Suffolk County Police have announced a slew of arrests made thanks to their partnership with retail chains to curb shoplifting.
The Retail Protection Partnership is a collaboration between law enforcement and retail chains such as Home Depot, Target, and others to investigate and arrest repeat shoplifters.
District Attorney Ray Tierney touted the partnership's success in a statement, saying it protects businesses and their employees.
“When criminals target our local businesses, they are not just stealing merchandise,” Tierney said in a press release. “They are threatening jobs, driving up costs for honest consumers, and destabilizing neighborhoods that depend on these stores.”
The program was created in October 2023 after Tierney met with retailers to discuss how shoplifting and its repeated occurrences have negatively affected their businesses.
Under this guideline, shoplifters face harsher penalties. Instead of individual charges, they can be charged for the total amount and number of times they have stolen from a business.
Shoplifters can also be notified that they are no longer allowed to enter a business if they are arrested for shoplifting at said business.
Tierney said his office has prosecuted at least 15 shoplifters under this partnership.
“Our message is clear: retail theft in Suffolk County will earn you jail time, not a revolving door,” Tierney said.
