Could DC-area Giant stores close? Company president says it’s possible amid crime uptick

Gigi Barnett | gbarnett@wtop.com

June 26, 2023, 9:00 AM

Giant Food, which is headquartered in Landover, Maryland, may be forced to close some stores if an uptick in thefts and violence continues, the grocery store chain’s president says. ... It’s a trend other big box stores are seeing around the country.

“They steal everything from roasts to shrimp to deodorant to razor blades, you name it,” said Giant Foods President Ira Kress.

Shoplifting has always plagued grocery stores, but Kress said in recent months, Giant has joined a long list of other regional and national retailers that are reporting a boost in thefts, sometimes conducted by large, organized crime rings. ... “They hire other thieves and provide them with a list of products to steal,” he said. “Those thieves then go out and fill the list.”

Along with the thefts comes an increase in violence, which Kress said he is the most concerned about.

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