Marauders daily take out goods from stores in downtown New York: why employees cannot stop them

On January 26, drugstore and grocery store workers on the Upper East Side said that brazen thieves attack their stores every day, and they are powerless to stop this looting. The staff spoke to The Post the day after actor and comedian Michael Rapaport filmed the alleged cheater. He calmly left the Rite Aid store at 80th Street and Second Avenue with loot.

“It's happening all over here,” said Herman Diaz, assistant manager of a nearby Morton Williams supermarket at First Avenue and East 81st Street. “They come here, do 2 or 3 [shopping a day] for meat, beer and Red Bull. [On] Sunday, January 23, six young people, 17-25 years old, each took a basket, [filled it] with meat, beer, everything, did not pay, got out, got into the car, BMW. Young guys."

According to him, last Thursday, January 20, someone else tried to steal beer and Red Bull.

On the subject: Adams has developed a massive plan to combat crime in New York: what will he do

“I tell him, you can’t take this,” Diaz said. “He spat in my face and pushed me.”

Store employees believe unemployment is the cause

Diaz noted that such incidents began last year. He believes the police should be given "more power" to stop thefts.

A CVS employee at First Avenue and 82nd Street is convinced that "there are a lot more shoplifters."

She blamed the surge in unemployment caused by pandemic. She also added that the thieves were insolent because the employees were forbidden to stop them.

Last Thursday, Jan. 20, a Post reporter witnessed a man with facial tattoos yelling profanity at a CVS employee on East 68th Street and Third Avenue.

When the employee told him to stop, the man claimed that the employee had attacked him. He threatened to call the police because the employees are not allowed to intervene.

The worker said that the man, who appears to be homeless, steals from the store every day.

By noon on January 26, Rapaport's Instagram video of the alleged Rite Aid thief had over 218 views.

“He just went Christmas shopping at @riteaid,” Rapaport wrote and tagged Mayor Eric Adams. “It happened in broad daylight, like it should be.”

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CZKSkD0oR2f/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

The police said there was no report of the theft. On Wednesday, January 26, store employees declined to comment.

The incidents come amid a recent surge of shoplifters committing daring thefts at retail and grocery stores. Critics blame soft prosecution approaches that encourage people to commit petty crimes.

According to the National Retail Federation, registered store losses are on the rise. In 2020, damages totaled $719 on $458 billion in sales.