(NewsNation) — Frustrated with increasing retail crime, some stores are turning to more aggressive tactics to prevent thefts.

While some retailers are prioritizing protecting their employees, or closing stores due to lost profits, some mom-and-pop stores are looking to fog generators to help deter theft.

A company called Density USA created a specialized fog machine meant to disable thieves so they can’t see what they take. The company said they have been getting more interest lately.

A loss prevention consultant tells NewsNation the trend is mainly driven by increasing frustration.

“It’s it’s the frustration levels high, you know, for small business owners and for employees, at corporations, which is why you see them in some cases not following policy in the heat of the moment,” said Tony Sheppard, ThinkLP Loss Prevention consultant.

“But if it’s your business that you’re trying to protect, you’re going to try different measures, you know, and it’s happened in the past, it’s not a new, necessarily new development, it kind of goes through these waves, you know, and obviously, the uptick now, as you pointed out, is pretty heavy,” Sheppard added.

This comes as retail crime gains prevalence around the country.

Last week, thieves in Washington state attacked a clerk as they stole vapes from a convenience store. Malls, jewelry stores and department stores around the country have been targeted by what appear to be organized groups of thieves caught on surveillance video.

The National Retail Federation found retail theft was up an average of 26.5% in 2021, costing retailers $35 billion over the year, according to a 2022 survey.