Officials at Target Corp. — citing organized retail thefts and the ongoing threat such thefts often bring to their staff and customers — announced Tuesday that the company will cease operations at high-profile Target stores in Oakland, Pittsburg and San Francisco.
The last day those stores will be open is Oct. 20.
Target officials specifically mentioned the ongoing problem of organized retail theft and the threat that thefts large and small have presented to their guests as the reason for the closures.
The company also announced the closure of stores in New York City, Seattle and Portland. Nine stores were closed in total, while Target officials pointed out that they maintained dozens of other stores in each of those major markets.
“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 said in a statement announcing the closures. They added that they “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. We know that our stores serve an important role in their communities, but we can only be successful if the working and shopping environment is safe for all.”
In the Bay Area, the stores that will close include one at Broadway and 27th Street in downtown Oakland; a store at 4301 Century Boulevard in the Century Plaza of Pittsburg; and a store at Folsom and 13th Street in San Francisco.
“Before making the decision, we invested heavily in strategies to prevent and stop theft and organized retail crime in our stores, such as adding more security team members, using third-party services and implementing theft-deterrent tools across our business,” Target said in its statement. “Despite our efforts, unfortunately, we continue to face fundamental challenges to operating these stores safely and effectively.”
Officials with the cities of Oakland, San Francisco and Pittsburg could not immediately be reached for comment on the decision Tuesday afternoon.
According to the company, the closures leave open 32 stores in their Oakland/San Francisco market and those stores employ more than 6,400 people. The company did not say how many employees will lose their jobs as a result of the three store closures.
This is a developing report. Please check back for updates.