By now you’ve seen it: baby formula, shampoo, toothpaste, and even basic toiletries locked behind cabinets by retailers to prevent theft. When you want to buy an item, you press a button and wait for an employee to unlock it. Depending on the store, you might be waiting for a while.

While this crime prevention strategy may deter theft, it is also preventing something else: sales. Recent studies show that customers are fed up with locked-up merchandise, and many are considering shopping elsewhere as a result.

So, how big of a problem is retail theft?

The National Retail Federation (NRF) declined to provide specifics to KTLA on how many stores now lock up their merchandise. However, the NRF’s 2024 study on The Impact of Retail Theft and Violence reported a staggering 93% increase in the a

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