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Shoplifting up as economy tanks

Having undertaken to identify criminal justice implications for the current economic downturn, I was interested to see this item from the New York Times about a surge in shoplifting ("As economy dips, arrests for shoplifting soar," Dec. 22):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 recordsindicate 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...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on December 29, 2008 (boomark / email).