Contrary to the Democrats’ most recent messaging, crime, especially in some of America’s most populated cities, has spiraled entirely out of control.
That especially seems to be the case in Democrat-led cities like Portland where rampant, open-air drug use and an expanding homelessness epidemic, among other issues like bail reform, has led to what was once a stunningly beautiful and relatively safe U.S. city becoming a dangerous den of lawlessness.
The situation in Portland has become so bad that one small, locally-owned business called Rains PDX recently went viral after posting an ominous, yet eye-opening sign on its front door that read, in part, “Our city is in peril,” while announcing its permanent closure due to the crime crisis.
“The owner at Rains tells me after five break-ins in about three weeks, she made the sudden decision to permanently close. Staff here are putting pressure on the city to look after small businesses dealing with ongoing challenges with crime,” KATU’s Megan Allison tweeted, along with a picture of the signage.
The owner at Rains tells me after five break-ins in about three weeks, she made the sudden decision to permanently close. Staff here are putting pressure on the city to look after small businesses dealing with ongoing challenges with crime. pic.twitter.com/XyP2p6PR6W
— Megan Allison (@mallisonKATU) November 26, 2022
“Our city is in peril,” the sign on the front door read. “Small businesses (and large) cannot sustain doing business, in our city’s current state. We have no protection, or recourse, against the criminal behavior that goes unpunished.”
The notice tackled another standard narrative pushed by the pro-soft-on-crime leftists that insurance companies offset the losses of the rampant theft and break-ins.
“Don’t be fooled into thinking that insurance companies cover losses. We have sustained 15 break-ins… we have not received any financial reimbursement since the 3rd,” the sign added.
According to Fox Business, Rains PDX owner Marcy Landolfo told KATU she had no choice but to close the store permanently, citing incalculable losses due to rampant theft and break-ins. Specifically, she noted that thieves had targeted her most expensive inventory, making it virtually impossible to keep the shelves stocked.
“The problem is, as small businesses, we cannot sustain those types of losses and stay in business. I won’t even go into the numbers of how much has been out of pocket,” Landolfo said.
“The products that are being targeted are the very expensive winter products and I just felt like the minute I get those in the store they’re going to get stolen,” she added.
Rains PDX is one of many Portland-area businesses making similar moves, citing the increasing crime and lack of police response and city leadership, given that the city’s district attorneys no longer seem interested in pursuing crime as the law demands.
A popular Portland ice cream store, Salt & Straw, relocated out of Portland for the same reasons.
“Portland’s iconic ice cream business Salt & Straw may move its headquarters from Southeast Portland out of state, owing to frustration with crime, drugs and street camping…
“Someone recently pointed a gun at the head of a Salt & Straw employee.”https://t.co/7lGRkpFeZw
— Shane D. Kavanaugh (@shanedkavanaugh) November 23, 2022
Fox Business noted that the National Retail Federation recently reported that organized retail crime rose an astonishing 26.5 percent in 2021. That number is unsustainable for even the largest, resource-rich businesses, as rampant theft quickly devours already-slim profit margins.
The trend will continue as long as Democrat-led cities appoint and elect progressive leftist prosecutors who don’t believe in following the justice system in going after retail thieves. Drug addicts fuel their costly addictions primarily with retail theft, which will continue exacerbating the problem.
This trend in Portland, and other major U.S. cities, of shuttering businesses due to rampant crime and physical safety concerns reminds us how profoundly important it is to pay attention to local elections and ensure pro-law and order officials are pushed into office.
Sadly, those kinds of changes probably won’t occur until cities run by Democrats, such as Portland, completely fall. Perhaps only then will those in charge realize that bail reform, defunding law enforcement, and soft-on-crime prosecutors were the primary drivers of such a catastrophic event.
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