Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx is facing criticism for the way her office is handling shoplifting crimes, and it comes at the height of the holiday shopping season.
Thieves have been brazen and bold, scooping up merchandise and walking out of stores. Chicago Police report one of the latest cases happened Friday, December 13, when four thieves entered a retail store in the 1800-block of West Fullerton, and walked away with more than 20 coats in their arms. There are also concerns in Chicago’s Loop.
“It’s not like when I grew up,” said Michael Edwards, president and CEO of the Chicago Loop Alliance, an organization that represents more than 200 stores on State Street. “People are coming in and grabbing armloads of merchandise and walking out of the store.”
Edwards said retailers are concerned about Foxx’s retail theft policy. After taking office, Foxx raised the felony threshold for theft from $300 to $1,000. Thirty states have set their threshold at $1,000 or more, according to the Pew Research Center. “It has unintended consequences,” Edwards said. “And those unintended consequences are that people are coming in and stealing with impunity.” Foxx disagrees… ABC7 Eyewitness News