Retail thieves have been plaguing New York City with rampant shoplifting. Now, as the summer months heat up, the city's pharmacies and grocery stores are chaining freezers full of ice cream to deter stealing.

One grocery store in the Upper West Side installed anti-theft plastic devices on ice cream pints. The devices can only be removed at the cash register upon checkout.

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Padlocks and chains can now be seen in the frozen aisle of many Duane Reade stores in the city after thieves would repeatedly "clear out" their freezers.

According to Mayor Eric Adams's office, retail theft complaints have shot up by 78% since 2018.

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Adams's office has offered to provide de-escalation training for retail employees in dealing with the massive shoplifting problem. Critics have called the training unrealistic.