Today, I started thinking about the amount of shoplifting in our area and theft in general. After we were hit by a thief a few months ago here at Townsquare, I knew there had to be numbers to show how bad it really is...

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The Five Finger Discount

Across the U.S., shoplifting is a BIG issue. But, haven't you wondered before which states are the worst? Statista.com released their charts on total thefts reported in the U.S. during 2021 (a year plagued by the pandemic), and here's how those results break down.

Everything's Bigger In Texas

Turns out, Texas doesn't get just the honor of having everything be BIG... they also get the honor of being the WORST state to own a business, thanks to shoplifting.

It's not even close, as Texas reported 452,357 thefts in 2021. By contrast, Washington holds down the 2nd place spot with just 164,309. Over DOUBLE the damage being done in Texas.

How about The Big Sky State?

For us here in Montana, there is some good news. "Only" 17,442 thefts were reported in 2021. A small number, for sure until you look at the total population of our state. We have 1.1 Million people. That is a large figure for such a small population!

The Top 5 WORST States To Run a Business In

We'll keep this simple. Montana ain't too bad, but we can tell you for certain the states to avoid if you want to not have theft.

  1. Texas - 452,357
  2. Washington - 164,309
  3. North Carolina - 158,155
  4. Ohio - 131,168
  5. Colorado - 120,385

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the App Chat or on Facebook.

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