ELKHART — Some local police departments are dealing with an increase in sticky fingers. Investigators say thieves appear to be targeting stores that sell groceries. So far this year, Elkhart police report an 80 percent increase in shoplifting arrests.

Each time someone is arrested for the crime, it ties up a lot of city resources.

Police know the shoplifting is happening, but they say it's something they just can't fight.

"If you're going to go steal a case of beer or steal a pack of cigarettes, I can't follow you around, I can't be in every store," said Elkhart Police Lt. Ed Windbigler.

Plus, more stores have their own loss prevention teams watching thieves at all times. Lt. Windbigler said those teams are doing a good job catching the thieves.

Elkhart Police handled 100 more cases of shoplifting in the first six months of this year compared with the same time frame in 2007.

Police reports show thieves are getting caught with a little bit of everything — from beer and cigarettes to diapers and food. But one trend that appears to set this year apart from others is stores selling groceries are seeing more shoplifters than others, said Windbigler.

This year Elkhart Police reports show six shoplifting incidents at Kroger; 10 at the Martins near Concord Mall; 27 at the Martin's on East Jackson Street; 33 at the Wal-Mart on County Rd. 6 and and 55 inside Concord Mall.

Police say more arrests get more thieves off the streets, but that creates a bigger problem for everyone else.

"It ties up a lot of resources," Lt. Windbigler explained. "Starting with loss prevention, coming to the P.D., going through the court system. The prosecutor's office has to dedicate a prosecutor to prosecute these cases. So it becomes a whole burden on everybody."

Elkhart's increase in shoplifting cases is pretty dramatic compared to other local places.

South Bend police have seen about 45 more shoplifting arrests compared with the same six months of last year. St. Joseph County police say they received 34 reports in the first six months of 2007 and 34 so far this year.

Elkhart County police say they don't have a way to track the number of shoplifting arrests.

Elkhart police say shoplifting is also happening in local lumber yards and at gas stations. Lt. Windbigler said police blame this year's dramatic increase in thefts on the slow economy and high gas prices.