The District is ranked as having the nation’s second-worst retail theft problem, according to a new survey released by Forbes Advisor.
The survey found that the District witnessed the most instances of retail theft per capita last year, at 2,829 thefts per 100,000 residents.
Shoplifting cost residents in the nation’s capital an average of $336 per person in 2021, according to the survey.
Forbes Advisor said the District saw 69% more retail theft than expected based on its share of the U.S. population.
Washington state was hardest hit by retail crime, according to the survey. Maine, Hawaii, and Pennsylvania rounded out the top five, following the District as the second-most affected area.
The effect of retail crime is especially evident when visiting CVS pharmacies around the city. One location in the heart of Columbia Heights garnered national attention last month for its rows and rows of empty shelves.
Another CVS on H Street has stopped restocking toilet paper, opting instead to put up photos of its inventory to prevent rampant theft.
Last month, Mayor Muriel Bowser proposed creating a task force that targets the leaders of organized retail theft rings in her Addressing Crime Trends Now legislation.
D.C. police statistics show that theft is up 22% this year, with property crime up 25% in 2023.