Target announced it will close nine stores across four states, effective Oct. 21, to combat organized retail crime and for the safety of employees and customers.

Despite investing heavily in strategies to prevent and stop theft and organized retail crime in stores, unsustainable business performance also contributed to the decision, the retail giant said.

In recent years, Target said it added more security employees by enlisting third-party guard services and implemented theft-deterrent tools, such as locking cases for merchandise categories that are prone to theft, across its business.

The retailer also embarked on store leader and security team member training to improve safety and de-escalate issues associated with organized retail crime incidents and invested in cyber defense to track organized crime groups, develop custom tools to prevent and detect criminal activity, integrating them into online and in-store processes.

Target said it is working hard to combat theft by supporting the recent passage of the INFORM Consumers Act, which gives marketplaces a larger role in combating the second-hand sale of stolen goods; by advocating for the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act in Congress to create a task force of federal agencies to crack down on theft and organized retail crime; and by hosting store walks with members of Congress, state legislators, city officials, district attorneys, law enforcement and local community partners to educate them on the retailer’s efforts to combat retail theft.

The following stores will be closing effective Oct. 21:

New York City Market:
Harlem: 517 E 117th St.
96 stores remain open in the New York City market, employing more than 20,000 team members.

Seattle Market:
Seattle University Way: 4535 University Way NE
Seattle Ballard: 1448 NW Market St., Ste 100
22 stores remain open in the Seattle market, employing nearly 4,000 team members.

San Francisco/Oakland Market:
SF Folsom and 13th St: 1690 Folsom St.
Oakland Broadway & 27th: 2650 Broadway
Pittsburg: 4301 Century Blvd.
32 stores remain open in the San Francisco/Oakland market, employing more than 6,400 team members.

Portland Market:
Portland Galleria: 939 SW Morrison St.
Portland Powell: 3031 SE Powell Blvd.
Portland Hollywood: 4030 NE Halsey St.
15 stores remain open in the Portland market, employing more than 2,500 team members.

The retailer, who has partnered with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division to combat retail theft, will continue to have more than 150 locations open in markets where the closures are taking place.