CNBC report uses police data to dispute Target’s claims on Portland store closures
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Earlier this fall, Target announced that three Portland stores would be closing due to theft and crime that harmed employees, customers and overall business performance. But in a new report, CNBC uses police data to suggest that safety concerns weren’t the overarching reasons behind the closures.
In September, the major retailer notified patrons that it’d be closing nine locations across four states — including three in Portland. The Southwest Morrison Street, Southeast Powell Boulevard and Northeast Halsey Street stores all shuttered the following month.
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The company provided the same explanation for all of the closures.
“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 previously said in a statement. “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.”
However, according to the CNBC report published on Tuesday, some of Portland’s remaining Target stores have more recorded crime than the locations that are now closed.
The outlet used police records to determine the Southeast Washington Street and Cascades Parkway stores had 718 and 318 reported crime incidents respectively between January 2021 and September 2023. The now-shuttered Halsey location had 175 reported incidents, while the former Powell store had 135 and the downtown shop had 73.
CNBC noted that these totals only covered incidents that resulted in an arrest, police report or a response from officers.
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“Unfounded complaints, duplicate calls, requests for backup, and store and welfare checks were weeded out from the logs and not counted, along with other irrelevant information,” the outlet wrote. “Mental health crises, overdoses, vehicle thefts, vehicle burglaries and other events that weren’t directly related to Target or appeared to happen outside the confines of the store were also not included.”
CNBC also looked at reported incidents across Target stores in New York City, San Francisco and Seattle. According to researchers, some of the company’s remaining stores had higher foot traffic or customers with higher median incomes compared to those that have been closed. However, the outlet said that could be accredited to police department funding or the percentage of shoppers with disposable income.
Target spokesperson Jim Joice told reporters that the company frequently opens new locations, and the stores that were shuttered earlier this year reflect less than 0.5% of its stores nationwide.
The spokesperson added that “store-level incidents vary widely in severity, and police data won’t show the full extent of what our teams experience on the ground.”
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“We have also consistently conveyed our emphasis on safety and highlighted team members’ experiences that demonstrate the impact that theft and organized retail crime have had on our company, our guests, and the communities we serve,” Joice said.
He additionally said the company has invested in safety precautions, and partnered with local law enforcement, lawmakers and retail leaders to prevent further incidents.
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