Local News
Shoplifting concerns persist in Boston after a big upswing last year, but reasons remain murky.
Boston Police are searching for serial shoplifters who have hit the Sunglass Hut at Faneuil Hall seven times, making off with roughly $18,000 in merchandise, amid growing concerns from retailers about a surge in shoplifting citywide.
According to a press release, the 7 Faneuil Hall Marketplace store had shoplifting incidents involving the same suspects between June 7 and Aug. 25, all taking place between Tuesday and Friday and between 2 and 4:30 p.m. The suspects stole 40 pairs of sunglasses.
Police say they are actively reviewing the facts and circumstances surrounding the incidents.
“Faneuil Hall Marketplace is committed to the viability and safety of its world-class site,” the marketplace property managers said in a response statement.
The managers say they provide security personnel on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, each tenant at Faneuil Hall Marketplace is responsible for security within their place of business.
The managers are working with Sunglass Hut and the Boston Police Department to resolve the issue.
The managers did not respond to the question of whether retail theft is up overall in the marketplace.
Luxottica Group, the owner of Sunglass Hut, did not respond to a request for comment, and the Boston Police Department did not respond to a request for additional information.
The thefts come as retailers in Boston raise concerns about increasing shoplifting. However, it’s unclear whether more people are shoplifting or whether the way officials collect and report the data creates a misleading picture.
At a press conference in July, Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox reported that shoplifting in Boston was up 15% from the previous year.
However, he said more retailers have reported incidents since the Safe Shopping Initiative launched in 2024. The initiative utilizes shoplifting data and reports from businesses to inform the next safety steps — and ultimately aims to prevent shoplifting and business closures.
Cox said at the press event that repeat offenders, like the one at Sunglass Hut, account for 20% of people arrested for shoplifting.
Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden added at the same event, “We know that a small percentage of repeat offenders drive a disproportionate percentage of retail crime, and that’s where we’re focusing our enforcement.”
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