Brewer questions Tisch on retail theft reduction efforts
Councilmember Brewer asks about retail theft trends and prevention efforts. Tisch reports retail theft down 19% citywide, with clearance rates up from 41% to 51%, crediting aggregate theft law changes and recidivism-focused enforcement.
I wish I had Simcha Felder's sense of humor.
I do want to thank Central Park Precinct, 2-4 and 2-0, Simca.
Those three I want to thank.
Retail theft is an issue.
In one situation, the Duane Reade put in full-time security, and they have zero theft.
But the nearby Duane Reade is now still overwhelmed with security problems because they don't have one, and then thefts.
I didn't know how.
How much time or effort or money you put into the idea of retail theft and if you think the numbers are going down or up?
Retail theft numbers in New York City are going down, like way down, and it is wonderful to see.
It's been happening over the past two years, and Chief LaPetrie will tell you all about it.
Thank you.
But specifically Manhattan North.
So as far as retail theft, as the commissioner said, this year we've seen a 19% reduction in retail theft in New York City across all five boroughs.
When you look at the five boroughs, geographic boroughs, it's led by Staten Island at 41%, followed by Queens at about 21%, and Manhattan at about 20%.
What I'm really proud of is the men and women both on the patrol side and the investigative side.
when it comes to clearance rate, which means you commit a shoplift and you get arrested.
So just four years ago, actually three years ago, that clearance rate was about 41% of the time we made an arrest with a shoplifting complaint.
This year, it's over 51%.
And that includes low-level shoplifting crimes.
So again, I thank the detectives that have a very high caseload to take on those petty larceny cases.
They've done a phenomenal job.
We've used the tweak in the state law as our friend, meaning the aggregate amount of merchandise that somebody steals from a particular store, whether it be a CVS on 51st Street or a CVS on 55th Street, we're able to aggregate that.
And again, it's built off of recidivism.
Okay.
And we've done very, very well with that.
We still have a lot of work to do, but we're doing well.
Okay.