Citing a dramatic rise in shoplifting over the last five years, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has unveiled a plan to crack down on retail theft in the city.

The plan includes a new, streamlined way for stores to report shoplifting to the NYPD; establishes a neighborhood retail watch program; and creates specialized task force to respond to shoplifting incidents.

The program also calls for prevention and intervention strategies to address the underlying causes of retail theft.

It builds on a collaborative effort between retailers, law enforcement, and other stakeholders that came together through a summit hosted by the mayor at Gracie Mansion last year.

“This plan aims to reassure our store owners that we know they are essential to our city, and we have their backs,” said Adams in a statement. “I want to thank the nearly 100 stakeholders from the public and private sectors who participated in our summit last year and who contributed to drafting this report for bringing forward their innovative solutions to tackle this critical issue.”

According to the mayor’s office, with the exception of 2020, the total number of citywide shoplifting complaints has increased year over year since 2018, with the largest increase – 44 percent – taking place from 2021 to 2022.