Democrats are banking on solutions for shoplifting, a type of crime plaguing cities and growing in popularity, as a way to take away the Republicans’ winning platform on public safety and criminal justice this election season.

Retail theft is gradually becoming a serious problem in many Democratic-run areas, particularly in California, New York, and Washington, D.C., to name a few. Democratic leaders, who have struggled to run a platform on curbing crime while working toward comprehensive criminal justice reform, believe a solution to retail theft could be the key to rallying voters in the 2024 election.