DENVER — A business owner in Denver will implement a "crime spike fee" to offset what he said he's lost from shoplifters.
Derek Friedman owns several Sportsfan and Sock 'Em Sock Emporium stores in the Denver metro area. He told 9NEWS his stores along the 16th Street Mall and his Sportsfan location on Federal Boulevard have seen an increase in crime.
"Since about 2019 through now, we’ve seen a tripling of shoplifting and just general theft activities, break-ins and all those types of things," Friedman said.
"When you look at the shoplifting and the overall theft increase it’s six figures [in losses], which is staggering for a company our size, to have that much just walk out the door," he said. "So that’s why we implement this small fee to attempt to recover some of it."
Beginning in mid-February, Friedman will charge a 1% fee on all transactions at his 16th Street Mall locations and at the Sportsfan location on Federal Boulevard.
"I think what’s particularly troublesome is the situations where you have people that walk in, grab several things, are asked if they’re ready to check out, and they just walk right out and they have no fear of repercussions," Friedman said.
Friedman said applicants willing to work at those locations have dwindled, and he isn't surprised. While he knows he won't recover all of the money his business has lost, he hopes crime rates decrease for the sake of his employees.
"I think the thing that is toughest is when you get a call from a young lady that works for you and she’s sobbing because someone has just threatened with a plumbing wrench and walked out with a few pair of socks," he said.
"Those kinds of things, you just want to be able to help your employees who are just there to sell a jersey or have a conversation about sports, and they shouldn’t have to deal with the threats that they’re dealing with," he said.
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