HT is doing NOTHING about it.
They could hire off-duty police, but these small thefts will not be prosecuted. You can thank the Democrat party for much of this.
I spoke to the manager recently at the Lawndale Harris Teeter, a store frequently shop almost daily. They lost $2 million in six months among the various Harris Teeters in the Greensboro area. Those losses are unsustainable. Much of the stealing is done by repeat offenders. Harris Teeter is now adopted some of the loss prevention tactics that other stores have, like target and department stores like Macy’s. Money is money, there’s no difference between a shopping cart full of steaks going out the door worth $1200 and stealing a big screen TV. And it’s not just Harris Teeter obviously, on Friday night recently I came out of the Harris Teeter to see a man with a shopping cart full of cat food literally piled to the top with (Manager) chasing after him. I stopped to assist, but the customer did manage to get into his car with a few cans while I called 911. It was premeditated as he had removed his license plate. The Petsmart manager remarked to me “I am just so tired of all this sh*t.”
What’s being a Democrat got to do with it Republicans steal too!!!
EXACTLY!!
Political affiliation has nothing to do with it. Inflation has hit everybody.
Well if the prices aint so high and if people can afford it, people dont need to steal but , some people are gonna steal to live or feed there kids its just gonna happen… so i work at walmart and i see it everyday and they be stealing and i go the other way trying not to engaged with them or im not running after anybody to either get hurt or shot nope i will not . And thats how i feel .
The problem with stealing “to feed their kids” is they aren’t stealing food. I work at Walmart as well & we’ve had to resort to securing all TV’s so no one can get them without an associate. People have come in & stolen demo phones as well. There’s zero excuse for stealing anything when there are so many ways to get assistance with what you need, not just what you want.
The district attorney and the courts need to do their job and see to it that these thieves are thrown in jail. Enough of this leniency already. Theft is another reason consumers pay more for products.
So instead of lowering prices for people to afford groceries, we’re gonna spend money on technology that kinda works… Oh okay.
Sorry joy but 1 thing does not equate to the other.
Many retail stores have a zero tolerance when it comes to theft. While employee theft is prevalent, policies include employees carry clear purses and bags. Walmart has always simply called the police when witnessing a theft from anyone; let the courts decide. If found guilty, they are generally banned from the store for life. What’s needed is to get tough on even minimal thefts; stealing is stealing. Throw the book at them. Ban them from stores. Assign community service and give them stiff fines. That will work. Word of mouth will travel and thieves will avoid such stores. Also, no one steals from prescription drug pharmacies since they have to pay to receive. I don’t have all the answers but I do know that doing nothing presents no lesson for deterrence.
There’s an old saying that “You get what you allow”.
Companies have no one to blame except themselves for not standing up to grifters. so they increase their prices to counter the loss of income. Personally, I wouldn’t mind going back to the days when stores scanned things you buy, then ask for payment. . . no money?. . .then nothing is taken out of the store. Problem solved, right? But, they won’t do that since it means hiring more checkout personnel, so the costs go up.
Right! Theft is one of the reasons that HT raises their prices. Even now, I avoid shopping at HT unless they have something I need that I can’t find elsewhere. I live near an HT. My last two visits, combined, were for three items.