Crime has gotten so bad in New Jersey that some retail stores are going to put body cameras on employees as another deterrent for potential shoplifters.

TJX, the owners of HomeGoods, HomeSense, Marshalls, Sierra and TJ Maxx, said that not all employees would be wearing body cameras, but specifically those trained in loss prevention.

Here’s more from NorthJersey:

If you go into a HomeGoods or HomeSense in New Jersey, don’t be surprised to see store workers wearing something more typically associated with a police officer: body cameras.

The owner of the retail stores said that body cameras will be worn to deter thieves.

A spokesperson at TJX — which owns HomeGoods, HomeSense, Marshalls, Sierra and TJ Maxx — said in a statement to NorthJersey.com affiliate USA TODAY that the body cameras have been used in various stores over the past year.

Not every store employee will have a body camera, the spokesperson said, but they will be worn by loss prevention associates trained to use them.

The retail stores hope that the body cameras will add another level of security, reduce crime and prevent escalated incidents from occurring.

“Adding cameras is understandable inasmuch as it helps protect staff against abuse and allows them to record any unlawful behavior that they come across,” said Neil Saunders, a retail analyst and managing director of GlobalData.

“Sadly, theft and other criminality has been on the rise in retail, so this is a response to that,” Saunders said.

I never thought I’d see the day when retail stores would have employees wearing body cameras. But honestly, this isn’t the solution to the problem of retail theft and crime. The only solution that really means anything is severe criminal consequences. Until that happens, this is going to continue and more stores are going to end up closing down.