The Art of Shoplifting

[Breedlove]

Today my wife and I dropped by a local Guitar Center . These are big box stores for musicians . I wanted to see a Mackie Mobile Thump . A small PA system . The salesman told me that their display had been stolen earlier today. Whaaat this unit is about the size of a small suitcase . He told me some women came in with a bunch of kids . While they were watching the kids the women were wearing some kind of big dresses but a woman stuck the display model under
her dress and all at once they all left together. He said they realized she had it but they cannot give chase. He said they ran out they all squeezed in a Honda mini van He got the license number but the police told him the van was probably stolen and they buy the tempory tags at the flea market. The guy told me they have had people cut the locks off of the racks on the hi end guitars and just run out with them . …..I guess I am a country hic , but this just isn’t right . I can’t believe people do this.

 

[Texas Proud]

My sister was talking to a police officer where she lives up north... and she was told that the police do not even go to a store anymore for shop lifting... the prosecutor will not charge them so why do all the paperwork...


Minor crimes lead to more minor crimes which lead to major crimes and them more major crimes...

 

[dmpi]

The eventual end to the brick and mortar store is pretty much a done deal for a number of reasons. This being one of them.

 

[Breedlove]

This little PA retails for 499.00:..that is stealing. What’s next ,walk in your house get what they want and walk out ?

 

[flyingaway]

With a gun, they don't need to steal, they just demand what they want.

 

[Midpack]

Evidently rampant and out in plain sight in some places. One shoplifter even said “see you tomorrow” on the way out to a shop clerk…

 

[SecondAttempt]

Was in San Francisco recently and wanted to get some Tums for minor heartburn. They were locked up in CVS! Tums! Not opioids. Not booze. Tums! What has the world come to? I don't blame CVS though.

 

[brucethebroker]

While vacationing in Tucson a year ago, we visited a Antique Mall. DW was shopping just behind a woman with a huge purse. The woman was dropping items into her purse, then stepping into the ladies room, and returning with her purse empty (no longer bulging). We guessed she was "downloading" the stolen items into her clothing pockets.

I wonder how much "shrinkage" is actually going on in other small "Mom & Pop" businesses.

 

[JoeWras]

I detailed what I witnessed at a home improvement store on the inflation thread. Guy just pushed me aside as he wheeled out a basket full of goodies that likely will end up on Amazon and Ebay.

We all pay for this.

I am disgusted by where our society is going. This is just a start. The crimes will get more serious.

 

[aja8888]

Today my wife and I dropped by a local Guitar Center . These are big box stores for musicians . I wanted to see a Mackie Mobile Thump . A small PA system . The salesman told me that their display had been stolen earlier today. Whaaat this unit is about the size of a small suitcase . He told me some women came in with a bunch of kids . While they were watching the kids the women were wearing some kind of big dresses but a woman stuck the display model under
her dress and all at once they all left together. He said they realized she had it but they cannot give chase. He said they ran out they all squeezed in a Honda mini van He got the license number but the police told him the van was probably stolen and they buy the tempory tags at the flea market. The guy told me they have had people cut the locks off of the racks on the hi end guitars and just run out with them . …..I guess I am a country hic , but this just isn’t right . I can’t believe people do this.

I see even up there in the woods of Texas this is going on!

Welcome to the new 'Merica.......

 

[old medic]

With a gun, they don't need to steal, they just demand what they want.

Wrong way to look at it.... If they show or threaten with a gun.... FELONY!!!!
If they just grab and run, usually under $1000 value... mostly not even prosecuted...

But change it around and be allowed to use a weapon to defend your store from these POS... maybe they would change there habits.

 

[old medic]

I detailed what I witnessed at a home improvement store on the inflation thread..

Around here, Lowes keeps their wire locked in a cage. 1st you have to find somebody to open it up, and then someone to escort you to the register with it. you can't even carry it or put it in your cart.

 

[frayne]

A truly sad testament to what our society has become and I don't see it getting any better anytime soon. Was at a financial seminar recently and this topic was brought up and the response from the moderator was, it was the cost of doing business, which will eventually get passed along to the consumer.

 

[VanWinkle]

A truly sad testament to what our society has become and I don't see it getting any better anytime soon. Was at a financial seminar recently and this topic was brought up and the response from the moderator was, it was the cost of doing business, which will eventually get passed along to the consumer.

Our society has been this way for years. but we used to stop them before it got to this type of blatant theft. This does not happen because they are poor as some suggest. It happens because we as a society allow it to happen.

 

[JoeWras]

Around here, Lowes keeps their wire locked in a cage. 1st you have to find somebody to open it up, and then someone to escort you to the register with it. you can't even carry it or put it in your cart.

Us too. The days of easy wire grabs are done. They've moved to other items.

This guy had a bunch of power garden tools. Blowers, electric chain saws, etc. Battery powered. Stuff all in the $200-$400 range. He had over $1000. He didn't look worried.

 

[Car-Guy]

A truly sad testament to what our society has become and I don't see it getting any better anytime soon. Was at a financial seminar recently and this topic was brought up and the response from the moderator was, it was the cost of doing business, which will eventually get passed along to the consumer.

+1 Well said... I couldn't think how to respond "with my POV" without getting my hand slapped.

 

[misanman]

Seems to me that this is inherently a political topic so Porky might as well shut it down right now.

 

[Breedlove]

Many years ago I worked for a grocery chain in Houston the chain was Weingarten. The stores were old and in old neighborhoods . Most were in ghetto neighborhoods. One on the east side of Houston had a checker murdered . A guy came in late at night and walked through her checkout with a case of beer. The checkers had little baseball bats she took after him ,the store had 24 hour armed officer . The checker and the officer fought with the thief .The thief managed to get the armed security guys gun in the fight and shot the checker under her arm . She died on the spot the thief got away. Today Weingarten is gone ,they once had 110 grocery stores in Houston mostly in ghetto neighborhoods.

 

[Texas Proud]

BTW, IMO it is generational thinking... talking with some young people about someone shoplifting who was caught outside the store with the goods in hand... "They did commit a crime because they did not get away with anything".... And it was not just one person...


I pointed out that with their definition then nobody is committing a crime because if you get caught the store gets everything back and if you do not get caught you do not get charged with a crime... no response...

 

[disneysteve]

Nothing about this is new. My wife managed a sporting goods store in the late 80s and early 90s and dealt with the exact same problem. They were trained not to engage or confront or pursue shoplifters then too. Safety of the employees and other customers always came first. Merchandise can be replaced.

Is it right that people steal? Of course not. No argument there. But robbery has been going on for as long as people have been around. Is it worse today? Maybe, or maybe we’re just more aware of it because of cameras everywhere and social media.

 

[Accidental Retiree]

Today my wife and I dropped by a local Guitar Center . These are big box stores for musicians . I wanted to see a Mackie Mobile Thump . A small PA system . The salesman told me that their display had been stolen earlier today. Whaaat this unit is about the size of a small suitcase . He told me some women came in with a bunch of kids . While they were watching the kids the women were wearing some kind of big dresses but a woman stuck the display model under
her dress and all at once they all left together. He said they realized she had it but they cannot give chase. He said they ran out they all squeezed in a Honda mini van He got the license number but the police told him the van was probably stolen and they buy the tempory tags at the flea market. The guy told me they have had people cut the locks off of the racks on the hi end guitars and just run out with them . …..I guess I am a country hic , but this just isn’t right . I can’t believe people do this.

Yes, my friend who works retail in a mall in north GA said she’s seen these masked and “big dress women” in action. She feels helpless and disgusted but can’t do a thing about it. When she has followed to keep an eye out and/or offer help, she gets verbally attacked.

Here where I live, the stores’ security and our local police force keep an eye on the known repeat offenders and round them up outside of the store.

One mother and daughter team were even spotted stopping at the Starbucks inside the store for coffee before rolling out the door with carts piled high with stolen goods. They were stopped and arrested.

Police noted the women stopped to purchase their “bougie coffee” before exiting.

Our police department does some pretty funny write ups on the people they arrest.

Police also noted that the women said they had driven down from Moreno Valley, a town 35 miles away. They said they don’t steal from their local stores.

Shoplifting tourism.

 

[Texas Proud]

Nothing about this is new. My wife managed a sporting goods store in the late 80s and early 90s and dealt with the exact same problem. They were trained not to engage or confront or pursue shoplifters then too. Safety of the employees and other customers always came first. Merchandise can be replaced.

Is it right that people steal? Of course not. No argument there. But robbery has been going on for as long as people have been around. Is it worse today? Maybe, or maybe we’re just more aware of it because of cameras everywhere and social media.

The big difference IMO from back then to today is the justice system's view on this... back then if they were able to find the person they were charged with a crime... there were some negative outcomes if you shoplifted...


Today in many places they do nothing... as mentioned before some police do not even come if called... if there is no negative outcomes then more people will do it...


In places like SF it is so bad that many stores are closing... Target plans to close down a lot of stores because of it... I know a Wal-Mart near me that was closed due to shoplifting as the assistant mgr was the son of my sister's neighbor and told her so...


I might be way off as I really did not pay much attention but NYC said that the vast majority of their shoplifting crime is committed by a little over 300 people... get rid of them and you get rid of a lot of crime...

 

[NW-Bound]

Is it right that people steal? Of course not. No argument there. But robbery has been going on for as long as people have been around. Is it worse today? Maybe, or maybe we’re just more aware of it because of cameras everywhere and social media.

No, it's worse today. Thieves are more blatant today, because they know they can act with immunity. Used to be that they had to sneak merchandise out of the store. Now, they just walk out with head held high.

It's a sad decline of society. How long until it becomes a lawless society, where robbers can just walk into your home and grab what they want?

I am willing to pay more taxes to prosecute and jail these criminals. Without a deterrence, it will get worse.

 

[GenXguy]

It amounts to another tax on the rest of us along with even higher inflation. Those in power have no will to stop it.

 

[disneysteve]

Target plans to close down a lot of stores because of it... I know a Wal-Mart near me that was closed due to shoplifting

My local Walmart usually has 1 or maybe 2 cashiers. Then there are about 20 self-checkout lanes. As much as I love self-checkout and use it whenever it's an option, I can't help but think that it has aggravated the shrinkage issue. Heck, multiple times I've accidentally neglected to scan something when I was checking out. Of course I've always gone back in and paid for it, but it demonstrates how incredibly easy is has become to steal stuff.

As businesses operate with fewer and fewer employees both to reduce costs and because they simply can't find enough workers, I think theft increases because there are fewer people watching.