The Rise of Retail Theft in LA

According to LAPD data, retail theft in Los Angeles increased by 16% in 2023 alone. The city has seen a spike in “flash mob” style smash-and-grab attacks on retailers, where groups of thieves rush into a store, grab valuable merchandise, and flee quickly. High-value items like electronics and designer goods are frequent targets.

This surge in brazen retail crime is likely a major driver behind the removal of self-checkout lanes, which are perceived as easier targets by shoplifters. With fewer staffed registers to keep watch, it can be easier for thieves to steal items by skipping the scan or walking out without paying.

Walmart Removes Lanes But Stays Quiet

On social media, many reports circulated that Walmart had removed all self-checkout lanes in California stores due to excessive theft. However, when asked about this, Walmart corporate communications provided only a vague statement saying they are “always looking at ways to innovate and improve our stores” and had nothing to announce regarding self-checkout changes.

They declined to give specifics about which locations may have had lanes removed or provide any additional context. It’s likely that the retailer is concerned about drawing extra public attention to theft issues in their stores by confirming the removal of self-checkouts.

Target and Other Retailers Reduce Self-Checkout Options

Walmart isn’t the only chain cutting back on self-checkout in Los Angeles. Target reportedly removed all self-checkout lanes from its San Francisco stores back in December 2022. There are also reports of Target locations across LA only allowing small orders of 10 items or less through self-checkout now.

Costco is another retailer dealing with the problem, acknowledging that retail shrinkage has increased since they introduced self-checkout lanes. It’s likely they will evaluate eliminating the cashier-less lanes in their Los Angeles warehouses as well if theft continues to rise.

The Reasons Behind “Defensive Retailing”

Why are prominent retailers like Walmart, Target, and Costco so reluctant to talk about getting rid of self-checkout lanes? The practice is an example of “defensive retailing,” and chains worry about drawing extra attention to theft problems in their stores. They don’t want customers to feel unsafe shopping with them.

However, with shoplifting and retail crime still trending upward in urban areas like LA, these companies feel pressure to take action. Eliminating self-checkout lanes seems to be their solution for now to crack down on rising shrinkage rates.

According to a 2022 National Retail Federation survey, shrink costs from theft rose to a massive $112 billion industry-wide last year. With losses this high, self-checkout may become a luxury that companies can no longer afford. The risk of customers stealing is too great.

What Does the Future Hold for Retail Checkout?

For retailers like Kroger who still offer self-checkout lanes, new artificial intelligence software aims to cut down on missed scans. If a customer fails to scan an item properly, the machine alerts them to resolve the issue. If they ignore the alerts, a red light goes off and an employee has to intervene to approve the purchase.

This AI monitoring of self-checkout aims to take a more proactive approach to preventing theft compared to traditional cashier-only lanes. Whether the technology can successfully cut down on retail crime rates remains to be seen.

One thing is for certain – with shoplifting sharply rising in Los Angeles over the past two years, retailers are taking the threat of theft seriously. Eliminating self-checkout lanes may be an inconvenience to honest shoppers, but stores believe it’s a necessary step. Customer convenience is taking a backseat to security concerns and loss prevention efforts.

Shoppers in LA should prepare for more staffed checkout lanes and a longer wait time for purchases. Self-service options will likely continue to vanish as chains like Walmart, Target, and Costco crack down on troublesome shrink rates. Retail theft has simply become too costly to ignore in Los Angeles and beyond. I sincerely hope you find this “Why Self-checkout machines are vanishing from stores In Los Angeles? Here’s the reason” article helpful.

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In 2020, the LA Unified School District Board removed officers from schools amid Black Lives Matter protests. Instead, district police now just patrol nearby areas and respond to on-campus emergency calls. This school year, the task force quietly researched rising disciplinary incidents, difficulty controlling substance abuse, and a 2022 on-campus fentanyl death.

Quantifying the Crisis

District data reveal dramatic increases in “Fighting/Physical Aggression” since in-person classes resumed after remote learning. In 2017-2018, pre-pandemic, there were 2,270 such incidents. In 2021-2022, the first full year after police left, these cases jumped 28% to 2,906. So far in 2022-2023, they have spiked another 54% to 4,786 and counting – almost double the last pre-pandemic tally.

Tensions recently boiled over at Washington Prep High when a student opened fire in an after-school fight, killing a 15-year-old. Nearby “safe passages” workers allegedly declined to intervene beforehand. “One student died because safe passages does not work,” said parent leader Diana Guillen. Her group will present a 2,000-signature petition Tuesday, urging the return of police amid a rising crisis.

While suicide risks and drug cases were already increasing pre-2020, both categories saw sharper climbs over the past few years as well. Threat and weapons incidents also rose recently after an earlier dip. Causality is complex with myriad factors at play, including worsening student mental health. But the data correlations are clear.

Empowering School Communities

The task force recommends letting individual schools decide about police presence based on their communities’ needs and preferences. This would balance parent demands for security with opposition from anti-police activists.

Most task force participants appear to be parents, district employees, and community members not actively against having police. The teachers union leadership and student activist groups typically protest Board of Education meetings multiple times per year to push for fully eliminating school police.

But many parents insist officers make schools safer. Over two dozen spoke at an April Board meeting, and Guillen’s group will present thousands more signatures Tuesday. Recent town halls also reveal parents want more behavioral accountability and better communication around bullying and violence.

Nuanced Solutions

Superintendent Alberto Carvalho is developing updated safety plans for Board review. He says the debate involves more nuance than just pro- or anti-police sentiments. Effective policies require understanding school cultures, anticipating issues, engaging parents, and providing students productive outlets.

Empowering each school to decide its own police presence could help balance safety and reform. But success likely also requires ensuring consequences for negative behaviors as well as more counselors or other support. As Board President Jackie Goldberg has acknowledged, current alternative “restorative justice” disciplinary practices do not always work in real life.

With campus crime spiking sharply, the District must now balance urgent safety needs with ideals around equity and student wellbeing. The task force proposes letting schools decide what security resources their communities require. But effective solutions will consider all perspectives in this complex and high-stakes debate. I sincerely hope you find this “Empowering LA Schools, Task Force Proposes Police Presence Decision Amid Campus Crime Spike” article helpful.

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“Invasive Aedes mosquitoes have significantly altered the outdoor lifestyle for millions of Los Angeles residents,” the agency said. “These aggressive daytime biters not only disrupt outdoor activities but also raise concerns about diseases like dengue, chikungunya, and Zika.”

The technique, called Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), has been used successfully before to control agricultural pests. But this will be one of the first major trials using sterile insects to suppress disease-carrying mosquitoes in a major U.S. metropolitan region.

How the Sterile Insect Technique Works

SIT relies on sterilizing male insects before releasing them to mate with wild females. Female mosquitoes only mate once in their lifetime. So when they mate with a sterile male, they produce no viable eggs, reducing the next generation’s population.

With sustained releases, SIT can dramatically cut mosquito numbers without using insecticides. Over time, the small number of females that mate with fertile males is not enough to maintain the population.

Other Benefits of SIT Mosquito Control

Releasing sterile mosquitoes also avoids problems with insecticide resistance. Many mosquitoes have evolved defenses against common chemicals. SIT instead works by overwhelming the population with sterile mating partners.

The technique also specifically targets the invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which aren’t native to California. Other native mosquitoes that are less aggressive biters shouldn’t be affected.

SIT Has Succeeded Against Other Insects

California has already used SIT to eliminate the destructive Mediterranean fruit fly. The screwworm fly was eradicated from North and Central America using the method. So there is ample precedent of SIT protecting health, agriculture, and biodiversity.

The Pilot Mosquito Program in Los Angeles County

The vector control district will begin releasing sterile male Aedes mosquitoes in two Los Angeles neighborhoods: Sunland and Tujunga. The agency chose these areas because invasive mosquitoes are abundant there.

Residents may notice more mosquitoes after the releases start. But only male mosquitoes don’t bite. So the district predicts biting rates will decline as more sterile insects mate with wild females.

The pilot project will allow the agency to evaluate SIT’s effectiveness against Aedes aegypti. They will monitor mosquito population levels and biting activity compared to control areas without SIT.

If successful, the vector control district plans to expand sterile insect releases to other parts of Los Angeles County and Orange County.

SIT Requires Community Participation

The district warns that SIT depends on community participation. Residents should allow the released sterile mosquitoes access to breeding sites on their property.

They also need to continue draining small containers of standing water where mosquitoes lay eggs. Reducing breeding spots will maximize SIT’s impact.

The district will continue using conventional control methods like insecticides as needed. But SIT offers a complementary approach to suppress invasive mosquitoes without chemicals.

Many public health experts are enthused about SIT for controlling diseases like dengue and Zika. If it works for Los Angeles, the sterile insect technique could be adopted nationally and globally. The results of this pilot project will be pivotal. I sincerely hope you find this “Los Angeles Unconventional Mosquito Strategy? More Mosquitoes to Fight The Off?” article helpful.

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