A New York pastry shop owner posted alleged thefts caught on camera, and one woman’s shout of “I’ll call the cops!” did nothing to stop it

A New York pastry shop owner is drawing attention online after compiling surveillance footage that appears to show a string of alleged thefts inside her store. As detailed by Daily Dot, the clips were reposted on X by user @Liberfach0 and have drawn more than five million views since. The footage shows several people walking into the shop, taking pastries or bread, and leaving without paying, all while other customers were seated nearby.

In one clip, a man grabs a pastry and heads straight for the door the moment he notices the camera, while a woman can be heard shouting, “I’ll call the cops!” In another, a man takes two parcels of bread from near the entrance and walks out as the same woman yells, “Put it back!” Her warnings are ignored both times, and the individuals leave with the unpaid items in hand.

The reaction online has been split between sympathy for the shop owner and practical suggestions for cutting down on theft. Several commenters proposed moving items behind the counter so customers have to ask for them, while others floated switching to a pickup window or delivery-only model. Multiple users also pointed to the financial strain that repeated theft puts on a small business trying to cover rent, payroll, and other costs. The Daily Dot said it was unable to independently verify the claims made in the viral post or the full circumstances surrounding the footage.

This shop isn’t dealing with an isolated problem

The incident lines up with a broader trend the retail industry has been tracking. A report titled The Impact of Theft & Violence 2025, released on October 28, 2025, by the National Retail Federation and the Loss Prevention Research Council, found an 18% increase in the average number of shoplifting incidents per retailer in 2024 compared to 2023.

Threats or acts of violence tied to those incidents rose 17% over the same period. The debate over retail security comes amid other viral disputes involving frustrated workers, including one where a Planet Fitness worker demands $500 from a confused member.

NRF Vice President for Asset Protection and Retail Operations David Johnston said retailers are contending with rising levels of theft, fraud and violence while working to refine their security measures. The report also found that retailers have leaned harder into cameras, better lighting, license plate readers, and locking display cases to curb losses.

Retail flashpoints have made headlines elsewhere too, in a separate case where a woman’s EBT card declined repeatedly at a Walmart checkout. The same report found that 64% of retailers said they reported less than half of their store-related theft incidents to law enforcement, with most citing an expectation that police would not respond.