According to local supermarket owners, the Bronx NYPD is now closely collaborating with small businesses to address a shoplifting epidemic, and early signs are promising.

In a throwback strategy, police officers from the Bronx's 46th Precinct started giving their phone numbers to local business owners last month, marking a change from the past few years when shopkeepers have given up contacting 911 for assistance.

Detectives at the same precinct have created a new WhatsApp chat group where store retailers can upload photos and videos of shoplifters in real-time.

A Promising Initiative in Combating Citywide Robberies

Despite being just a few weeks old, Bronx business owners claim that having direct access to officers through the pilot program has already led to arrests. Grocer Eddie Vargas, who runs a Pioneer supermarket in the Bronx, mentioned his colleagues caught a guy shoplifting, and instead of calling 911, called the crime prevention team, and NYPD was there in five minutes.

Carlos Collado, owner of two Fine Fare stores in the Bronx and Harlem, mentioned that the WhatsApp chats are particularly useful for keeping track of repeat offenders for the NYPD's crime prevention team, citing the idea to compile these crimes to know when someone has exceeded the misdemeanor threshold. Collado added, "We saw the fastest response ever."

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City Council Rejection of the How Many Stops Act

According to NYPD data, the month-old Bronx initiative coincides with a 5% increase in citywide robberies in the first three weeks of 2024. Meanwhile, the City Council recently rejected Mayor Eric Adams' veto of the How Many Stops Act, a controversial measure requiring NYPD officers to document everyone they question, making their job more challenging, according to critics.

The 46th precinct, responsible for Fordham and Morris Heights neighborhoods, did not respond to calls for comment, and an NYPD spokesperson advised the public to call 911 to report a crime.

Officers, including those in Crime Prevention, routinely provide business cards to enhance community relations, says an NYPD spokesperson. While the business cards offer direct contact, the public is reminded to dial 911 in the event of emergencies, especially a crime in progress. The NYPD did not provide specific responses to questions about the WhatsApp initiative when questioned by The Post.

A Topsy-Turvy Incident that Inspired Retailers to Reach Out to 46th Precinct

The new Bronx program began after an incident on December 30, where a supermarket employee was arrested for assaulting an alleged shoplifter. Feeling victimized and criminalized, shopkeepers were inspired by this incident to approach the 46th Precinct leadership.

Local retailers visited the 46th Precinct offices on January 5 and shared their complaints with NYPD Inspector Jeremy Scheublin and his staff for over an hour. Carlos Collado, a supermarket owner present at the meeting, stated that Scheublin, the commanding officer of the 46th Precinct, understood their frustration regarding the lack of results after calling 911, where retail crime has not been prioritized.

Collective Action to Protect Our Stores (CAPS) Coalition

Encouraged by positive outcomes, some local retailers advocate expanding these new strategies citywide to tackle rampant shoplifting. Eddie Vargas, a member of the Collective Action to Protect our Stores (CAPS), a one-year-old political coalition, mentioned they are trying to visit every precinct in the city to make them aware of this program.

CAPS has urged lawmakers to address the issue of thieves often not facing prosecution or arrest for stealing less than $1,000 worth of goods. The group is pushing for a change where serial shoplifters who collectively steal more than that amount will be charged with a felony instead of a misdemeanor.

Many retailers report refraining from calling the police, except for violent incidents, and opting to invest in security guards and anti-theft technology, including controversial facial recognition software.

The NYPD has recently started urging retailers to report crimes, leading to a 40% increase in store-reported crimes last year. Michael Lipetri, Chief of the Office of Crime Control Strategies, highlighted NYPD's efforts to identify and saturate areas with dense shoplifting through foot patrols. He noted improved response rates but emphasized the ongoing work needed to suppress shoplifting in New York City.

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