Gristedes boosts security as thieves steal ‘more than ever’

The billionaire owner of a city supermarket chain says he’s fighting back against thieves who are putting other stores out of business.

John Catsimatidis said he is beefing up security to protect the beef and other products at his 30 Gristedes and D’Agostino’s stores throughout the city, where sticky-fingered shoplifters have walked off with meat, toiletries, cleaning supplies and ice cream.

According to Catsimatidis — a city Republican Party leader who ran for mayor in 2013 — thefts are up nearly 50% at the supermarkets, and have cost Gristedes and D’Agostino’s millions of dollars.

“They’re stealing more than ever,” Catsimatidis said at a Manhattan Gristedes on Second Ave. near E. 40th St. “You know who it’s hurting? It’s hurting the poor. It’s hurting the middle class. It’s hurting the people in these neighborhoods where all these stores are closing. Are we closing stores? Absolutely not.”

The most popular items to steal are meats, Catsimatidis (right) said. To combat meat thefts, store managers will put less packaged meat on store shelves, and replenish them as needed.

Shoplifters also like Tide laundry detergent, Dove soap, Ensure nutritional shakes and Häagen-Dazs ice cream, he said.

Gristedes and D’Agostinos stores will add nearly 100 security personnel, some from the ranks of retired police officers.

The security measures come several weeks after Rite Aid executives announced that several of their New York City stores were closing. Rite Aid employees said a rash of thefts were behind the shutdowns.

According to the NYPD Citywide Crime Statistics, the City of New York has seen a 23.3 percent increase in incidents of petit larceny, over last year.

Even the Rev. Al Sharpton expressed his concern about the crime wave, using a TV appearance to appeal to Mayor Adams to step up his efforts to address the growing problem.

“In fairness to Eric, he’s only been mayor five weeks,” Sharpton said Wednesday during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “But even as a fan of him: Eric, they’re locking up my toothpaste.”

To protect inventory, many stores have begun locking up low-cost items, including toothpaste. Sharpton and others aid they have to ask for help just to get a tube of Colgate or Aquafresh.

“I mean, we’re talking about basic stuff here,” Sharpton said. “I’m like, what did I miss that we now have to lock up toothpaste?”

Catsimatidis said New York City will not be back to normal until authorities get a handle on crime.

“People have to feel safe walking around,” Catsimatidis said. “People have to feel safe going into subways. That is the big item left.”