Is this the new norm of shopping in Houston?

Admittedly, I haven’t done a lot of in-store clothes shopping since 2020. This morning I went to a Burlington in a suburb. When I walked in, I was greeted by a blocked off entrance guarded by the Loss Prevention associate (who was wearing what looked like a bullet-proof vest). She told me they were now metering their customers, told me to look up at the camera, and said it was “a sign of the times”.

Is this the new normal of shopping in Houston? Has shopping really become so violent that the LP needs a bullet-proof vest? Or is it just one company working extra hard to prevent theft/catch thieves?

Edit to Add: The store is in Tomball, since so many have asked.