Crime has continued to run rampant throughout the last few years as stores across the country have been forced to close due to an increase in shoplifting.
Shoplifting has been a growing concern in Philadelphia, and Rich Zeoli, host of the Rich Zeoli Show on 1280 WPHT News Radio, says that stores in the city have been closing "left and right."
"There are so many convenience stores in the city closing right now in response to an increase in brazen shoplifting," Zeoli said, adding that 15 to 20 stores have closed in recent days.
Shoplifting isn't the only concern that the city is facing right now either, as Zeoli says that shootings, like the recent one at Penn's Landing, which killed at least six, are discouraging people from traveling to the city.
Zeoli says tourists are afraid to come into the city, and he has had conversations with people who are staying in the suburbs because of the rise in crime.
But tourists aren't the only ones being affected as business owners are starting to feel the effects of crime.
When it comes to the shops that have closed due to shoplifting, Zeoli brought attention to comments from Manzoor Chughtai, the president of the Franchise Owners Association, who said that "nobody wants to take over the stores. Nobody wants to run the business in the city of Philadelphia."
While shoplifting has long been seen as a lesser crime, Zeoli said that we are now seeing the results of people not taking it seriously.
"This crime has real implications here," Zeoli said. "We joke about how shoplifting is no longer a crime that they actually go after people for, and because of that fact, people don't want to have stores. They can't have stores. They can't have businesses. It's a real damn shame."
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