(KRON) — Walgreens appears to be taking new steps to combat theft at one of its San Francisco locations. In photos posted to social media, chains can be seen locked around the freezer section of a Walgreens located at 16th Avenue and Geary Boulevard.
In one photo posted by Richie Greenberg over the weekend, the chains can clearly be seen across the front of the section with locks securing it to the wall.
NewsNation affiliate KRON reached out to Walgreens and received the following statement from a spokesperson:
“Retail crime is one of the top challenges facing our industry today. We are focused on the safety of our patients, customers and team members. We continue to take preventative measures to safely deter theft and aim to deliver the best patient and customer experience. And we are working closely with law enforcement, elected officials and community leaders to draw greater attention to and improve our response to retail crime.”
A subsequent visit to the Walgreens location by KRON revealed that the chains were no longer in place.
It is not known if other San Francisco Walgreens locations are implementing similar security measures.
Other Bay Area retailers have also been taking steps to combat theft. Safeway announced this week that it has launched new anti-theft measures in some of its stores. The grocery chain says the goal of the new measures is to ensure a safe and positive experience for customers and employees.
Retails nationwide have taken similar steps. Earlier this year, Ulta’s Chief Operating Officer Kecia Steelman said the beauty retailer plans to have locked cabinets in 70% of its stores to protect fragrances, which are often targeted by thieves.
Target is also locking up more products and expects theft-related losses this year could be $500 million more than in 2022.
Walgreens recently opened a redesigned store in Chicago that features just two aisles of “touchable” merchandise. Customers must order other items at a kiosk before picking them up at a counter. The company has pushed back against the idea that the store’s design is meant to deter theft, instead calling the move a step toward providing “enhanced convenience” for customers.
NewsNation’s Andrew Dorn contributed to this report.
