Rising theft and fears for worker security as neighborhood crime surges will lead REI to shut down its solely retailer in Portland, Oregon, subsequent yr.

The outdoor-apparel co-op mentioned in a letter to members Monday that its location in Portland’s Pearl District will shut completely on the finish of February, when the lease on the location ends.

The letter particularly pointed to the situation’s points with crime as a part of the rationale.

“The safety of our employees, members and customers is always our number one priority. In recent years, Portland has been dealing with increased crime in our neighborhood and beyond. Last year, REI Portland had its highest number of break-ins and thefts in two decades, despite actions to provide extra security,” REI wrote within the inner letter, obtained by The Seattle Times.

The retailer was hit by one particularly brazen theft final November when a perpetrator rammed a automobile by means of REI’s entrance and stole attire earlier than fleeing.

A spokeswoman for REI mentioned that the corporate tried to fortify the shop by changing its home windows with safety glass, hiring 24-hour safety, and putting in surveillance gear by the shop’s loading dock.

Crime has been “overwhelming the systems in place” however, REI spokeswoman Megan Behrbaum informed the newspaper.

“We still experienced 10 burglaries, including one event that shut down our 14th Street entrance for more than two months,” she mentioned.

A member of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s workplace mentioned that town started focusing extra police patrols to the realm and labored to intercept shoplifters.

Crime has plagued the Pearl District, Portland’s largest retail neighborhood, in recent times.

Local NBC affiliate KGW-TV reported that the realm noticed 933 reported thefts by means of the primary 10 months of 2022, up from 791 reported thefts through the first 10 months of 2019, the newest pre-pandemic yr.

Car thefts jumped from 35 in 2019 to 119 in 2022, and assaults elevated from 126 to 197 in that very same time-frame.   

REI isn’t alone in leaving the Portland metropolis correct. Nike closed considered one of its Portland shops to public entry and cited shoplifting points to metropolis officers, per The Seattle Times.

REI shops are nonetheless open within the Portland suburbs of Tualatin, Hillsboro and Clackamas. 

Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com