It's really strange (though logical if you think about who controls them) seeing these articles from supposedly neutral news sources with a very strong right slant. If you look at actual data there is no crime surge and thefts from retailers hurt almost no one (except maybe investors for insurance companies making slightly less money). On the other hand large retailers such as Target blatantly steal millions from employees through overtime violations and minimum wage violations. In fact, if you look at the numbers, both completely legal civil asset forfeiture and illegal (but not criminal and extremely lacking in enforcement) theft from employees outnumber total value stolen from burglaries.

And for feces and needles: There's an obvious solution more effective than arresting people: public toilets. Many of these cities like to think of themselves as "liberal" while refusing to do the absolute minimum for any of their poorer residents.