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As Economy Dips, Arrests for Shoplifting Soar
New York Times ^ | December 22, 2008 | Ian Urbina and Sean D. Hamill

Posted on 12/23/2008 6:26:55 AM PST by reaganaut1

...

Police departments across the country say that shoplifting arrests are 10 percent to 20 percent higher this year than last. The problem is probably even greater than arrest records indicate since shoplifters are often banned from stores rather than arrested.

Much of the increase has come from first-time offenders like Mr. Johnson making rash decisions in a pinch, the authorities say. But the ease with which stolen goods can be sold on the Internet has meant a bigger role for organized crime rings, which also engage in receipt fraud, fake price tagging and gift card schemes, the police and security experts say.

And as temptation has grown for potential thieves, so too has stores’ vulnerability.

“More people are desperate economically, retailers are operating with leaner staffs and police forces are cutting back or being told to deprioritize shoplifting calls,” said Paul Jones, the vice president of asset protection for the Retail Industry Leaders Association.

The problem, he said, could be particularly acute this December, “the month of the year when shoplifting always goes way up.”

Two of the largest retail associations say that more than 80 percent of their members are reporting sharp increases in shoplifting, according to surveys conducted in the last two months.

Compounding the problem, stores are more reluctant to stop suspicious customers because they fear scaring away much-needed business. And retailers are increasingly trying to save money by hiring seasonal workers who, security experts say, are themselves more likely to commit fraud or theft and are less practiced at catching shoplifters than full-time employees are.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: shoplifting
Shoplifting may have increased because we are in a recession, but part of the reason we are in a recession is widespread dishonesty on all sides (bankers, brokers, borrowers) in the housing industry.
1 posted on 12/23/2008 6:26:55 AM PST by reaganaut1
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To: reaganaut1

part of the reason we are in a recession is widespread dishonesty on all sides (bankers, brokers, borrowers) in the housing industry. Senators, Congress Critters, etc. etc..


2 posted on 12/23/2008 6:29:48 AM PST by bitterohiogunclinger (America held hostage - day 48)
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To: reaganaut1
I'm really sruprised that a lot of these liberal, big city mayors didn't "suspend" shoplifting laws until after Christmas.

SARC/

3 posted on 12/23/2008 6:31:01 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (For more information on America's "new direction" read The Road to Serfdom. by Friedrich A. Hayek.)
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To: reaganaut1
How to shoplift in 2008. Get credit card, buy all you can, walk away from all debts, wait for government bailout...
4 posted on 12/23/2008 6:31:16 AM PST by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)
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To: reaganaut1
Yup. Gotta shop lift those CDs, DVDs, perfume, watches, hair conditioner, oh and oil for changing oil in the ride.
5 posted on 12/23/2008 6:31:57 AM PST by RetiredArmy (Great patriotic stuff at www.patriotstore.us.)
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To: reaganaut1

“Come on kids, time to go do our Christmas shoplifting.” (sorry, I couldn’t resist)


6 posted on 12/23/2008 6:32:15 AM PST by Army MP Retired (There Will Be Many False Prophets)
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To: reaganaut1
I'm sure that this won't happen after 1/20. /sarc

I dare to ask - could this also be a case of certain people feeling emboldened and feeling they have a modicum of "immunity" nowadays?

7 posted on 12/23/2008 6:34:36 AM PST by anniegetyourgun
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To: reaganaut1
But the ease with which stolen goods can be sold on the Internet has meant a bigger role for organized crime rings, which also engage in receipt fraud, fake price tagging and gift card schemes, the police and security experts say.

My daughter makes some of her college money working at a Victoria's Secret store.

There is a gang of Hispanics who travel the north-south corridor from Florida to NY who steal thousands of dollars worth of VS stuff.

My daughter's store got hit by them not too long ago and they stole over two grand in underwear.

Between the under-manning to save money and the lax policies on shoplifting, no wonder VS stuff is so expensive.

8 posted on 12/23/2008 6:38:33 AM PST by OldMissileer (Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, PK. Winners of the Cold War)
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To: reaganaut1

I think you are right. It doesn’t make it right, but people see rich folks stealing right in front of their eyes (bailout + half million dollar “retreat” to a spa...) and they think “What about me?


9 posted on 12/23/2008 6:45:16 AM PST by autumnraine
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To: 2banana

How to shoplift corporate style in 2008. Run your company in the ground making a fast buck, pay yourself $12 million dollar “bonus”, wait for government bailout...


10 posted on 12/23/2008 6:46:34 AM PST by autumnraine
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To: reaganaut1
. . . but part of the reason we are in a recession is widespread dishonesty on all sides (bankers, brokers, borrowers) in the housing industry.

let us not forget the likes of Chris Dodd and Bwarney Fwank and their misdeeds in all of this. The Obamanation and the other dems will give them cover, but they are up to their slimey necks in all of this.

11 posted on 12/23/2008 6:52:55 AM PST by texgal (end no-fault divorce laws return DUE PROCESS & EQUAL PROTECTION to ALL citizens))
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To: reaganaut1

It’s NOT shoplifting it’s spreading the wealth so everybody has a chance.


12 posted on 12/23/2008 7:20:15 AM PST by The Great RJ ("Mir we bleiwen wat mir sin" or "We want to remain what we are." ..Luxembourg motto)
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To: Army MP Retired

Only Two Shoplifting Days ‘Til Christmas!


13 posted on 12/23/2008 7:29:31 AM PST by informavoracious (Merry Christmas)
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To: OldMissileer
...no wonder VS stuff is so expensive

I KNEW it wasn't because of the large swaths of fabric required in the manufacture of Victoria's Secret undies!

14 posted on 12/23/2008 7:33:20 AM PST by informavoracious (Merry Christmas)
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To: OldMissileer
Between the under-manning to save money . . .

There's the rub. The managements' short-sighted "save via payroll cuts" comes back to bite them time and again. There have been numerous times in various stores where my wife and I have walked out because there wasn't a clerk in sight. We've even paged them and no one showed. Despite all the cameras and "stiff enforcement" the stores brag about, the shoplifters still have a field day.

On one occasion when I worked nights at Wally-World, the maintenance guy found 72 (that's right) empty CD and DVD cases in the men's washroom. Now you know the guy had to make multiple trips to do that, but no one would have known that they were even missing until inventory time.

Another time the State Police returned TWO plasma TVs that some perps had stolen (no door greeters at night). The theft was only discovered when they were stopped by the cops in Utah. Those two tales are symptomatic

15 posted on 12/23/2008 10:31:31 AM PST by Oatka ("A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves." –Bertrand de Jouvenel)
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