For those of you not familiar with it the “Magnificent Mile” is Chicago’s premium shopping district, home to upscale shops and pricey fashion outlets. It runs along Michigan Avenue from the Chicago River to Oak Street. This post was inspired by Stephen Taylor’s recent remarks at Outside the Beltway:
First and foremost, the obsession over Chicago is a long-term, right-wing, media-fueled narrative. To be clear, there is crime in Chicago. But not as much as the rightwing media narrative likes to pretend is the case. Chicago is far from a hellhole. Indeed, it is a lovely place and one of my favorite cities to visit.
I agree that Chicago is not a “hellhole” but I wonder how long it has been since Stephen has been here. I further wonder how many blocks south or west of the University of Chicago he’s strayed.
In 2019 the vacancy rate on the “Magnificent Mile” was 3%. Now, according to Crain’s Chicago, it’s nearly 30%. The reasons for that are varied but one important factor is that stores on the Magnificent Mile have become targets for “crash and grab” thefts. The process for such thefts seems to be:
- Steal a truck or SUV.
- Crash the stolen vehicle through the front window of a store.
- Loot the store.
- Escape in other vehicles.
Some of the stores there have experienced “crash and grabs” there repeatedly. A lot of Chicagoans are reluctant to go downtown after dark. High vacancy rates are one example of the sort of “indirect measures” of crime I’ve mentioned from time to time.
In my very nice Chicago neighborhood there was a homicide about three blocks from where I’m sitting—the first of my recollection. There have been holdups, assaults, and a kidnapping within two blocks. Such things were previously unheard of.
I am completely prepared to believe that Chicago’s homicide rate has declined sharply this year. Homicide is one of the few crime statistics in which I have confidence. They’re harder to avoid. Chicago’s homicide rate remains high compared with other large cities.
Walgreens just announced they were closing their large Old Post Office location. I don’t know what role shoplifting played in the decision but I doubt it was not a consideration.
https://www.goerie.com/story/news/2025/05/30/cvs-rite-aid-walgreens-closing-in-pa-heres-where-in-pennsylvania-cvs-stores-closing-walgreens-close/83947411007/
The above article is not up to date. Last I looked Walgreens is closing 1200 sites and Rite Aid as a percentage was worse IIRC. The drug stores went crazy with expansion right before people getting their drugs online or from their grocery store became the norm.
In general online shopping has changed a lot. Couple that with covid accelerating the changes. Couple that with tourism down as foreigners know they do into detention if their visa isn’t perfect, or reading in the news that Chicago has the worst homicide rates in the US (which it doesnt). Do you have any data on the incidence of cash and grabs? I know there have been a few highly publicized events but cant find any data to say that its increasing or if its just a news focus.
Steve
I think CuriousOnlooker made a good comment about looking at the issue of public space crime (or something like that). Murder is obviously the most serious crime, but mostly this is a crime against family or acquaintances. If people aren’t sure public space is safe, they will avoid it even if the crimes are relatively minor in comparison.
I know where the high crime areas of St. Louis are, it’s where the poverty is and I don’t ever go there or need to go there. But what’s new is that the public park areas of the downtown are full of homeless and the drug-addled. Which is all a shame because St. Louis has some very nice city design, a greenway stretching from the Arch on the river (almost uninterrupted) for about about two miles through the city. It was always a nice place to rest and let kids run around and climb on things, and people living nearby would be running or skating. Locals particularly resent the homeless camp across from the city courthouse from which drugs are obviously being sold. Cars pull up, someone brings out a package and the car drives away. I don’t know that broken glass policing is necessary, but if you want people to not think your city is crime infested, you may want to police the public places.
You’re talking about where I grew up (spent my first 10 years). Funny thing. I went to Bronzeville in Chicago a dozen years ago (it’s about 8 blocks west of Lake Shore Drive between 43rd St. and 47th St. I felt more at home there than I had in decades. I suspect there aren’t a lot of white guys who would react that way.
Taylor has lost his mind. Almost single handily destroying a nice blog. And Joyner has fiddled. But that a different issue.
Anyway. A long time since I was in Chicago. Longer still than when I lived basically across from the Wrigley Building. But I still have friends. They murder people s and w of U of C. Have for a long time. And Austin. And N of Wilson. And, oh, they now do the crash and storm on Michigan Ave as Dave says. and the cell phone steal. And the carjacking. Taylor is clueless.
As for Steve. Nice try, but BS. Rite Aid had too much debt and simply couldn’t compete with the larger chains: Wags and CVS. Plus the opium lawsuits. A false comparison Mr Data.
Today we have a retrenchment of Wags and CVS footprint. And guess which stores are going down? Those with looting and shoplifting problems. But I guess there is no crime. And who will it hurt most? Lower income; in the so called pharmacy deserts.
This is not to say on line pharm isn’t a problem. Wags and CVS are reacting. But where would you cut first?
Just last thought. The notion that crime in cities is a figment of our imagination is just head up your ass……..er, in the sand. It’s wholly for political positioning.