APD calls on Walgreens to step up anti-crime measures

Jonathan Fjeld | KOB

[anvplayer video=”5188791″ station=”998122″]

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — In a letter recently sent to Walgreens, the Albuquerque Police Department is calling on the company to help fight retail crime.

Since the beginning of 2022, APD Chief Harold Medina claims they’ve responded to over 1,000 service calls at five Walgreens stores along Central. The chief also claimed these calls cost taxpayers at least $125,000.

The chief also expressed concerns about shoplifting and theft rates remaining “high and unmitigated.” He also said he’s concerned about alcohol theft, given the external threat he says it poses to the community.

Earlier this month, police accused a group of teens of stealing liquor from a Walgreens, then allegedly stealing a car from 23-year-old Sydney Wilson. Then, one of those teens shot and killed Wilson when she went to recover her car.

Albuquerque police released video Monday, showing them allegedly stealing alcohol before the shooting.

In a letter recently sent to Walgreens, the Albuquerque Police Department is calling on the company to help fight retail crime.

The letter outlines some suggested steps for Walgreens to help cut back on crime, including:

Limiting customers’ direct access to alcohol
Hiring a Level 3 security guard
Requiring employees to report all shoplifting incidents to APD

Another video shows thieves calmly stealing dozens of bottles of liquor from a northeast Albuquerque Walgreens last month.

APD arrested three men for the alleged theft July 11.

One of the men, Brian Singer, was released from jail the next day.

Then, on the afternoon of July 17, police found Singer with a gunshot wound while responding to a shooting in the area of Kentucky and Acoma in southeast Albuquerque.

Paramedics took Singer to the hospital. Doctors put him on life support July 26. He died nine days later.

MORE: