A new report by PACourts says retail theft is steadily on the rise in Pennsylvania, and it is almost to pre-pandemic levels.
In 2019, the state had 38,952 criminal filings for retail theft. After the pandemic hit, there were more than 11,000 fewer filings the next year, and even fewer in 2021. In 2022, when shoppers began to return to stores, there were more than 32,000 filings and in 2023, there were 37,962.
The cold weather months are when retail theft increases the most. After years of declines, the report shows that from 2021 to 2023, thefts from stores rose in all months, with January, October, November, and December leading the way, all with nine percent increases.
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