The New York Times fabricates a nonexistent shoplifting wave in San Francisco

[usonian]

then wrongly blames it on criminal justice reforms and the city’s supposed soft-on-crime image.
Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice

https://www.cjcj.org/news/blog/the-new-york-times-fabricates-a-nonexistent-shoplifting-wave-in-san-francisco-then-wrongly-blames-it-on-criminal-justice-reforms-and-the-citys-supposed-soft-on-crime-image

In fact, San Francisco's property crime rate is at a 45-year low.

Ignoring these clear trends, the May 21, 2021, ​“California Today” column by the New York Times’ San Francisco Bureau Chief Thomas Fuller declared in alarming tones: ​“The mundane crime of shoplifting has spun out of control in San Francisco, forcing some chain stores to close.”

Fuller’s evidence? Anecdotes, quips, and claims from spokespersons for Walgreens that thefts from its stores in San Francisco are ​“four times the chain’s national average, and that it had closed 17 stores, largely because the scale of thefts had made business untenable,” and from CVS branding the city ​“one of the epicenters of organized retail crime.” In fact, Walgreens is closing hundreds of stores nationwide in a cost-cutting measure, and the trend toward fewer but larger retail thefts is occurring statewide, not just in San Francisco. Since 2016, thefts valued at $400 or more have risen by 19 percent, while thefts valued at under $50 have fallen by 21 percent.
...

On the politics of that issue, Fuller raises what he calls ​“a crucial question” that he then fails to answer: ​“Why San Francisco? If the [increased shoplifting] problem stems in part from a change in California law, why aren’t other cities in the state seeing similar spikes in shoplifting?” That’s an excellent question. Unfortunately, instead of analyzing it, Fuller quotes speculations – again, without evidence – citing an alleged ​“laissez-faire attitude in San Francisco” toward shoplifting.

Yet, state and local crime clearance reports show the problem is not San Franciscans’ failure to report shoplifting to police, but the SFPD’s low rate (4.9 percent) of making arrests in reported thefts compared to police elsewhere in the state (10.5 percent). Fuller’s quip-sourced article manufacturing a nonexistent shoplifting wave and then baselessly blaming the supposed failure of criminal justice reforms does not rise to the standards one expects of the New York Times.

Facts? We don't need no stinking facts.
and BTW, in 2019, San Francisco had 26.5 million tourists.

[kimbutgar]

1. I'm a lifelong SF resident born and raised

And the way our local paper reports it everyday crime happens. But crime happens everywhere. It just not SF. We have a shortage of police and those inclined to commit crimes know it. There are parts of the city I wouldn’t go to at night or park my car but I rarely am out after dark anywhere. And nothing good ever happens in this city when the bars close at 2 am!

Downtown SF is now is a ghost town because of the pandemic and that’s why stores are closing and don’t get me started on people buying from Amazon instead of going to a brick and mortar stores.

[Brenda]

15. Nailed it.

My small city in the southeast has a shortage of cops and there definitely are parts of this city I avoid day or night.

San Fran is being picked on by the dumb Culture warriors. But the homeless problem is a damned American problem everywhere.

[ificandream]

2. Two things ...

Last edited Mon May 15, 2023, 01:59 PM - Edit history (1)

First, that column is two years old.

But secondly, what Fuller describes isn't confined to San Francisco. I know people who work at stores and have seen people walking out of the store with items and nothing done to stop them.

So is Fuller right? Is it being soft on crime? Is it the police? No. It's a policy for workers' safety. Too many workers have been murdered by shoplifters and the company decided it's better to lose small items rather than risk worker safety.

A rep from CVS confirms that in the story, saying in a statement by Fuller, "Employees were instructed not to pursue suspected thieves because encounters had become too dangerous." The stores themselves, in these cases, are not having these people arrested. I don't blame them. I wouldn't want to see my friends killed either for a bottle of wine or some snacks. I checked with one of my friends. In cases of something more expensive, they will let the perp know they are under observation (there are security guards in the stores) to help prevent them from stealing.

And so, you have .... the rest of the story. (For those of us that remember Paul Harvey.)

Here, by the way, is the original article. I've gifted the link so that there's no paywall issue.

[usonian]

3. Sorry, I didn't check the date.

Stuff gets posted to Hacker News (my other news aggregator) at odd times.

S.F. Sure has changed a lot in the 30 years I lived in the Bay Area.
“Big Business” used to be mostly financials. AFAICT
Then tech migrated up from Santa Clara Valley and changed it a whole lot.

Can’t comment on the details, as I lived in other cities during that time.

[H2O Man]

4. Right.

More, shoplifting is but one of many "property crimes." But property crimes also include things ranging from vanalism to armed robbery to arson. Hence, saying there couldn't be an increase in shoplifting because property crimes are down overall is weak.

[sanatanadharma]

5. Capitalism causes neighborhood crime

Capitalism is the root cause of crimes of poverty.

[EX500rider]

12. Because in communists countries there is nothing to steal because everybody is poor nt

[Brenda]

16. Because only Capitalism and Communism exist, duh. nt

[EX500rider]

20. And what's choice C then?

True socialism where the government owns the means of production never works out either.

[Brenda]

21. Social democracy

Why are you so against trying?

[EX500rider]

22. And where has that worked

And don't say Europe or Scandinavia because they're all capitalist economies with strong safety nets

[EX500rider]

23. I think you're confusing types of government with types of economies

Social democracy usually refers to a type of government not a type of economy and all the countries that use it are capitalist countries.

[tenderfoot]

6. They're doing the same kind of thing with the border of Mexico

so pro-authoritarian.

[JohnQFunk]

7. The New York Times...

[ificandream]

10. Its history says otherwise.

Case in point: The Pentagon Papers. Not to say it's liberal, but it's legit journalism (unlike Fox "news&quot . And the article in question was an opinion piece, not a news story. Real news sources don't just print one-side of the story.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

13. You're going with the Pentagon Papers?

One example from over 50 years ago?

That's the best you can do?

Because here are some receipts for you that are of far more recent vintage to demonstrate that they are no friend of liberals or Democrats:

It's the newspaper that went after Hillary non-stop over Benghazi, the email nonsense, trashed the Clinton Foundation charity, and gave unfiltered column inches to the outright lies of that propaganda filth, Clinton Cash.

It's the newspaper that regurgitated all of the Swift Boat lies about John Kerry over and over and over and over and over again.

It's the newspaper that told lies about WMD in Iraq to support the Bush putsch for a war.

It's the newspaper that sneered every ridiculous lie about Al Gore, from his so-called sighs, to the 'invented the Internet' remarks.

It's the newspaper that breathlessly reported every Bill Clinton "scandal," almost all of which turned out to be outright lies.

It's the newspaper that spent literally decades sitting right on top of all of the criminal enterprise of that idiot traitor Dotard--AND IGNORED IT. All of it. Because it was so much more fun to titter over his scandalous love life.

It's the newspaper that's been home to relentless Democrat bashers on its editorial pages like David Brooks and Maureen Dowd.

So maybe you can't see that they have never been a friend to liberals and Democrats, but the rest of us aren't so blind and foolish.

[Brenda]

17. You forgot Judith Miller and her lies about Iraq

Didn't know she joined Fox News in 2008 but not surprised.

On edit: you did mention lies about WMD in Iraq, just not her name.

[tenderfoot]

25. Don't forget pussyfooting Hitler/Trump and supporting every coup imaginable

Then there's their coverage of HIV/trans rights and Kitty Genovese.

[brooklynite]

11. Well, gee, if you say it in a meme...

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

14. How about saying it by bringing receipts about their history

Because I can do that.

All you have is what the NYT always has for people who point out reality: Sneering and contempt.

[BlackSkimmer]

18. Nope.

Wrong.

The Gray Lady may make mistakes, but it’s no rw rag.

[Brenda]

19. Mistakes? Hahaha

How many weeks did Judith Miller write about WMD's? oops.

As Exwhodosntcare outlined above...there are many of these "mistakes" over long periods of time.

Cult of Personality applies to newspapers and cable news shows. People get attached and think they are on their side.

Ignoring the reality that a handful of companies own all of these MSM outlets and run them for profit, not truth.

[BlackSkimmer]

24. So I guess you were reading her?