A coalition of New York businesses is calling on city and state officials to more aggressively address larceny and retail theft following the assault of a grocery store cashier in the Bronx last weekend.
In surveillance video of the incident at Food Universe Marketplace on 312 E. 194th St. in Fordham Manor, a group of people is seen instigating a physical fight with a cashier — punching and hitting the employee on the head.
A spokesperson from the NYPD confirmed with the Bronx Times on Tuesday that officers from the 52nd Precinct responded to Food Universe Marketplace just after 1 p.m. on Sunday. The cashier, a 24-year-old female, refused medical attention on the scene.
Pedro Goico, a Collective Action to Protect our Stores (CAPS) member and operator of Food Universe Marketplace in Fordham Manor, announced a $2,500 reward for information that would lead to the arrest of the group that assaulted the cashier.
“I am putting this reward up so that anyone with information is compelled to come forward,” Goico said in a statement. “Too many workers, like our brave cashier, have been attacked, and enough is enough — we need action.”
Police said the motive for the attack was still unknown, and that no arrests had been made as of Tuesday.
In a statement sent to the Bronx Times, CAPS said that employees often face abuse during a robbery. The organization, which formed earlier this year, is made up of more than 5,000 small businesses across New York state that are calling on Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul to address the lack of enforcement and accountability in instances of retail theft.
“Beyond the statistics on retail thefts going up, these are people — many immigrants — who are being attacked when stores are robbed,” CAPS said. “We need our leaders in City Hall and Albany to step up to protect our workers, stores and ensure customers can shop in safety.”
New York State…
Read the full article here