Lock Down To Prevent Looters

By Matt Pillar, chief editor

The looting that plagued retailers in Ferguson, MO on the heels of the Mike Brown shooting last week caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and stolen merchandise. In countless cell phone videos posted to the Internet and capturing the unrest, liquor, sneakers, food, tires, and vehicle rims were among the items seen pilfered through smashed glass as helpless store clerks and associates hunkered for cover. AutoZone, Family Dollar, Walmart, Foot Locker, Walgreens, Hibbett Sports, and Sprint, in addition to several local retail establishments, were among the more than one dozen properties damaged, looted, and in at least one case, destroyed by fire.

Looting on this scale is a strange phenomenon, seemingly incited by protest and tragedy. Think the 2011 riots and looting in London, and the scenes in New Orleans and New Jersey after Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. In some cases, it’s a nihilistic response to catastrophe or perceived social injustice. In others, it’s simply chaos manufactured by hoodlums. It’s nonsensical.

What we do know is that when collective tension, fear, or other extreme emotion runs high, the risk of looting increases. And in addition to physical damage and merchandise theft, looting invites violence that puts your customers and associates at risk.

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