Target closing nine stores over 'theft and organized retail crime'

Retail giant Target on Tuesday announced the closure of nine stores across four states due to a surge in crime.

The closures will affect three stores in Portland, Ore., three in San Francisco, Calif., two in Seattle, Wash., and one in New York City. All four cities have struggled to contend with mounting crime and homelessness.

"At Target, we take the decision to close stores very seriously, and only do so after taking meaningful steps to invest in the guest experience and improve business performance," the company announced. "With that said, we have made the difficult decision to close nine Target stores across four states, effective Oct. 21."

"In this case, we cannot continue operating these stores because theft and organized retail crime are threatening the safety of our team and guests, and contributing to unsustainable business performance," Target asserted.

Target is not the only business to leave San Francisco amid the crime wave and even iconic local stores such as Gump's have warned that deteriorating conditions in the city may force their closure. New York, meanwhile, is facing considerable pressure due to a surge in illegal immigrant arrivals, who have flocked to the sanctuary city amid a broader surge in border crossings.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.