San Francisco’s Best Buy has taken a proactive step to address the escalating issue of retail theft by stationing a police officer at their store.
According to the local police, the officer has been on duty at the electronics store in the SoMa district since September 19th.
An anonymous Best Buy employee revealed that, on average, they witness one or two thefts per day, with a particular focus on high-value items like laptops and air purifiers. The thieves often use cunning tactics, such as pretending to have made a purchase and casually walking out when store security is occupied elsewhere.
The employee recounted a recent incident in which a man attempted to make off with a laptop concealed inside a suitcase. Fortunately, store security apprehended the individual and retrieved the stolen computer.
Opinions on the effectiveness of the added police presence vary. One local resident, Paolo Cuevas, who is a Mexican exchange student at the Academy of Art University, expressed doubt that it would deter determined thieves. He commented, “I don’t think it’s going to change anything. People are crazy.”
This security initiative is made possible through the 10-B plan, which allows businesses to hire police officers as private security by covering their overtime costs and an administrative fee for the city. Police spokesperson Kathryn Winters explained, “The 10-B assignment will be available for as long as Best Buy wants.”
The Best Buy store is located across Harrison Street from the recently opened Total Wine & More, which has taken measures to secure its premises with a 7-foot tall security fence. Nearby, a Target store on Folsom Street is scheduled to close on October 21 due to mounting retail theft problems.
Despite attempts to reach out, Best Buy’s corporate office did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.