NYC bodega owners, grocers arming themselves with guns amid violent thefts plaguing Big Apple – By Matthew Sedacca (New York Post) / Dec 2, 2023
They’re stocked, locked, and loaded.
Hundreds of Big Apple supermarket and bodega owners are arming themselves as the epidemic of violent theft continues to plague their businesses.
Over the past year, the United Bodegas of America and the Bodega and Small Business Group said they’ve helped at least 230 store owners apply for their gun licenses, connecting them with concealed-carry classes required by the state to obtain a permit.
The National Supermarket Association, which represents roughly 600 independent grocers, estimated a quarter of its members in the city are packing heat, compared to 10% pre-pandemic.
