Richmond’s ABC stores continue to see theft issues, but they are also spreading to Henrico County

Nearly $1 million worth of liquor was stolen from Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) stores last year, with Richmond city stores alone accounting for more than $170,000 — about 17% of the statewide losses, according to a public records request filed by The Richmonder.

ABC store thefts made up 49% of all shoplifting cases handled by the Richmond Police Department, involving more than 1,800 incidents, according to Richmond Chief of Police Rick Edwards. 

“We've made some progress in some of the stores, but this number is still trending up,” said Edwards. 

What are people stealing statewide? The answer, more often than not, is tequila. It accounts for roughly 64% of all alcohol stolen. (The most-purchased liquor in Virginia is vodka.)

Henrico County sees shoplifting surge

In Henrico County, ABC store thefts accounted for 576 of the county’s 3,010 larceny calls in 2024 — about 19%, according to Henrico Police Chief Eric English. 

More than $14,000 in liquor was reported stolen from stores across Henrico, according to data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. 

In Henrico, the rise in theft has prompted the police department to investigate store-specific trends and increase enforcement at three high-volume locations: Willow Lawn, South Laburnum Avenue and Nine Mile.

“I can't pinpoint a particular reason why those three stores are elevated compared to others. There's just no rhyme or reason to it,” English said. “That's where our focus has been, trying to reduce the numbers there, because they stand out compared to other ABC stores. We've had a lot more visibility and more enforcement in those particular locations.”

The ABC’s overall shrink rate, which includes the value of inventory lost due to theft, damage or error, remains below the national average at just 0.067% of total sales.

Henrico Police only recently began tracking ABC related larcenies separately from other larceny calls, a decision driven by the increasing number of incidents.

“I can just tell you from my four and a half years here as chief, this was not something that we were dealing with when I first got here,” English said. 

To identify suspects, the department launched “Booze Clues,” a weekly campaign on Facebook that shares surveillance images of people suspected of stealing from local ABC stores.

The initiative has led to several tips and arrests, according to English. Still, he emphasized that such tactics are reactive, not preventive. (The weekly feature has since been renamed to "ABC Store Larcenies.")

ABC staff are trained to keep a watchful eye, but not to pursue shoplifters, said Virginia ABC Public Relations Specialist Pat Kane.

“No bottle of spirits is worth risking harm to our employees,” Kane said. 

Security solutions

English said placing liquor behind counters, or within locked cases, could deter theft. However, most Virginia ABC stores in Henrico allow open access to bottles on shelves, a design choice that prioritizes aesthetics and customer convenience but invites shoplifting.

“They're not amenable to making those cosmetic changes and until you do that, you're going to continue to have people going and feeling comfortable stealing from ABC stores,” English said. 

ABC stores are managed at the state level, and local store managers do not have the authority to make layout or security changes. That limits the scope of what local police can do in terms of prevention, English said.

At the 1217 West Broad Street location, near VCU’s campus, staff now operate behind a glass partition, retrieving items for customers upon request. 

“We are working closely with ABC,” Edwards said. 

Virginia ABC also said it is working closely with local law enforcement, including occasional joint operations, to create safe shopping experiences for the public, Kane said. 

“This includes evaluating the most-effective ways to report crimes, and provide attributes of shoplifters, that may lead to arrests by Richmond-area law enforcement agencies,” Kane said. “Virginia ABC will continue listening to our partners and making adjustments.”