If you've been into a Missouri or Illinois Target store over the past few months, you've no doubt seen many new items that are now locked up behind glass cases. New efforts are apparently working to help greatly reduce theft in their stores.
If you have worked any length of time in retail, you know theft is one of the biggest dangers to survival of a business. Target knows this and has announced a big change that will likely affect all 108 stores in Illinois if it hasn't already.
If you're shopping for clothes in Missouri, assume you're being watched and it's not just overhead security cameras either. There are confirmations that clothing giants with hundreds of stores in Missouri are planning to use body cameras on employees if they haven't started already.
I suppose it was inevitable. There are numerous reports that clothing stores that have hundreds of locations in Wisconsin are now either considering or already using body cameras on employees.
Before I began this radio adventure more than 40 years ago, I worked in a Missouri retail store. You would not believe the crazy things I saw stolen back in those days and the same can be said about the most stolen stuff from Missouri grocery stores these days. It's mind-blowing how low some folks will go to get something for nothing.
There are some new Walmart facts to consider in 2024 and more than a heaping helping of speculation. I have some of both as many are wondering out loud if Walmart would dare to close any Missouri stores in 2024? The answer is a great big maybe.
2023 was another tough year for retail and that even included major retailers like Walmart. In 2023 alone, they closed more stores in Illinois than any other state and they've already begun closing some locations in 2024. Will Illinois once again see more of these neighborhood big box stores putting "we're closed" on the front doors?
You can't see this, but I'm shaking my head in disbelief right now and I'm pretty sure you will to once you hear what thieves are stealing from Missouri Walmart and Target stores now.