Ward 8 Giant removes brand name items from shelves due to 'unprecedented' thefts

WASHINGTON — A Giant store in Ward 8 is announcing that it will no longer stock certain name-brand items, due to “unprecedented levels of theft.” The store already has a number of security measures in place, including police on the property. Now, WUSA9 has learned the company will go further.

"It saddens me a lot that this is our neighborhood grocery store, it's been here for quite some time, and this series of thefts in the store - it's disappointing," said shopper Pamela Davis.

Bare shelves are seen at the Giant store on Alabama Avenue in Southeast D.C. as Giant announced it was removing name-brand beauty and health items, like Advil, from the store.

It's the only grocery store in Ward 8, east of the Anacostia River, and the news has shoppers worried about the future of the store.

"This is just like everywhere [now], like shopping at a discount store," said shopper Alfred Coe.

"If it gets too bad with Giant and they take it away what do we have?," said Davis.

In a statement, Giant said the store would replace the removed items with private label brands "when possible." Giant also announced that as of September 7th, all customers will need to show their receipts to "asset protection associates" to exit the store. A police officer is already posted outside the store.

Shoppers say recent security additions do make them feel safer, including these security cameras and a loudspeaker that announces every few minutes that the parking lot is under surveillance.

"If you take this store away a lot of people don’t have transportation, it's convenient to them," said Coe.

Local politicians, including Councilman Trayon White, have pledged to work to keep the store open. The next nearest grocery stores are a Safeway and a Lidl store, nearly two miles away.