Chief demands Safeway help solve teen shoplifting and loitering crisis

Sebastopol Police Chief Ron Nelson sends sternly worded letter to Safeway's corporate office

The entrances to Safeway look fine at midday, but after school lets out, hordes of teenagers loiter around the exits—and some take the opportunity to shoplift. (Photo by Laura Hagar Rush)

On Wednesday, March 20, Sebastopol Police Chief Ron Nelson sent a letter to the president of Safeway’s Northern California Division asking him to take immediate action about the problem of teen shoplifting and loitering at Safeway. Here is his letter in full:

March 20, 2024

Karl Schroeder
President, Northern California Division - Safeway Corporation
5918 Stoneridge Mall Road
Pleasanton, CA 94588

Dear Mr. Schroeder,

I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding a persisting issue at your store premises in Sebastopol, California, which has not only impacted our police department, but has also raised considerable alarm among customers, parents and members of the community. Numerous complaints have been lodged with the police department, the school board, and City Council members. Direct communications with Safeway management have occurred involving the police department and concerned citizens. The problem of high school students loitering, engaging in theft, and creating an undesirable environment for paying customers persists unabated, particularly during the period in the afternoon when the local high school lets out.

The continued presence of disruptive individuals has greatly diminished the enjoyment and security of shopping at your location for longstanding paying customers. Incidents of theft and the pervasive feeling of unease generated by loitering groups undermine the sense of safety and tranquility that customers rightfully expect when visiting your store. We at the Sebastopol Police Department have dedicated resources to provide additional patrols during impacted hours, but we do not have the resources available to address the situation constantly.

I am requesting Safeway to take urgent action to address these pressing concerns. Despite efforts made by law enforcement, concerned community members and parents, the situation has not seen any tangible improvement. It is imperative for Safeway to acknowledge the severity of this issue and take decisive steps to rectify it.

One measure that could significantly enhance security and deter criminal activities is the deployment of onsite security personnel and dedicated loss-prevention staff during afternoon hours, when incidents of loitering and theft tend to peak. Having trained professionals on-site can help identify and address disruptive behavior promptly, while also providing reassurance to customers that their safety and well-being are of paramount importance to Safeway.

Moreover, I invite Safeway to prioritize collaboration with the Sebastopol Police Department to implement targeted strategies aimed at curbing criminal activities on your premises. This may include sharing surveillance footage, coordinating patrols and loss prevention efforts, and prosecuting individuals involved in thefts and other unlawful behaviors.

In addition to these measures, Safeway should explore avenues for engaging with the local community, school authorities, and youth organizations to address the root causes of loitering and disruptive behavior among high school students. By fostering partnerships and promoting positive alternatives, Safeway can play a proactive role in addressing underlying social issues in our community and fostering a safer environment for all patrons.

Continued failure to address these concerns not only jeopardizes the well-being of customers but also undermines the reputation and integrity of Safeway as a trusted longstanding retailer and community partner in Sebastopol.

Thank you for considering my concerns. I sincerely hope that by working collaboratively, Safeway will take steps to implement effective solutions to restore a welcoming and secure environment at your store location. I welcome any opportunity to engage in follow-up conversations and exchange of ideas.

Sincerely,

Ron Nelson
Chief of Police

In an interview with the Sebastopol Times yesterday, Nelson said, the letter “is having a positive effect already. Just this morning when I came in, the store manager provided us with information on four cases to investigate…We've told them we're more than willing to be their partners in this and help them any way we can.”

Nelson said he’s recently upped the police presence at Safeway and in downtown.

“We've increased foot patrols significantly over the past six or eight months. Just between the start of the year and now, we've had over 2,400 foot patrols downtown. Officers are getting out there and they're walking downtown—and they have to squeeze this in between all their other duties. We’ve also had a significant number at Safeway—several hundred—in the afternoons in particular because this is when the problem is most prevalent,” he said. “Officers go out there, stand on the front sidewalk, engage with the kids.”

Nelson said he’s frustrated because Safeway and some other local business owners either don’t call to report theft or, if they do, they choose not to file a police report.

“Our message has been clear to the business owners: If you see something, call us. If you are the victim of a theft, call us. We’re more than willing to investigate it,” he said.

“The other aspect to it is they [the victim of the theft] have to cooperate with the investigation. I can't tell you how many times—and it's the majority of times—whether it's Safeway or some other local business—they call us and say ‘Yeah, we just had somebody come steal.’ And we say, ‘Okay, do you want to make a police report?’ Then it’s ‘No, we just want to get our stuff back.’”

Nelson said the lack of a police report inhibits the police’s ability to investigate the crime and deprives them of probable cause to stop and interrogate suspects.

“We have to have the business being able to say ‘I'm willing to go to court. I'm willing to testify. I'm willing to be the victim in this crime.” Because, as far as courts are concerned, if there’s no victim, there’s no crime.

Safeway, like most major retailers, has a policy of not allowing its employees to stop shoplifters, which makes it an easy, low-risk target.

Nelson realizes the problem of teen shoplifting and loitering can’t be solved by Safeway alone—or by the police working on their own.

“This is kind of a community-wide problem,” he said. “It can't be solved solely by the police. We have to get all the stakeholders involved. And that includes the school, that includes Safeway, that includes parents at some level—there's some parental responsibility. Unfortunately, with the way our lives are now, in most families both parents have to work; that's just a reality. So their awareness of what their children are up to, once they're allowed out of school, probably isn't what it once was. I would venture to say the majority of the parents of these kids who are engaging in these activities have no idea what their kids are doing.”

The Sebastopol Times reached out to Safeway’s corporate offices but have yet to get a response.