By Gus Saltonstall
West Side Rag recently joined mayoral hopeful and current New York City Comptroller Brad Lander for a visit to an Upper West Side Duane Reade. Lander’s purpose: to describe his plan for liberating shelves that have gone under lock and key at pharmacies across the city.
Pharmacy officials say the locks are essential to combat shoplifting of toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, and other items subject to widespread theft. But to customers, the locks are just a time-wasting nuisance, noted Lander as he walked the aisles of the Duane Reade on Broadway between West 71st and 72nd streets.
“We’ve all been there,” said Lander, while standing in front of a row of the pharmacy’s imprisoned toothbrushes. “You only have a few minutes, and you’re on your way from work and meeting someone, and you just need to get some toothpaste or shampoo, or grab a snack, and you have in your mind it is a five-minute trip to the store because that’s how long it used to take.”
But then you see the item you want is behind lock and key, and to get it, you have to ring a bell for assistance. “The staff is working hard but they don’t have enough time for all the shoppers. So now it takes 10 or 15 minutes for what used to be a five-minute trip, and you’re late to meeting someone,” Lander said.
Shoplifting incidents in New York City rose by 68 percent in 2022, compared to 2019. While that number dropped by 7 percent in 2023, the rate remains at historically high levels, according to city police data.
Lander says he has a plan that could limit the shoplifting without locking up the most coveted pharmacy goods. His plan calls for a new reporting platform, which would enable employees to alert police about a shoplifter by pressing a button that would send a direct signal to police (instead of having to call 911).
Participating stores would already have integrated their cameras with NYPD, so police would be able to access footage without having to come to the business. The footage could help police quickly identify whether the culprit was a known repeat offender, while also creating a database of shoplifting incidents across stores.
If that person was a repeat offender, the district attorney for the borough would then be able to issue a trespass warrant, barring the offender from that store’s location or other nearby ones.
Participating stores within Lander’s program, dubbed, “Unlock the Toothpaste,” would have to remove their items from lock and key. Grants would be given to smaller stores to improve their security cameras, and enforcement would be beefed up against businesses that fence stolen goods.
“I think this is a frustration that a lot of New Yorkers, including a lot of Upper West Siders, have,” Lander said when asked why he chose to present a plan on the specific issue of retail theft. “It’s one of a broader set of issues around disorder that elevated during the pandemic. We want it to feel like it is New York again, and get back to the way it was.”
Lander’s own go-to purchase if he’s looking for a convenience store snack? A seltzer, preferably Polar, and a bag of Cheetos.
You can check out Lander’s full plan to combat retail theft — HERE.
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Not a bad idea in theory!
It amazes me that some store hasn’t capitalized on the opportunity to differentiate themselves with a better customer experience (hire back all the cashiers you fired and have them in each aisle instead). No need to lock stuff up if there are enough dedicated employees on the floor. Instead, we have Target on Columbus and 99th with unstocked shelves, horrible customer service, and incorrectly priced items (always in their favor). I live across the street and only go there in an emergency.
Trust me! The NYPD is not going to rush to a store for a petty larceny of a tooth brush nor is the store going to supply someone to go to court for a petty larceny. Mr. Lander lives in a fantasy world.
Based on the comments here, many of us agree that this is a horrible idea and there need to be real penalties for these types of crimes, particularly when committed by repeat offenders.
So the question is this – is there anyone running for mayor with common sense who actually wants to do something. And no, I can’t bring myself to vote for Sliwa. It seems like there are a few slightly more reasonable candidates, but they are getting zero press. Perhaps WSR could do a similar feature with one of them? I greatly appreciate WSR’s efforts with this article so how about reaching out to one of the more moderate, sensible candidates and giving them some press?
And again, wanting to lock up repeat criminals is not a Republican idea. It is basic common sense. I can guarantee that most of the frustrated posts here are by lifelong Democrats who despise Trump and voted for Harris.
Also will their be movement in Albany to fix the disaster that is bail reform?
In Nassau County they will.
His scheme seems idiotic.
Surely there’s a better way. I’m been in Mexico since December and every store I’ve been into, in cities large and small, merchandise is unlocked and available.
Why can’t we have nice things?
Because if you shoplift in Mexico, you’re arrested and tried and will pay a fine. If you’re a repeat offender, you go to jail. In NYC, none of those things happen, because “racial justice”, or something.
No, Mexico hasn’t figured it out either. We like to think that it’s as simple as that. It ain’t.
https://mexicobusiness.news/ecommerce/news/retail-theft-surges-mexico-costing-billions-annually#:~:text=Current%20punishments%20for%20petty%20theft,not%20effectively%20deter%20repeat%20offenders.
One, word democrats.
I use stores like Basics Plus, University Housewares, one of my local independent pharmacies, or a grocery store for these items (and Apthorp for my prescriptions). Trying to shop at the chain drugstores has become a dystopian experience, whatever the reason is.
“If that person was a repeat offender, the district attorney for the borough would then be able to issue a trespass warrant, barring the offender from that store’s location or other nearby ones.”
Is something missing? This is all that is going to happen to repeat thieves?
Exactly. Repeat offenders should go to jail. Not just for shoplifting. For any crime. It is so simple. Penalties for crimes should escalate based on the number of crimes on their record. One time shoplifting shouldn’t be a major offense, though there should be a penalty. Five or ten times is a major problem.
Ban them from a store location and they will move on to a different one if there aren’t consequences.
Have these people raised children? If there are consequences for a child’s bad actions, they will generally stop doing that action.
I appreciate that Lander is recognizing that this is an issue that needs to be addressed. But he, like so many others, refuses to take the significant steps to do something.
And again, this is why Trump unfortunately gets elected. We are a joke.
How would staff keep a repeat offender from entering if they are not allowed to touch them?
Stores can already do that. They already have the right to ban people. They don’t need a useless court order.
Ah, yes. The right! The right to say “please stop” as the offender walks out of your store scot-free with hundreds of dollars of goods.
How about he fixes the root cause of the problem and charge shop lifters like they used to?
Oh yeah, that would be too easy.
Plan sounds awesome. Instead of arresting them (and releasing them) for the 57th time, we’ll now issue them “trespass warrants” for the 57th time. Next incident tomorrow, I’m sure the police will be rushing to grab them for the 58th time, so they can swing their notepads at them.
And put them on double secret probation?
The proposal will in no way lessen the losses to businesses, which isn’t fair to them. No one detained for these thefts is going to have any consequences and so they will just come back and do it again, assuming the police even show up.
A look at the petty larceny stats shows that the 1st, 7th, and 108th precincts are largely responsible for the spikes. Feels foolish of both the stores and Lander to create citywide policies where targeted enforcement is needed.
How about these huge chains that have chased out most of the independents hire more staff so you don’t have to wait 10 minutes for someone to unlock stuff.
Cuomo will be the next mayor others need not apply.
Vote Curtis Sliwa!
Yuck, we already have a closet Republican mayor and its been a complete mess. I’ll take (almost) anyone but Cuomo please.
Vote better.
Elect candidates who will pass laws that benefit the law-abiding, not the law-breakers.
Very simple.
The Mayor doesn’t pass laws.
That would be great, our current law-breaking mayor should be in prison.
I hope we vote better for a competent administrator who isn’t an ego maniac.
Ok. good start.
Will you take Jim Walden or Ray McGuire or Maxine DeSeta?
I voted for McGuire last time – he was the best candidate by far, but few others got on the bandwagon. Unfortunately I don’t believe he is running again.
Unfortunately, I think Whitney Tilson is the year’s McGuire. Great candidate supported by the business community with good old-fashioned Democrat values but also some common sense, but no one will take him seriously and give him the press he deserves. It would be great if WSR did a feature on him.
His idea is rubbish because it’s his and the far lefts policies that have directly led to many of our issues. He is perhaps the worst candidate in the mix.
Vote Curtis Sliwa to save NYC. Someone who has dedicated his entire life to doing public good deserves his time in office to help turn around the failing NYC we love and no longer recognize!
No. He’s not good enough bc he likes cats.
The problem is this isn’t an issue of someone shoplifting a few things. Before everything was locked up, I twice witnessed someone come into the store (this was two separate stores on the UWS) with a trash bag and just start clearing the shelves into the bag with employees just shouting at them to leave. The employees couldn’t (and shouldn’t) put hands on them because it could be dangerous for them. So what do you do? A trespass warrant isn’t going to stop them.
Remember cops with billies?
Given a choice, don’t many people avoid DR, especially in the West 70s where there are several independent options.?
Windows often broken, and sketchy characters hanging out:( Saw manager chase someone once. Very sad.
Phoebe,
I assume you’re referring to DR’s broken windows — something I’ve never noted. I avoid the place. Fairway has toothbrushes. So does the Joesph Pharmacy on W72nd around the corner from this particular DR.
Amazingly, since the take over by a hedgefund and then a sale to Wallgreens, service at the average DR has improved. Albeit, haven’t been in one in at least 5 years, so things could have worsened.
“Grants” of course to businesses to protect them from the criminals who should’ve been locked up in the first place. How about we just spend that grant money on real law enforcement. How about we just lock up the people we know are committing the crime. And you don’t need a trespass warrant that nobody’s going to pay attention to anyway. The stores already have the power to ban who they want. This is an overly complicated and ineffective plan only a progressive could come up with.
“How about we just lock up the people we know are committing the crime.”
That would be at least a 1/3 of Wall Street and corporate lawyers.
Because the laws in Albany have to change FIRST. The DOJ is the problem, The police get all the criminals …. the Justice Department, based on Albany laws, releases them again.
Umm, the “DOJ”/ “Justice Department” is a federal agency and has nothing to do with enforcing New York laws.
Also, DOJ is in Washington, not in Albany.
I was up in Washington Heights last summer and they had a big dude with a baseball bat at the front door. I don’t think he was just hanging out. That’ll work
There are plenty of local stores in the neighborhood that never get robbed because they’ll hit you with a large object if you try. Part of the problem besides bail reform is that the chain stores allow robbery as a policy and the thieves know that. If you live in a building with a chain store that promotes thievery by allowing people to steal you should sue them for creating a lawless environment in your home.
There needs to be ways to actually penalize offenders with consequences. If it costs the stores more money, either due to theft, or to hire more people, we know what these cheap stores will do – they will close.
This unworkable nonsense is why Lander is polling at “No Way .”
How about this: we implement Saudi Arabia (a key US ally so they can’t be that bad) style punishment for theft and then see what happens to the number of thefts. All of this baloney we’re doing now is so laughably pathetic I can see why Trump increased his share of NYC voters.
Another nonsensical project; pretending to do something about crime while doing absolutely nothing of substance. I don’t know who is buying his novel idea.
@ UWS Dad
“Closet Republican”, god forbid. If someone is not a radical left lunatic they are all Republicans to you. As if it were a curse word.
Not at all, many commenters on here claim that simply ‘voting better’ for Republicans will solve all our problems when they don’t actually have ideas on how to run NYC.
Vote better.
Elect candidates who will pass laws that benefit the law-abiding, not the law-breakers.
Very simple.
(not specifying R or D)
There are a few who say to vote Republican. Most of us are moderate Democrats. But the far left Democrats do exactly what Trump does and lump us in with others with more extreme views. Far left Dems are not much better than Trumpers – they immediately use name-calling on anyone who doesn’t agree with them.
gee if only they would hire people and pay them a living wage then we could unlock. This drug store is part of a global holdling company and they don’t care.
Missing from your statement is “people shouldn’t commit crimes “.
The plan only will work if tresspass is a non-bailable offense. Otherwise, it’s just more catch and release.
Lock up thieves instead of toothpaste! What a concept, eh?
This is every reason I won’t vote for Lander. Thank you for clarifying this for everyone. His pattern:
1) Highlight a private entity doing something he doesn’t like (usually private businesses or landlords)
2) Propose some complex scheme he says will solve an issue (and cost the city money). Said solution must not entail enforcing laws or reducing government bureaucracy.
3) Smile and pretend it will solve the issue
This nonsense is why so many people would actually vote for Cuomo.
Or, actually arrest the shoplifters. Punishment is a great deterrent.
I have a CRAZY idea. When someone steals something, you stop them, arrest them, and lock them up so they can’t steal something again. Then, law abiding tax payers can shop freely without having to ring the doorbell to get a toothbrush. Just a humble suggestion.
He’s grasping at straws. So who do you think will be the eventual Mayoral opponents? Cuomo vs Curtis??
It’s gonna be very hard for me to vote for someone who thinks this is a real solution to a problem. It’s just not progressive unless you’re giving away other people‘s money.
They say that a store with locked up items only encourages people to buy online and not shop there. They end up losing customers.
The NYPD sits outside the Duane Reade on 102 all day and night and still the same guy walks in, takes 2 cases of Red Bull of the shelf, and just walks out. Having them further away will help even less.
So the NYPD would do less than nothing?
I have a better plan than his.
Treat shoplifters like the criminals they are. Punish them so that there is a deterrent to shoplifting.
Rikers? Yes. Don’t want to go to Riker’s? Don’t commit a crime.
Sorry but this is over the line. I was looking for some way that these myriad candidates would distinguish themselves in my eyes. This is it for Brad Lander. I’m done with even considering him. Like many other commenters, I KNOW what he is proposing would do NOTHING to solve the problem. I like the guy with the baseball bat idea, sort of.
Curtis Sliwa for Mayor!
Or maybe, why don’t we give folks toothbrushes.
How heartless have we become that we see people so desperate to brush their teeth, wash their hair, put on some deodorant — so desperate they have to steal to do it — and our reaction is, “Their problem is causing me several minutes of my day!”
Instead of making it even harder, why don’t we make it easier? For example:
–I’ll vote for a mayor who institutes a “free toothbrush and deodorant giveaway” once a month.
–I’ll vote for a mayor who institutes a “buy one-give one” program — you buy a toothbrush for yourself, and the pharmacy screen says “would you like to donate a toothbrush to those who need it?”
I’m not voting for a mayor so disorganized that he can’t give himself enough time to buy a toothbush. And is so pissed off about it he wants to burden the 911 system with a raft of deodorant thefts.
We got bigger problems than that, and if he can’t figure out that one, I’m not giving him the key to the city.
If you think the people stealing toiletries from local pharmacies are doing it because they need toiletries you are extraordinarily naïve.
I think stupid is the word
Maybe Lander can combine the toothbrush-dispensing program with the already-existing centers that distribute drug paraphernalia to facilitate addicts’ activities?
@Joey
Nobody said the would necessarily send the cops. Read the article.
Close the store to the public, have a small staffed vestibule area in the front with touch pads. Order what you want ahead on your phone or on the touch pad, or with a cashier. A person in the actual store puts your order together and brings it to the front. Basically what every fast food chain, coffee place, curbside pickup place is doing. I know this does not solve the systemic issue, but I needed a thermometer in a hurry the other day and it was super frustrating.
From the consumer’s perspective, this is exactly the activity required to order from Amazon or elsewhere on-line. Except then you don’t even have to put on your shoes, and your purchase arrives at your residence.
The benefit of shopping in a store is the ability to compare one toothbrush against another before deciding what to purchase. This “plan” eliminates that advantage.
Except for those who “need a thermometer in a hurry”, this “plan” has no benefits for anybody.
so much theft going on Police would be
understaffed to respond.
I don’t mind this lock snd key method
It’s better. than closing the store as theft loss has been enormous. Is this immigrant
activity or our unemployed??
Heyyyyyyyyy, why dont we just flip it and reverse it. and i mean bail reform. dumbest move ever. no wonder crime, shoplifting etc has gone up. change it back to the way it was!!
Seems they should also keep unlocked baseball bats at the front of the store.
This is not a mayoral issue. There is little, if anything, a mayor can do about this problem. The comments here show that it’s really nothing more than a convenient campaign publicity issue — it can’t work, it won’t do anything, but hey, “Look what I can do!”.
This is, at the start, a district-attorney issue. We need a district attorney who will enforce the existing laws. Our current DA declared “hands off” on his Day One, so every shoplifter — like every fare beater — knows that he or she will get a free pass *if* they get caught. We need a DA who will enforce the laws.
Then, we need to make the laws tougher and less sensitive to those miscreants who break them. Got caught boosting a toothbrush (or twenty)? No problem! No Rikers for you! And here’s your tickets to a Mets game — just promise to come back for your hearing, OK? (And be sure to stop for some more toothbrushes, or deodorant, or shampoo, on your way home, too!)
C’mon, folks. Fix the problem where it comes from. The mayor can’t, and certainly Mr. Lander wouldn’t even if he could. Let’s start with a real DA, but also let’s not vote mechanically for whoever the Democratic Party runs for State Assembly and State Senate. Those are where the repairs will come from.
Vote!
A strong executive mayor could help.
Lander is certainly not that. ( trying to be kind).
Nothing is going to change, except the complaining after the stores leave.
I suggest learning to acclimate to the new normal.
I try to patronize independent pharmacies; there are several in the neighborhood, and they are all friendly and efficient. But I understand that lots of people prefer the anonymous bounty of the chain pharmacies. I have seen people stealing under the noses of the employees who are probably to scared to stop them, even the “security” guards. How sad.
Lander should have gone around the corner to Joseph Pharmacy where the shelves are open, their staff is knowledgeable help and seniors get an everyday 10% discount on most items. I appreciate this local business and am trying to move more of my shopping there.. The owners have invested in my neighborhood and we should invest in them by patronizing the store.
There is an easy solution to this. Charge a nominal entry fee, using a kiosk outside the store which is credited towards purchase.
Well, that would kill of DR.
In Canada at least shoplifters can get an IRCA report that gives them a discount in sentencing.