Malls have been on the decline for decades. The two malls closest to me put a "no unattended minors" policy in place. When I was a teenager, you just...went to

Malls have been on the decline for decades. The two malls closest to me put a "no unattended minors" policy in place. When I was a teenager, you just...went to the mall. Mall management is choking off a huge source of foot traffic to avoid the hassle of telling kids to stop fucking around. The closest mall to me has lost two of its anchor stores. One of the malls near my old apartment in Chicago had a theater, an axe throwing venue...and some offices to fill some of the dozens of vacant retail locations. It's been in a downward spiral for years. Loss of visitors has led to more loss of visitors, shoplifting aside. And what happens when the "legitimate" foot traffic goes away? The shops are empty. Not just from shoppers, but from staff. I wanted to buy a dress shirt a couple weeks ago at my local Macy's. I walked around the floor for nearly 15 minutes and couldn't find a single employee. There was one at a single checkout in a back corner. And so why is it a surprise that when shoppers disappear, staff is cut, and the shoplifting rate goes up? It seems obvious to me. These big stores should have fewer locations that are smaller and more well-maintained. Spread themselves less thin and whole-ass the stores that they can actually afford to staff and secure.