I have law enforcement in my family and have some close friends who are the 5.0, Po-Pos, the Law, etc.
Another conversation this weekend with family members was, be careful while out shopping, better yet, do it on line because crime is up.
Yeah, crime is up, while folks don't have a job, losing homes, unemployment has expired, children are hungry, yeah, crime is up.
Recently laid off from a job building trailers in Elkhart, Ind., Mr. Johnson came up a dollar short at Martin’s Supermarket last month when he went to buy a $4.99 bottle of sleep medication. So, “for some stupid reason,” he tried to shoplift it and was immediately arrested.
“I was desperate, I guess,” said Mr. Johnson, 25, who said he had never been arrested before. As the economy has weakened, shoplifting has increased, and retail security experts say the problem has grown worse this holiday season. Shoplifters are taking everything from compact discs and baby formula to gift cards and designer clothing.
Buying sleep medication, why? Because when you don't have a job, no money, you are depressed and will do anything. Some people won't go to the levels as stealing a bottle of $4.99 sleep medication, but others will either contemplate it or will do as Mr. Johnson did.
Much of the increase has come from first-time offenders like Mr. Johnson making rash decisions in a pinch, the authorities say.
You would think that the police force would be the most secure job out there, think again.
“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.
As bad as this is, it will get worse. There is a lot of bah-humbug this year, and it starts with lack of jobs in this country. Until that is fixed, until jobs are stopped being shipped out of this country for two bucks an hour and a bag of rice, the retail industry will end up being another segment waiting for a welfare check by the government.
Why not!!! The government is busy giving out bailout checks to just about any industry that shows up, why not the retailers??? These folks are getting more consideration than the average american worker, so why not!!!
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