Police in California have warned Trader Joe's shoppers about an increase in wallet thefts. Police in Livermore, which is part of the Tri-Valley, and in Danville, warned people that there's been an uptick in people taking wallets from shopping carts, and provided some tips to shoppers.
Livermore is about 44 miles away from San Francisco and 33 miles from Oakland. Danville is closer to both — about 23 miles from Oakland and 31 miles from San Francisco. Earlier in 2024, Denny's and In-N-Out Burger announced the closure of their Oakland restaurants due to safety concerns.
In a Facebook post, the Livermore Police Department posted a warning specifically for Trader Joe's shoppers, though it's unclear if the wallet thefts have also been happening at other stores.
"Recently there have been wallet thefts that have occurred at other Trader Joe stores in the Tri-Valley. In these crimes, wallets were taken from unattended shopping carts or open purses while victims were shopping in the store," the post read.
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In the same post, police advised shoppers to pay attention to their surroundings, and to keep their belongings "in a secure location, preferably in a front pocket or a closed or zipped bag that's close to your body."
"Even if it's just for a moment, never leave your wallet or valuables unattended in your shopping cart or on a counter," police advised.
The Danville Police Department also shared a similar warning.
The Danville Police Department shared that there have been reports of items being stolen from shoppers at "local stores." In spite of the warning, the police department also called it a "generally rare occurrence."
The police department told shoppers to "exercise caution when unloading your cart" and "consider leaving your bag at home or in a locked and concealed portion of your car while you shop," among other tips.
Tri-Valley cities are ranked among the safest in California, according to a Safewise analysis. In 2022, Danville was reportedly the safest city in California, with a violent crime rate of 0.5 crimes per 1,000 people, as per Safewise.
In contrast, Oakland's violent crime rate was 12.9 and San Francisco's was 5.4. The Denny's located near the Oakland International Airport closed earlier in 2024 after being open for more than 50 years.
A Denny's spokesperson told Business Insider that "the safety and well-being of Denny's team members and valued guests is our top priority. Weighing those factors, the decision has been made to close this location."
