It's a city, not a mall. If you want to keep alcoholics away from your beverage, it would make sense to not have it out by the sidewalk when they stroll by. Otherwise, that's life in the (sorta) big city.
I, for one, would like to live in a city where I can eat/drink outside without fear of someone stealing my food.
Not in any city where I have had a drink in a pavement café! Not even in the US.