Giant Food president shares crime concerns and added safety measures
SILVER SPRING, Md. - The president of Giant Food — the Landover, Maryland-based supermarket chain — is no longer staying silent on crime and violence in the area. He's speaking out now that it's impacting his stores in costly ways.
The warning has some questioning whether Giant could be forced to close some doors like some other businesses have done in D.C. over the past few years.
"I’ll tell ya why I’m speaking to it now," said Giant Food President Ira Kress, "It's because we started to take some actions that we know, and I know as we took them are going to cause a customer level of inconvenience that I didn’t want to cause. But I wanted to make sure, if nothing else, our customers understood why we were taking some of those actions."
Giant Food President Ira Krass
Supermarket theft is not a new issue, but Kress says it’s a problem that has been growing since the Coronavirus Pandemic and slightly before. In response, FOX 5 has learned that Giant Food hired more security in certain stores. They’ve also taken measures like closing alternate entrances and locking up certain products to address crime and customer/employee safety.
Kress estimates that between the cost of increased security measures and money lost due to theft, the company is spending "tens of millions" of dollars.
Hours after FOX 5 interviewed Kress on Monday, D.C. police responded to a stabbing at a Northwest D.C. Giant location.
2 shot, killed at Giant supermarket in Prince George's County: police
Authorities say two people were shot and killed at a Giant supermarket in Prince George's County Friday morning after a woman shoplifting pulled a gun from a backpack and fired multiple shots.
FOX 5 reported on a deadly double shooting in 2022 at an Oxon Hill Giant store where a suspect shoplifted and killed a security guard. The security guard fired back, also killing the suspected shoplifter.
"We’re not a bank, we don’t have vaults," Kress said. "I don’t want to create an environment where everything is locked up in the stores. But I do not see today anything occurring which is going to significantly impact positively, the escalation that’s occurring in either theft or violence. I welcome the conversations."
"It makes me feel like I live in a different world than where I used to live," said Giant customer Damion Lynch when asked about some of the security changes. "I mean, it used to be you could go to any place you wanted to go, and you could feel safe and go shopping, do whatever you need. Now, you’ve got to watch over your shoulder. I love Giant. I come here all the time. I like their products. When you come to a store though, you need to be able to feel free and safe to come. So, I don’t feel it’s just Giant’s problem. I also feel it’s the law enforcement and those who make the law."
FOX 5 asked Kress what stores could close first if they had to consider doing so. He answered he has "zero plans" to close any stores. He also told FOX 5 that’s why he’s speaking out – so they don’t have to do so.
Man charged for Giant Food store stabbing in DC
A 28-year-old man has been charged after a stabbing inside a Giant Food store in Northwest D.C. last week.
Kress says his company is working with local law enforcement but understands they have other issues like shootings and carjackings to address.
A big area of concern for Kress is punishment, which he says is lacking. For example, FOX 5 confirmed with an area court spokesperson that a theft has to be $1,500 or more to be considered a felony.
Before considering closing a store, Bernadette Christian, a Giant employee, and UFCW LOCAL 400 shop steward, explained to FOX 5 how she feels Giant could do more. She spoke about increases in employee staffing, which could keep more eyes on the product. She also agreed with the changes that have already been made but would like those changes evenly placed.
"We've got to try it at all the stores. Safety for everybody across the board, not pick and choose certain areas because all my members, everybody is important," Christian said. "Everybody’s safety is important regardless of where you are. So let’s do that first because guess what, these communities need these stores."
Going back to punishment, changes to Virginia and Maryland law would need to come from the state legislatures but FOX 5 did check in with the localities.
The Montgomery County States Attorney’s Office spokesperson said they are stepping up subsequent offender filings. Arlington’s Commonwealth's Attorney’s Office advised we ask Giant about the matter.
In an email to FOX 5, D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto said, "I am deeply concerned by concerns businesses of all sizes have shared with me regarding the impact of crime and violence on the health and safety of their employees and their ability to successfully operate their business. In response to these concerns, I created in the budget a new Safe Commercial Corridors grant program that will provide commercial and retail areas with increased safety tools. This funding is designed to be flexible to meet the unique needs of different corridors and can be used for purposes such as increased lighting, patrols, or violence interruption depending on the needs of the area. I am confident that this program will not only make residents safer, but will alleviate burdens on businesses. I am also reviewing laws related to retail theft and identifying possibilities for strengthening accountability for organized retail theft efforts."