Is This Popular New York Store Trying To Keep Mall Goers Out?

Since the beginning of January 2024 one the the biggest stores in Crossgates Mall remains locked to mall goers from the inside. 

If you've been to Crossgates Mall in Guilderland, NY since the start of the new year you may have noticed something is off about one of their biggest stores.

With the mall wars long over and Crossgates and Colonie Center both coming out victorious in their own way, it's not a shock that both malls are home to some major retailers. In Crossgates you've got the flagships of Macy's, JCPenny, and recently added is Primark.

However one of the biggest stores in the mall would also be Dick's Sporting Goods.

Dick's has been a part of Crossgates for as long as I can remember. Not only does it have one two-story location in the mall with two outside entrances, but it also has the Dick's Warehouse inside the mall where you can find discounted merchandise.

My question is - why can't I go into Dick's from the mall's lower level?

Since the beginning of January the lower level entrance to Dick's has been closed up. If you want to enter from the mall you'd have to go upstairs to do so.

At first I thought maybe this was just some sort of mistake and they forgot to open it. But I have been to the mall almost every week and even on the weekends and this door remains closed.

It got me thinking about the potential reason behind this.

READ MORE: Theft Increase In Upstate New York Supermarkets 

Could this be a tactic to scare off would be thieves? If you've been watching social media you would have seen that there have been some insane robberies taking place around the country.

Watch this video of a masked man stealing 50 iPhones

If theft is a major problem the ground floor at Dick's has some very high end items that could easily be grabbed like those phones. Things like expensive Northface jackets, and Under Armor clothing are right by that exit. Not the mention the sneakers and shoes are located on the bottom floor.

Another social media video from late 2023 showed thieves stealing over $12,000 in merchandise from a Nike store in Los Angeles.

Maybe this is just one way that Dick's in Crossgates is trying to keep theft down during these cold months.