(Washington Insider Magazine) Owners and workers of businesses, mostly owned by immigrants, presented recommendations to the City and State, which include the creation of an NYPD warehouse surveillance unit, increased sentences for robbers and repeat offenders.
Owners and workers of the so-called “Deli grocery” in the Big Apple, like Francisco Marte, are tired of being constant victims of merchandise theft from their businesses. They can’t take anymore.
This is how the Dominican winemaker denounces it, who complains that, as if it were a ritual, daily the friends of others pocket without paying for items placed on the shelves of his well-known Planeta Verde (Green Planet) bodega on Grand Avenue Concourse, in the county of The Bronx.
And it is that according to the small businessman, robberies in New York wineries have been increasing considerably, as has the feeling of fear and insecurity among winemakers. In addition to disguised thieves, who take merchandise and leave like “Pedro at his house”, other criminals use more violent tactics such as assaults with firearms, use of violence, intimidation or threats with sharp weapons.
“We are already tired of our security continuing to be at risk all the time and that thieves can break into our businesses to steal and that nothing happens to them, because then they are released and what they do is steal again, because they know that they will not nothing will happen This is how things work now, ”said the immigrant, who in his work as a storekeeper has been assaulted with weapons on three occasions; the traces of those robberies are on his body: he has three bullet wounds and an arm that doesn’t work well, due to an attack.
“It would help us a lot if they charge the thieves, if there are arrests, and if they are tougher on repeat offenders. I sometimes put a box of condensed milk in there, and at the end of the day everything has been stolen. This is worse than in the 80s and 90s, because at that time, which was also very violent, thieves were arrested,” said Marte. “Before there were consequences, before you called the police and they came and arrested and they knew they were going to be sentenced. Now prosecutors are not charging criminals and we can’t wait for a tragedy to happen for things to change.”
And in their eagerness for the authorities to listen to them, and to put a stop to theft and insecurity, on behalf of a good part of the more than 12,000 wineries estimated to be in the five counties, a coalition of winemakers made up of the National Supermarket Association, Bodega and Small Business Group and Metro Supermarket Association presented an action plan to the authorities.
Change to Protect Retailers
In a letter addressed to, among others, Mayor Eric Adams, Governor Kathy Hochul, five borough prosecutors, and Albany leaders, New York bodegueros demanded changes to protect retailers from theft and crime amid the increase in grand thefts.
“New Yorkers expect and deserve to feel safe when they shop, but right now, for many, that just isn’t the case. This affects stores that lose money, workers who are hurt, and consumers who are concerned about feeling safe to shop. This is a totally unsustainable situation, and something must be done to rectify it before more stores close or workers are harmed,” the merchants said in their letter.
Within the list of recommendations, the bodegueros requested that an NYPD Unit dedicated specifically to retail theft be created, as well as units of the district attorney to handle this issue, under the concept of “damage on damage” so that the repeat offenders of robbery, the judges can set bail and do not leave prison without that judicial remedy.
They also called for law reforms such as raising assaults against employees and retail owners to a Class D felony, creating a new offense of furthering the sale of stolen goods, and making it a Class A misdemeanor, which would hold consumers liable. purchase stolen merchandise; and promote an anti-shoplifting public service announcement (PSA) campaign in the City.
“During the height of the pandemic, we were essential workers risking our lives to keep this city alive…Yet we are in trouble. A rise in shoplifting cases has hit independent supermarkets hard. In fact, some have hired private security. Some thefts have reached as high as $72,000. We have been attacked, terrorized and our physical and mental health compromised”, added the small businesses.
The list of demands is supported by winemakers like Jesús Rodríguez, owner of a “deli” in Long Island City in Queens, who prefers to keep the name of his business due to fear generated by the wave of insecurity that is plaguing the city and those neighborhood venues.
“I hope that the Mayor and the Governor really do something to protect us more and that they put a tough hand on the thieves who think they can steal, because since they don’t put them in jail, they do it again. They have robbed me many times since last year and adding up and adding up are thousands of dollars, but I don’t even report it because the little group that is stealing has threatened me and I prefer to avoid problems,” said the Mexican. “We need to punish thieves and robbers and stop considering them. It is not fair that those of us who work like donkeys suffer the consequences and they are treated like kings”.
Omar Sánchez, from the Mi Pueblo winery, also supports the authorities promoting greater protections for the winemakers’ union so that they can carry out their work with greater security.
“It is important that as shopkeepers we have greater security; that will also serve the customers and the community,” said the Latino winemaker.
Mayor Adams’ Administration sided with the bodega owners and assured that he will continue to advocate for reforms that can improve security and curb shoplifting.
“Shoplifting undermines our city’s economic recovery and threatens the livelihoods of New Yorkers. The Adams Administration remains steadfast in its commitment to address this issue, in partnership with our business community, law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, courts and legislators,” said a spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office. “That’s why the Mayor hosted a Retail Theft Summit last month at the Gracie Mansion to develop a citywide strategic prevention plan to deter retail theft. We look forward to posting our recommendations soon and thank these business owners for their support.”
The Brooklyn Prosecutor’s Office, Eric González, assured that they have met with local businesses to discuss how to better prosecute cases of shoplifting and warehouses and added that the request for “damage over damage” requested by the bodegueros is already being implemented. over there.
“Since the ‘damage over damage’ provision was enacted into law, our Office has been using it, where appropriate, to seek bail for repeat offenders in burglary and theft cases,” said Yaniv Oren , spokesperson for that office.
Petitions From Winemakers to The Authorities:
Create a dedicated NYPD unit and DA units for retail theft
Ask prosecutors to use “damage on harm” to request bail for repeat robbery offenders
Ask judges to use this tool (damage on damage) to set bail
Elevate assaults on employees and retail owners to a Class D felony
Ask the Legislature to combine charges to increase theft from petty to grand theft
Create a new offense of furthering the sale of stolen property and make it a class A misdemeanor
Launch and run an anti-shoplifting public service announcement (PSA) campaign
Hold all levels of the criminal justice system accountable for doing their part to address this issue, including the NYPD, district attorneys, judges, and elected officials.
This article is written by Edwin Martinez.