CBS News
U.S. cities, retailers boost security as crime worries grow among potential shoppers
Los Angeles — A flash mob of at least 17 masked thieves who pushed past holiday shoppers to rob a Nike store Sunday night near Los Angeles is exactly the kind of crime cities across the country are trying to crack down on this holiday season.
After a series of thefts scared away shoppers and shut down stores, San Francisco launched the Safe Shopper Initiative that involves beefing up police patrols to ease jitters.
The same goes for Dolphin Mall in Sweetwater, Florida, a suburb of Miami, where K-9s and extra officers will be more visible.
“You’re going to be probably the safest you could be anywhere, any place in the world,” Sweetwater’s mayor, Jose “Pepe” Diaz, said.
This comes as a new annual Gallup poll on personal safety shows more Americans fear becoming victims of a crime, with 40% of respondents to the poll saying they were afraid to walk alone at night within a mile of their home, the highest such number in the poll since 1993. Fifty percent of respondents feared getting their car stolen, and 17% said they avoid going to the mall.
On Monday, CBS News accompanied authorities as they carried out a raid in L.A., arresting suspected robbers accused of being involved in an organized shoplifting ring that targeted drug stores like CVS and Walgreens throughout California.
Even in posh Beverly Hills, officials said they are determined to keep shoppers safe. Police drones are now in the air 14-hours a day after a brazen daylight attack on a jewelry store in March of 2022 in which the suspects used crowbars and axes. Beverly Hills police officers are also monitoring 2,500 security cameras in the city.
“We’ve created this real-time watch center where all of the city cameras can be watched in a single place,” Beverly Hills Mayor Dr. Julian Gold told CBS News, adding that he believes the drones and security cameras have led to a decrease in crime, while helping shoppers and residents feel safer.
“If we don’t do something soon, our stores are going to be out of business,” said Aaron Jones, president and CEO of International Protective Service, which provides armed guards to commercial businesses nationwide. He says the number of requests for security guards has tripled since 2020.
“They realize that they have to do something to protect people,” Jones said.
In addition to extra security, some retailers are experimenting with new store layouts to help reduce blind spots and deter shoplifters. It’s estimated U.S. retailers lost a record $112 billion dollars in stolen merchandise in 2022, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation.
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CBS News
Kamala Harris will speak with “60 Minutes” tomorrow. Here’s what to know for the interview.
Voters will get the chance to hear from Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday as she presents her case for why she should be president in a “60 Minutes” election special.
For decades, “60 Minutes” has featured both Republican and Democratic nominees for presidents, but this year, former President Donald Trump backed out after previously indicating he would be on the show. Correspondent Scott Pelley, who’d been set to interview Trump, will instead travel to Arizona’s Maricopa County, home to more than 60% of Arizona’s voters and a critical battleground in a key swing state.
One thing is certain about the election; with the U.S. deeply involved in both the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, whoever wins on Nov. 5 will become a wartime president.
What Harris will discuss
Israel’s war started one year ago after Hamas launched a surprise terror attack and correspondent Bill Whitaker will discuss the ongoing war with Harris.
Harris will also discuss the economy, immigration, her record as vice president and the differences between herself and Trump.
Democratic vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz will also appear.
Whitaker joined the Democratic ticket on the campaign trail this week to gain insight into their platform’s priorities and values, and what the candidates believe voters should know.
Why Trump pulled out of the “60 Minutes” interview
Leading up to the candidate hour, Trump, through campaign spokespeople, was the first candidate to accept the “60 Minutes” request to be interviewed for the special, according to CBS News. It had been agreed that both candidates would receive equal time during the broadcast.
Trump last sat down with 60 Minutes in 2020. He walked out during the interview with Lesley Stahl. Trump referenced the incident on Tuesday night at a Milwaukee press conference when asked about his decision not to participate in the Oct. 7 “60 Minutes” election special.
“Well, right now, I went to – they came to me and would like me to do an interview, but first I want to get an apology, because the last time I did an interview with them, if you remember, they challenged me on the computer,” Trump said. “They said the ‘laptop from hell’ was from Russia, and I said it wasn’t from Russia. It was from Hunter, and I never got an apology, so I’m sort of waiting. I’d love to do ’60 Minutes.’ I do everything.”
The Republican nominee for president emphasized that he felt he was owed an apology from “60 Minutes.”
“Let’s see if they do it. I wouldn’t mind doing 60,” Trump continued. “I’ve done ’60 Minutes’ a lot.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung said that Trump’s team had not agreed to an interview.
“Fake News,” Cheung said in a post on X. “60 Minutes begged for an interview, even after they were caught lying about Hunter Biden’s laptop back in 2020. There were initial discussions, but nothing was ever scheduled or locked in. They also insisted on doing live fact checking, which is unprecedented.”
Previous Trump, Harris appearances on 60 Minutes
Trump previously sat down with “60 Minutes'” Mike Wallace in 1985, Pelley in 2015 and Lesley Stahl twice in 2016, first in July of that year and then again in November of 2016. He also spoke with Stahl again in 2018 and 2020.
Harris previously sat down with Whitaker last year. She also was interviewed by Norah O’Donnell, “CBS Evening News” anchor and “60 Minutes” contributing correspondent, in 2020.
How to watch the “60 Minutes” election special
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