Normal Police Officer warns the community about a potential uptick in retail theft

NORMAL, Ill. —With December nearing, the number of shoppers and students visiting Uptown for holiday shopping is expected to nearly double, sparking concerns over retail theft. Normal Police Officer Brad Park advised the Uptown community to be alert with this potential occurrence.

“Retailers here throughout Bloomington-Normal are upping their game to make sure retail thefts are not taking place,” Park said. “We do get called out to several major retailers frequently during this time of year, and we do have to make arrests, unfortunately.”

The Normal Police Department reported eight counts of retail theft in the Uptown area over the past week. Park urged community members to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to help protect local businesses.

“With holiday travel coming up, we tell people to give themselves more time getting from point A to point B, depending on the weather and traffic,” Park said.

Park noted that during winter, it was common for people to leave cars idling to warm up, often unlocked, which increased the risk of theft. He recommended that residents and students visit the Normal Police Department’s social media pages for tips on winter and car safety.