Shoplifting Has Increased During the Pandemic—But Customers Are Mostly Taking Food
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Retailers, security experts, and police departments across the country say that shoplifting has been up significantly since the coronavirus pandemic began last spring. But experts say that the unusual thing about this upsurge in shoplifting is the items that are being taken—more kitchen staples like bread and pasta, as well as things like baby formula and diapers. In other words, in the midst of a pandemic and a recession, Americans have taken to stealing basic necessities that they can no longer afford in an attempt to stave off hunger, while also trying to pay rent and keep a steady job.
Hunger in the U.S. has reached unprecedented levels, with 1 in 8 adults (nearly 26 million people) reporting that they “sometimes or often” didn’t have enough food to eat in the past week—and that fraction increases to 1 in 6 adults in households with children. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that 54 million Americans will struggle with hunger this year. That’s a 45% increase from 2019. Over 20 million Americans are currently receiving some form of unemployment assistance, with 12 million of them set to run out of benefits the day after Christmas. Things are beyond dire, and people are desperate.