New York Mayor Eric Adams Mobilizes Task Force To Tackle Rising Retail Theft Crisis

New York Mayor Eric Adams has introduced a task force that includes businesses, law enforcement and local officials to work on the city's plan to address retail theft.

The group comprises New York Attorney General Letitia James and all five district attorneys in New York City, law enforcement representatives, local business groups, retailers and organized labor, in addition to the New York City Police Department.

The task force will advise the Adams administration on legislative proposals to address retail theft, enhance intelligence sharing and ensure that best practices are implemented.

"Retail theft hurts everyone, from our mom-and-pop shops to large department stores — and especially consumers," Adams said in a statement Wednesday. "I am proud to convene this group of experts and practitioners as we continue to take a 360-degree approach to combatting retail theft and curbing this serious issue that plagues cities across the country. "

The city reported an increase in shoplifting complaints year-over-year between 2018 and 2022, with the exception of 2020. The largest increase was from 2021 to 2022, with a jump of 44%.

This year, complaints are down by 7.9%, while arrests for shoplifting have increased by 16%.

Target announced on Sept. 26 that it would be closing nine stores in the U.S., including one in New York's Harlem neighborhood, due to theft and organized retail crime. The retailer has 96 stores in the New York area, employing more than 20,000 employees.