[themodelplumber]

> During this time to help combat this issue, we increased our investments in security measures in stores across the city to 46 times our chain average in an effort to provide a safe environment.”

I wonder how they arrived at this number of 46x.

46x the chain average of single minutes spent reviewing security staff resumes?

46x the chain average of security camera photos sent to LEOs?

46x the average number of bic lighters placed further back? No, up more? No, up and back higher, like where you can't reach? No, they can really jump that high, so up higher?

[throwawaylinux]

I don't get it. Are you making a joke that's gone over my head?

> our investments in security measures in stores

Clearly this refers to their dollar expenditure on security measures, however that had been accounted.

[vnchr]

Most Walgreens don’t have dedicated security guards. If these stores had guards working all operating hours (2-3 shifts per day, every day) and some stores might have employed multiple security guards, the multiple is there.

[sammalloy]

I want to add to your comment, that the problem with Walgreens security in SF is well known, far before the issues with the changes in the law took front and center. I actually had a conversation with a friend about how bad their security was back in 2007. The issue is purely one of store layout and design. They could easily fix that and solve most of the problem.

[mikysco]

I feel like criminals are also abundantly aware at this point they won't face prosecution from SF's DA, so feel agency to commit "minor" crimes like this with impunity. But most of the SF stores do have a very old-school layout.

[sammalloy]

One way to solve the problem, is to put a counter in front of all the merchandise, make everyone use a shopping cart in the app as they walk around the store, allowing you to use your camera to snap images of products you want, or choose from a list, which the app checks and converts to real time inventory, and adds to your cart as needed. Then, check out and pay for it either online or at the counter, and pick up your items. Problem solved.

[vnchr]

How would layout stop ransacking that goes intentionally unprosecuted? Looting example in Alameda that seems unrelated to store design: https://youtube.com/watch?v=9ICQDYeAPDE

[speedybird]

On this site, people like to look for technical solutions to social problems. "Law enforcement and the courts aren't doing their jobs? No problem, just rearrange the shelves in your shops..."

[rmk]

36x 0.5 cents is 18 dollars. So they started spending on security and it made them unprofitable perhaps. Retail runs on razor thin margins, so there may be some substance to this 36x number.

[short12]

I don't believe the trope that retail makes razor thin margins. Considering most major retailers including Walgreens make profit hand over fist

[rmk]

It's not a 'trope'. It's a fact. Major retailers, including Walgreens have net profit margins in single-digit percentage points (it was 4.1% this quarter). The reason they make large profits is that they do large amounts of business (their revenues were 28 billion this quarter).

[sokoloff]

> 36x 0.5 cents is 18 dollars.

That would be 18 cents.

[rmk]

Lol, true. 36x0.5 dollars is what I meant :)