Retailers have been faced with increases in shoplifting and retail theft. But anti-theft prevention can hurt retail sales, says the CEO of Walgreens.

Walgreens’ strategy of locking up merchandise — from deodorants to bags of M&M’s — to deter theft has backfired, according to CEO Tim Wentworth. “It is a hand-to-hand combat battle still, unfortunately,

CEO Tim Wentworth admitted in a recent fiscal report call that combatting shoplifting by locking up items has led to customer dissatisfaction.

Tough times for retailers, who have battled out-of-control shoplifting and now say they’re losing money because of anti-theft measures. FOX 5’s Josh Rosenthal is in Northwest to explain why.

Walgreens has come to find out that both shoplifters and customers are turned off when items are locked away. In an earnings call on Tuesday, the drug store’s CEO Tim Wentworth blamed declining sales on locked up items: “When you lock things up