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They're like the McGuyvers of shoplifters.

Check this out:

This is from one of my last apprehensions in Dallas. I watched a 14 year old boy go to the tool isle, get a screw driver and then go to the toy department and unscrew the locked display case of "PokieMan" cards and then grab a handful and conceal them in his pants. Then he went to the Pharmacy, conceal a bunch of condoms and then went back to Toys where he concealed model parts.

I apprehended him after he exited the store, took him to my monitor room and started the paper work with my back to him. I finally turned around to so I could see his eye color for my report when I noticed him trying to get something out of his back pocket. I assumed it was more merchandise that I hadn't seen him get so I stood him up to take it from him. Imagine my surprise when I pulled a fully loaded .380 with slot jacketed hollow tips (one in the chamber) out of his back pocket. (see the center of the picture) God was watching me that day because he told the cop he was going to shoot me and run.

Incredible! Pay for the altar flowers next Sunday! You were really fortunate.

I tend to think of shoplifters as just sort of snatching something that appeals to them, or maybe going for a few small things (teenage girls stealing makeup, for example), but this kid sounds very systematic and I doubt it was the first time he was out there doing it. Of course, he probably won't get much punishment from the justice system, but it sure sounds as if shoplifting has moved up a whole notch on the seriousness scale.

Even so, the scenario with the "4 men" mixing pool chemicals to cause an explosion after stealing a "toy" is truly bizarre and it seems as if there must have been something else going on, some other motive than the theft of the toy. Maybe they were just trying out the explosion tactic to see how it worked as a diversion? I hope WalMart plans to secure these chemicals a little better.