Signs of the times or normal risks of doing business?

[badshotbob]

Yesterday I stopped at one of my favorite stores (hobby shop) that is now going out of business. I asked the owner why he was closing - he explained that it wasn't a lack of sales but rather theft that was forcing him to close the doors. In the last year there have been many lay offs and trades types of businesses going under in the area. A year ago his average shoplifting bill was around $2,000 a month - this increased over the past year to around $10,000 per month and he could see a higher rate of theft as layoffs increased.

He went on to explain that he could do little about shoplifters and that by law could not pursue a shoplifter which would actually get him in more trouble than the shoplifter if he did so. People would walk out stealing his marchandise knowing he could do nothing about it - often it was the same people. The cops were called but even though the store owner gave the police license plate numbers and details of the thieves, they would do nothing for whatever reason, often stating that the merchandise was unrecoverable. The sad part is almost all shoplifters were male between the ages of 35 and 50. He also noted that married couples with kids would regularly shoplift from his store. I'm guessing these people were selling the merch on ebay or unloading it through another avenue.


Most should know by now that I hold a great deal of interest in the End Times, Biblical prophecy, New Age Movement, NWO, Tin Hats, etc. It doesn't take a ton of digging in order to see how current events seem to tie together - purposely heading in a definitive direction. My belief that a one world government will happen is based on prophecy from Daniel 7:23 (Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces). One thing that I see must happen is the collapse of our economy - we can see signs of that every day in what is happening on our own land and abroad. My guess is that this type of scenario is only going to get worse as more and more people lose their jobs and get desparate.

[vc1111]

What does he stock that they can easily go trooping out the door with that much merchandise in one month?

[badshotbob]

It's more than small items (which in the hobby world can add up rather quickly), but large items - people hauling off airplane kits and parts and pieces, trains, cars, you name it... these things add up quickly.

Desparation at it's finest.

[kevin1]

Around here they put stuff like that in glass cases and somebody has to show them to you . If you make a break for the door they tackle you and kick your ass before the cops get there . Your friend needs to either change his business practices or move to a place where he can defend it .

[North Texan]

Part of the problem is that most small crimes receive little to no real punishment for those that get caught. Stealing is a cost/benefit analysis. If the person thinks the crime outweighs the punishment, they wil steal. Cane, whip, or flog a few of them, and you'd probably be suprised how fast theft would drop.

[vc1111]

I see what you mean, Bob.

I think that its a shame that he's getting hit so hard and there's apparently little the cops will do about it.

I guess they're busy with those 8 year-olds with the overdue library books.[8D]

[North Texan]

They never returned their library books as kids. Why stop now?[8D]

[petasux]

Ive seen them do it in Walmart before.Very large items, electronics, tvs, BBQ grills, them electric cars they have for kids these days, things like that.Its simply amazing to watch, Im not saying I agree with it but amazings the only word I can think of to describe the things they try to get away with.

Imagine sticking an entire BBQ grill or televisionin a shopping cart, wandering around the store full of camerasfor a few minutes, then walking out knowing you have to get through the alarms on the inside doors, past the greeter who checks every large package that leaves the store, out to the parking lot where you have to load the thing into your car knowing full well that the security cameras can see everything your doing, then driving away like nothing happened.I cant imagine even trying something like that, and knowing full well theres a 99% chance your gonna get caught before you ever get out of the store and if your not they have you on tape anyway.But the alarms going off in that store about 75% of the time Im in there, theres always someone willing to try it.

[vc1111]

Peta, at least some of those alarms are a function of the cashier failing to properly deactivate them at the checkout when the patron is paying for their merchandise.

[burniegoeasily]

Its amazing what people will walk off with. When I was working for a Montgomery Wards back in High School, people would walk right in and grab a T.V. off the display rack and head to the doors. Its unbelievable what the soulless will do.