Along with its bragging rights as a go-to destination for a nearly third of U.S. retail shoppers and a 90% brand awareness, Target now has an outlet in San Francisco that has been dubbed America‘s ‘most dangerous’ department store.
Knewz.com has learned that giving credence to this title, nearly every item on its shelves is under lock and key while armed guards in tactical fatigues man the store’s entrance.
YouTuber and commentator, Benny Johnson, shed light on the spectacle in a recent video posted on X.
“Target is one of the most popular retail locations in all of America. You probably have one in your hometown,” he narrated.
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The first thing that becomes apparent is the shatter-proof glass on the turnstile doors–two of which are boarded up.
As he heads up the escalators, a heavy-set armed individual dressed in camouflage comes into view. At that moment, the camera captures someone being apprehended for attempted shoplifting.
“That guy just got caught attempting to shoplift by armed security,” Johnson remarked.
Inside the shop, all the items on the shelves are either encased in transparent perspex boxes or locked behind glass doors.
Johnson strolls past bottled supplements, face masks, and underwear–all of which are barred from direct access.
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“Does your Target have to lock up in plastic boxes every item?” Johnson asks, then says: “This is what a zero-trust society looks like.”
As he walked down the aisles he pointed out the different items of varying selling prices.
“Every dress shirt is tagged and alarmed. Every single pair of shoes is locked. Men’s underwear is behind plastic,” he noted.
The video triggered a stream of comments with one netizen, @NYC_Cowsheep, telegraphing that the challenges faced by the Target outlet were but an artifact of a broader issue:
“It’s been heartbreaking to see the slow demise of this city.”
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While the individual on the ground bears witness to Fog City’s deterioration, other entities claim that the situation “is not as bad” as it sounds. According to Karen and her “Inside Guide to San Francisco Tourism”, FBI and police statistics indicate that the most common crime is car break-ins.
A publication by The San Francisco Standard
Newsweek, however, posted a conflicting report only one month prior, listing nine franchise outlets including a Target that closed their doors because of crime between July 2022 and March 2024.
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