New York City officials announced a plan to crack down on retail theft across the five boroughs.
Mayor Eric Adams was joined by Attorney General Letitia James and other city officials saying shoplifting complaints saw a 44% increase from 2021 to 2022. According to officials, it's the largest increase in years and was popularized by social media.
In collaboration with nearly 100 stakeholders, a plan has been developed to combat the trend in three key areas: prevention, intervention and law enforcement.
City officials say the rise in retail theft not only hurts businesses trying to stay afloat post-COVID and amid inflation, but it also hurts the city's economy.