As the holiday season approaches, Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn, Cheektowaga Police Department Chief Brian Gould, and members of the Pyramid Management team at the Walden Galleria are joining forces to combat retail theft and encourage residents to support local shopping centers and small businesses.
Shoplifting is a serious crime that can have a devastating impact on businesses, especially small business owners. In addition to the lost revenue, retail theft undermines the local economy by threatening the viability of stores and shopping centers. In recent years, incidents of organized retail crime and habitual theft throughout the country have become increasingly more brazen and violent, raising safety concerns for businesses, employees, customers, shopping districts, and law enforcement.
To date, members of the Cheektowaga Police Department have responded to 1,268 shoplifting-related calls throughout their jurisdiction this year, which is higher than the total number of calls in the past five years. This alarming trend is not unique to Cheektowaga. Retail theft is a growing problem nationwide, costing businesses an estimated $50 billion annually.
District Attorney Flynn is committed to prosecuting offenders and creating safer spaces for retailers and customers. The announcement held today at the Walden Galleria was part of DA Flynn’s ongoing effort to combat organized retail theft, shoplifting, and other unlawful activity occurring inside and around stores in Erie County. Two Assistant District Attorneys in the office’s Special Investigations and Prosecutions (SIP) Bureau serve on the Organized Retail Crime Task Force, a group of local law enforcement and loss prevention employees who meet regularly to investigate thefts and other retail crimes in Erie County.
“Shoplifting is financially devastating for retailers, especially small business owners,” said Erie County DA John Flynn. “In addition to the negative economic impact for businesses and our community, I am deeply concerned about the serious threat that thieves pose to the safety of store employees and customers. We will continue to hold the offenders, particularly repeat offenders, accountable for these crimes. I commend the Cheektowaga Police Department and the management team at the Walden Galleria for the extra security measures they have implemented. I want the residents of Erie County to know that it is safe to shop, and theft will not be tolerated.”
In September, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office participated in National Store Walk Month, a new initiative by the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) to address the urgent issue of retail crime and its rippling impact on our communities. National Store Walk Month connects interested retailers with prosecutors who walk alongside management through stores to share information, foster mutual understanding, and collaboratively develop crime mitigation strategies. These in-person discussions aim to provide a better understanding of the challenges while creating a unified response to address and prevent retail crimes.
