Aurora mayor meets with Walmart over shoplifting crisis

Photo byMarques Thomas/Unsplash

Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman recently met with Walmart officials to discuss how shoplifting is becoming epidemic at their stores.

“This morning, I participated in a productive meeting with Walmart representatives from their corporate headquarters, regional and local leaders,” Coffman posted May 29 on his Facebook page. “The meeting followed their announcement of the closure of the Walmart Neighborhood Market store located at 10400 E. Colfax Ave. in Aurora, triggering the meeting. They are not changing their decision to close the store. Out of this morning's meeting was an agreement to meet with local Walmart managers on a monthly basis to ensure that the city and Walmart are working closely together on reducing retail theft. In addition, they will be participating in a city sponsored retail theft conference, later this summer, between Aurora's major retailers, the Aurora Police Department, prosecutors from the 18th Judicial District, and the Colorado Retail Association to discuss what can be done to bring down retail theft.”

The Walmart in Quebec Square in Central Park in Denver has locked up almost everything. Clerks must be summonsed to unlock everything from deodorant to detergent. They run around like chickens with their heads cut off from one needy patron to the next.

Coffman recommends Lowe’s Mercado

Walmart did not return an email seeking comment about the Central Park Walmart. As for the Aurora Walmart closing, Coffman said another nearby market should be able to accommodate Walmart’s former customers. “Less than a block away, at 10777 E. Colfax Avenue, is ‘Lowe's Mercado’ which is a much larger, welcoming, and a remarkably clean grocery store,” Coffman posted on Facebook. “Lowe's Mercado was originally established to serve the Hispanic immigrant community but has since evolved to welcome everyone with an amazing selection of fresh vegetables, fruits, and meats. All of their signs and advertising are in both Spanish and English.

“A key difference between Lowe's Mercado and Walmart's Neighborhood Market is that Walmart has a reputation for being tolerant of shoplifting while Lowe's Mercado's policies don't tolerate it. The difference is probably the biggest reason why Lowe's Mercado can be successful, and Walmart was not, while operating in the same area. No doubt, there will be individuals who will be negatively impacted by the closure of the Walmart Neighborhood Market at Havana and Colfax, and they will be the shoppers who routinely fill their carts up and walk out of the Walmart store without paying. Good luck trying that at Lowe's Mercado.”