Target closing East Harlem store, blaming theft

Transcript

00:00 Target announced that it will close nine of its stores, including the one on 117th Street in Harlem.

00:05 The stores will shutter for good on October 21st.

00:08 And as Fox 5's Arthur Chan reports, Target's blaming the closures on ongoing problems with theft and violence.

00:14 I just got murdered. I got me some eggs, some bananas, some avocados.

00:19 Anthony uses it for his groceries, and David is here for a birthday present.

00:24 I just bought a little something for my son, whose birthday is today.

00:28 Countless residents in East Harlem rely on this Target on East 117th Street.

00:33 But now, Target says it's closing this store in a matter of weeks,

00:37 citing rampant shoplifting that threatens the safety of employees and customers.

00:42 They come here, they steal, they steal, they steal. And I told them, "They're hurting the neighborhood."

00:48 This woman has worked at this Target location since it opened in 2010.

00:52 She asked not to be identified, but shared with us her frustration with shoplifters

00:57 who often come in mobs, emptying shelves.

01:00 They thought they was being smart and everything, running in, running out.

01:04 Just disrespectful to this store. You understand what I'm saying?

01:07 Just--they just disrespected this store.

01:10 Now there's not going to be no more Target. Now what they going to do?

01:14 Now what's going to happen to this neighborhood?

01:17 Surveillance videos like these routinely show brazen levels of criminal activity.

01:21 Shoplifting on a large scale has become a national crisis,

01:25 costing retailers over $112 billion in losses last year,

01:30 according to a National Retail Federation survey.

01:33 Target's East Harlem store is one of nine locations it's closing nationwide, all for the same reason.

01:39 Other locations include San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle.

01:43 We may see other stores closing locations too,

01:46 specifically in those big metro areas where, you know, the cost of rent is high,

01:51 so it's really making a bigger impact on those stores.

01:54 CBS, the Rite-Aids, they're all closing.

01:57 These guys are shoplifting left and right, and it's horrible.

02:00 Not only is there a cost to this neighborhood,

02:02 but this impacts all of the employees who work at this location.

02:05 Target says they're going to try to absorb everybody into other Target stores.

02:09 The residents here have some choice advice for shoplifters.

02:13 Get a job.

02:14 The lights will go out here permanently on October 21st.

02:18 At the Target in East River Plaza, Arthur Chien, Fox 5 News.