Retails sales down - Shoplifting way up

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/23/AR2008122302585.html?hpid=topnews

The Economy's Latest Hurdle for Retailers: Shoplifting

By Ylan Q. Mui
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 24, 2008; Page D01

Retailers have blamed the global financial crisis for a litany of ills over the past year: slumping sales, mass layoffs and bankruptcy filings. Now, they are looking to the economy to explain recent spikes in shoplifting from their stores.

Though individual retailers do not publicly report crime data, a survey of 52 national chain stores released this month by the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), a trade group, showed that 84 percent reported an increase in shoplifting since the recession began. About 80 percent said organized retail crime had also jumped, and more than half said robberies and burglaries have risen, as well.

"Bad guys are smart. People do not give them credit," said Brad Brekke, vice president of assets protection at Target. "They understand odds are either for or against them, and if they see the odds swing in their favor, they will take advantage of it."

In the Washington area, Alexandria police said there have been more shoplifting reports nearly every month this year compared with last year, though they expect December to slacken. In Tysons Corner, Lt. Josh Laitinen said his officers arrested 40 people over the past three weeks on shoplifting charges. And in Montgomery County, Detective David Hill, who oversees the county's retail crime division, said many stores have told him that crime is up.

[dysfunctional press]

1. employees generally take as much or more than shoplifters.

and no, that's not to say that all retail employees are thieves.

[DS1]

3. It sure is tempting if you work for a big chain

I caught myself eyeballing rolls of film while I worked at a 'pharmacy chain' and was taking photography classes. Never took one though.

[acmavm]

2. Well imagine that. Who'd have thunk it?

[bdamomma]

4. what do they expect if people do NOT have jobs thus no money!!!

[Zywiec]

5. Are they shoplifting food to eat?

or unnecessary electronics?

I certainly can understand someone stealing food for their family.

[acmavm]

6. There are both out there. One Christmas many years ago when I was

young and my kids were little I went to Target to get an artificial Christmas tree. NOW, THIS PART IS THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH AND IS ONE OF THREE MEMORIES THAT MAKE ME REALLY UPSET EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME. I was struggling to get that piece of crap tree into the trunk (no way it was going into the back set of a '68 Olds Cutless Supreme) and I saw cop cars out front. Well, I wanted to scoot before I saw what was inevitably going to happen but the litte Target guy who was helping me was having a terrible time with that huge box and my car trunk so there was nothing I could do but stand there. And then, about two or three minutes into the ordeal it happened. The cops brought out an old man. Dammit, here comes the tears again after all these years. Anyway, the old fart tried to steal a pair of cheesy fucking pink fuzzy backless bedroom slippers for someone for Christmas because he didn't have any money. I begged the cops to let me pay for the damn things (my kids were standing there watching as well) and they wouldn't let me. And so, they took him to jail. I was heartbroken, and so were my girls. My oldest STILL brings this up at least once every year except this year she hasn't said anything yet. But I'm waiting.

So you see, it can be food. Or it can something simple like a pair of those cheesy pink fuzzy backless bedroom sandals. I mean, I've also been at Target when an old homeless man stole two packs of cigaretts and was being arrested. They wouldn't let me pay for those either. And of COURSE my oldest kid was right there again. And this is also brought up along with the fuzzy slippers incident every year as well. But this wasn't Christmas, this was just another day. And he was old. But for a few days he had somewhere live. Of course that somewhere was jail but maybe it was better than on the streets, I don't know myself.

Well, now I've gone and depressed myself beyond belief. I could have just waited until dinner today when Carrie will ask me "do you remember...?"