Grocery shopping is generally a pretty low-stakes excursion. You head in, toss what you need in your cart, pay, and walk back out. But these stores have also become a common spot for crime, and with so many people coming in and out, thieves have a wide selection of victims to target. Now, police have issued a new warning due to a rise in a specific scam at grocery stores, and are sharing what you can do to protect yourself. Read on to find out what the authorities say you should never pick up off the floor at the grocery store.
READ THIS NEXT: Be on High Alert for This While Grocery Shopping, Police Say in New Warning.
There’s been an uptick in crime at grocery stores.
Throughout the summer, the increase in assaults and shoplifting incidents at supermarkets and retail stores was a major concern, The New York Times reported. Employees feared for their safety at work, with some calling for armed security guards to prevent attempted theft.
But aside from just stealing merchandise, thieves are also stealing from shoppers. On Sept. 19, police in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania issued a crime watch alert due to an increase in “distraction theft” at grocery stores. According to police, one suspect distracts a victim—often a woman who has left her purse open in her cart—while another suspect takes her wallet. Victims don’t even realize their wallet is…
