John Catsimatidis, the CEO of Gristedes, Food Emporium and D'Agostino
(New York, NY) — John Catsimatidis, the CEO of Gristedes, Food Emporium and D’Agostino (and of course the owner and operator of WABC radio) says he is sick and tired of shoplifters stealing from his grocery stores, so he’s fighting back. Gristedes and Food Emporium are putting anti-theft coding on Haagen Dazs ice cream pints, one of their most stolen items so they can track where they end up after they are lifted from stores. Shoplifters who steal the ice cream, usually sell it a few blocks away to bodegas and other stores. Catsimatidis will send workers into bodegas to check and see what stores are buying the ice cream that has been stolen from his grocery stores.
Workers at Gristedes and Food Emporium have been known to tackle shoplifters. Those who do catch people stealing items are given cash awards that can go as high as five-hundred-dollars. Catsimatidis says he also picks up the medical expenses of any worker who is hurt in the process of stopping a shoplifter at one of his stores.
