Sharpton calls on Adams to curb brazen NYC thefts: ‘They are locking up my toothpaste’

 The Rev. Al Sharpton called on Mayor Eric Adams Wednesday to address the brazen thefts at New York City stores, complaining that businesses have been forced to such extreme security that retailers are even “locking up my toothpaste.”

“There is no doubt about it,” Sharpton said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” when asked about The Post’s exclusive story of a man casually shoplifting 10 steaks from a Manhattan Trader Joe’s and other thefts.

“You go into a local pharmacy, a Duane Reade or Rite Aid, you got to get some help to assist you,” Sharpton said. “They have the little button, they get the buzzer and the guy comes over and unlocks your toothpaste. I mean we are talking about basic stuff here.”

Host Joe Scarborough pressed Sharpton on Adams, asking “just curious, is Eric Adams going to be able to do anything while he’s obviously surrounded by elected officials who want New York to remain chaotic?”

Sharpton cut the new mayor some slack and added “there is a debate in the criminal justice system” on how to handle the issue at the moment.

Due to an uptick in merchandise theft, certain products are locked up or kept behind the cash register.

Helayne Seidman

The Rev. Al Sharpton has called on Mayor Eric Adams to do something about the upswing in crime in New York.

MSNBC

Mayor Eric Adams has pledged multiple times that he will fight the surge in crime.

A thief steals 10 steaks valued at $15.99 each from Trader Joe’s on 14th Street in the East Village. Store managers were unable to do anything to stop him.

Steven Hirsch

According to the managers, the thief threatened to pull a knife if they tried to stop him.

Steven Hirsch

CNA Supermarket at 41-41 Kissena Blvd. in Flushing has a wall of shoplifters’ photos.

Kevin C. Downs for The New York Post

A would-be shoplifter put up a fight at a Queens department store on February 9, 2022.

Splashnews.com

“There are those that are concerned, including me, about overloading the system in the jails with petty crime, but at the same time, you cannot have a culture where people are just at random, just robbing and stealing and is out of control, and is put on the front page of newspapers, which only encourages others to do it.”

“In fairness to Eric, he’s only been there five weeks, but even as I’m fair to him, Eric, they are locking up my toothpaste,” the reverend quipped.

https://nypost.com/2022/02/09/rev-al-sharpton-calls-on-eric-adams-to-address-brazen-nyc-thefts/