The Midwest grocery chain Hy-Vee is planning to place armed security guards in its stores across eight states in response to the climb of retail thefts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company, based in Iowa, released its plans earlier this week, and while it hasn't said if there was any specific incident that led to the decision, a company official said in an interview that a growing number of retail thefts across the country led Hy-Vee to bring in armed security, reports the New York Post.
"I think across the country, we’re seeing an increase in thefts and different crimes in retail locations," Hy-Vee Vice President of Security Jamie Sipes told KYTV in Springfield, Missouri. "[We] made the decision to move forward with a forward-facing security program that includes the tools that an officer would need to keep employees and customers safe."
"Hy-Vee has a strong history of doing anything for our customers, and these officers will be held to that same standard," said Jeremy Gosch, Hy-Vee’s president and chief operating officer, in the company's press release. "These officers will help provide another layer of safety and security for our customers, and will work alongside our store employees to deliver the same helpful smiles and outstanding service everyone expects at their local store."
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https://www.newsmax.com/us/hy-vee-armed-guards-retail-theft-grocers/2021/12/31/id/1050560/
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