Are fears of a shoplifting surge running away from the facts?

No, there appears to be a correlation between a sharp rise in unemployment due to the coronavirus pandemic and a rise in shoplifting, as well as other retail-related crimes. A recent survey of retailers conducted by the National Retail Federation found that nearly three-quarters of store owners said that shoplifting had either stayed the same or increased since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. Furthermore, many cities and towns across the United States have reported increases in shoplifting incidents since March of 2020. It is important to note, however, that the facts are still emerging and it is too early to draw definitive conclusions.