Target and LBUSD complicit in allowing Stanford Middle School students to freely shoplift

UPDATE 9/26/2023

Target said on Tuesday 9/26/23 that it would close three Bay Area stores, along with six others across the country, citing violence and rampant theft. "We know that our stores serve an important role in their communities, but we can only be successful if the working and shopping environment is safe for all," the company said in a statement. One of the stores targeted for closure in San Francisco was the subject of a viral video in April that showed the store's inventory behind locked glass. LINKS: East Bay Times | SFist

 

UPDATE 8/30/2023

RE: Target (Bellflower/Long Beach) and Stanford Middle School 

On behalf of the Los Altos Center Adjacent Neighborhoods thank you to both Target and the administrators at Stanford Middle School for setting the tone at the Los Altos Shopping Center North this first school day of the 2023-2024 school year.

Target’s high-profile security at the entrances did an excellent job in setting the tone for the school year that students after school must be accompanied by an adult.    

We applaud both the school administrators and Target working together to solve the afterschool problems from last year.  We trust that this great start will continue throughout the school year.  Our neighborhood leaders will be quick to let you know if afterschool student activity again spins out-of-control.

 Thank you again for addressing this issue.

UPDATE 6/16/2023

The Los Altos Village Target has instituted a policy that the students immediately after school must be accompanied by an adult. 

In addition, the Stanford Middle School principal personally met with the Target manager and other retail managers in the Los Altos North Center.

The Los Altos Center Adjacent Neighborhoods are encouraged that this is the first step in ensuring that students understand that shoplifting will not be tolerated and bad behavior has consequences. 

LACAN thanks both the Target Executive Sotre Manager and the Administration Team at Stanford Middle School. 

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LACAN Statement regarding the Target and Long Beach Unified  allowing Stanford Middle School students to freely shoplift  

Students file into Target heding toward the snack areas- student faces are puposely not photograghed 

“The Los Altos Center Adjacent Neighborhoods blames the Los Altos Target’s current policy of “allowing” students to steal  for teaching our neighborhood students that theft is OK.  

There is amble evidence that proactive measures of businesses in the same center have prevented theft and sent the students a message.  Stanford Middle School students are currently learning that crime pays thanks to Target.

In addition, the Long Beach Unified School District is complicit in not providing the resources to prevent students under its legal control from causing economic harm and disruptive behavior to business corridors near its middle and high schools across Long Beach.  

 Long Beach Unified knowns about the problems a small percentage of students under their legal control routinely cause businesses and have not provided the local schools with the resources to address students preying on local businesses. Long Beach voters and businesses have for years supported Long Beach Unified. It is time for Long Beach Unified to return the favor.”

After   contacting Target's corporate offices, and emailing LBUSD Superintendent Dr. Jill Baker and the LBUSD Trustees, as well as the LBPD East District Commander and LBPD Police Chief  Hebeish, so far only Target has replied.

Target Los Angeles Group Vice PresidentLeanne Pithey did email this to LACAN  June 14, 2023:

"Thank you so much for sharing your concerns regarding your experience at my Long Beach store with both our team and our guests. I apologize that you were unable to get a hold of my Store Director, Maria, in-store last week, and I wanted to reach out to you personally to address your concerns.

First, our Assets Protection teams are taking the appropriate partners and steps with both the Long Beach Unified School District, as well as the Police Department to ensure that we are mitigating theft activity in our stores and taking a tougher stance. Additionally, we are continuing to address situations as they arise in stores. Following your conversation with our security team, the team did take action to address the concerns you shared in-store. We will continue to be active partners within the community, while following the guidelines provided to us by the State of California. We are taking a proactive approach and stance across our stores to mitigate theft and other behaviors that impact our neighborhoods and communities.

Secondly, I have followed up with our Store Team in regards to how they handled escalating your concerns. While not an excuse, our Store Director is out of office. We have reviewed and addressed how we could have made your experience in speaking to leadership easier and more seamless, and getting you in contact with my District Senior Director or myself. I am happy to continue the conversation, and will also have Maria reach out when she returns, to ensure that we are continuing to be active members of our community, and supporting the greater good of the neighborhood in which we serve.

 Sincerely,

Leanne "

Unfortunately, on June 14, 2023 the day the Target VP replied, the store is "mitigating theft activity in our stores and taking a tougher stance” students again showed up to the Target store in mass and again thefts were rampant.