Home Depot Hires Guard Dogs in New York amid Retail Theft and Safety Concerns

Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced a new initiative aimed at enhancing public safety and combating organized retail theft. Meanwhile, in New York, a Home Depot store located in Westchester County has reportedly hired guard dogs to safeguard shoppers from aggressive solicitors and thieves flooding its parking lot due to an increasing number of complaints from customers who have been mobbed or harassed by these individuals. The New Rochelle outlet is staffing two security guards dressed in MSA protective vests alongside their German Shepherd guard dog counterpart patrolling the parking area for this very reason, according to reports published by the New York Post. This action was deemed necessary not just due to the high influx of migrants but also a plethora of other factors like people breaking into cars in the vicinity and suchlike incidents. Shoppers have reported similar occurrences at several locations as well. One customer even needed pepper spray for personal defense against persistent harassers after being declined their offered help by her husband, citing an overtly aggressive stance on part of these individuals, ultimately branding them hostile beyond solicitation attempts solely geared toward generating business income. Home Depot’s spokesperson clarified that they have a strict no-loitering and non-solication policy at all their stores; while refusing to divulge specific details regarding the security measures employed by this particular outlet, it is common practice for them to utilize third-party protection services across multiple locations nationwide.