'Tis the season to shoplift; police report increase

By Megan Baldino (mbaldino@wsbt.com)

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Police say increased holiday shopping could lead to increased crime. (WSBT photo)

Police say increased holiday shopping could lead to increased crime. (WSBT photo)

By WSBT News1

Story Created: Dec 3, 2008 at 5:49 AM EST

Story Updated: Dec 8, 2008 at 11:33 PM EST

SOUTH BEND — A weak economy could make holiday crime more popular. Police say shoplifting always increases around the holidays, and could be even worse this year.

"The economy is hurting, the holidays are coming up, obviously people want things for the holidays, " said Sgt. Lee Ross, head of the Crime Prevention Unit for South Bend police.

Ross says electronics are always a hot item.

"DVD players, TV players, GPS, things like that."

On Black Friday at Best Buy, the store brought in extra security and tried to maintain order as part of its loss prevention effort.

"It's always a concern for us, regardless of the holidays or not. But this year when you have more command and control things go a lot more smoothly, and someone might say 'Hey, these people got it together,' and they might not try anything," said Kevin Klodzinski, Best Buy loss prevention specialist.

Police say store employees are the first defense against shoplifting. Ross says greeting customers and making eye contact sends a signal that you're being watched.

He says if you see a shoplifter, call 911.

"Be safe, don't grab anyone, because you never know if they have weapons," said Ross. "And get a good description."

Thursday, Dec 4 at 9:13 AM Anonymous wrote ...

I think we all should just bum rush the stores all at once and take what we want. Maybe they won't charge as much then.

Thursday, Dec 4 at 8:59 AM RIck wrote ...

Cut off their hands if they are caught stealing. That will put a stop to it. We are to light on criminals. All criminals are the same. Low life scum.

Thursday, Dec 4 at 7:16 AM Mork wrote ...

Wally, anonymous... see, the difference is in quality. A few million on the side makes for a great bribe. Half a pound of bacon you had hidden in your pants, probably not.

Thursday, Dec 4 at 4:04 AM Well... wrote ...

OMG, Naughty boy, I laughed so hard I nearly fell out of my chair!! TOOOO funny. And to Living the Life...you people are the reason I read some of these things....thanks for the laugh.

Thursday, Dec 4 at 12:11 AM To Naughty Boy & Living the Life wrote ...

Thanks for the laughs. You crack me up!

Wednesday, Dec 3 at 10:29 PM Naughty Boy wrote ...

I stole 23 bottles of beer once, but the judge dismissed the charges against me. He said that he couldn't make a case out of 23 bottles.

Wednesday, Dec 3 at 10:11 PM Anonymous wrote ...

I'm with WALLY, Congress, Big 3, Wall Street and AIG do this and we bail them out. Poor people (who will never have anything if they don't do it) get caught and we villanize and throw the book at them.

Wednesday, Dec 3 at 5:11 PM Eileen Fromast wrote ...

We got all kinds of security guards at our stores and they are constantly wathching you what you do fron entering and leaving the premises. Also we got the Cam rolling all the time specially at the changing stations where women stuff bras, girdles and socks in their body and we know who they are. We got their pictures. But jails are full already of this felons, males, females, black, whites everbody is there. Would you want to see what they do after they shoplift? And where do they take items?

Wednesday, Dec 3 at 4:02 PM Living the life wrote ...

Last week we loaded up the car with the kids and planned to go Christmas shop lifting but didn't have enough gas to get there so we pulled into a gas station hoping to pump and run but while I was pumping my wife got caught trying to buy milk with a bad check. Better times next year.

Wednesday, Dec 3 at 3:15 PM noneya wrote ...

well i work at sam's club and we have theft all the time we have started watching people more but we also no who alot of our thieves are and so do our door greeters we have this little thing that we like to call communicaton and we get great pictures of everyone so those who are stealling watch out

Wednesday, Dec 3 at 1:24 PM Laura wrote ...

To 11:44 Anon. , There is alot more to catching a shop lifter. Many people yell harassment, and if the catch wasn't done right the theif will get off a slap on the wrist. I used to work at a Wal-mart, and in that store they now ha ve more LP, but they can't be everyplace at once. I have even caught a women and her daughters after they had tried to get away with $2,000.00 in merchandise. They were found to have already hit the Meijer store and had a SUV full.

Wednesday, Dec 3 at 11:58 AM Wally wrote ...

This is nothing. Look at what congress is doing. Got Billions?

Wednesday, Dec 3 at 11:48 AM just me wrote ...

This time of year i switch to carrying a wallet instead of my purse and i keep it on an inside pocket of my coat .... way safer

Wednesday, Dec 3 at 11:44 AM Anonymous wrote ...

Roberta- if you see such crimes, you should alert a employee.

Wednesday, Dec 3 at 11:38 AM Ajr wrote ...

At the plymouth Walmart they busted a young lady in her mid 20's for theft. She looked like the type. I hope she does a little time in prison cause if im not mistaken theft is a felony. Even if the economy was perfect there would still be criminals and low lifes trying to milk the system. There should be no excuses and police and retailers need to double there efforts if they want to get a handle on this sort of thing

Wednesday, Dec 3 at 11:32 AM Ajr wrote ...

I understand times are tough now, but any adult who is stupid enough to steal from a store is a low down scumbag. We pay for these bums

Wednesday, Dec 3 at 10:51 AM Anonymous wrote ...

This is because it's too cold for the hoods to do their work outside. They want to stay out of the cold.

Wednesday, Dec 3 at 10:03 AM McGruff wrote ...

Take a bite outta crime. Now I'll tell you how the theives do it! They stuff chap stick in their shoes and notepads in their bras. If you look close you can tell the bulge in front is really a pair of socks.

Wednesday, Dec 3 at 9:40 AM Roberta Collins wrote ...

I am afraid to take my purse on a cart because this shoplifters are all over the place not only to take items from stores but also they take wallets, purses and credit cards. I wish the store managers should hire more security guards to stand on every island and watch what people do with the new shoes that was on display. Those ugly kids who have old shoes come in and change then inside the store and walk right out with brand new shoes. Nobody noticed that they changed them. Women do the same.

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