Stores around the country have seen increased sales due to the holiday season, but they’ve also seen a rise in shoplifting. A new report estimates that $1.84 billion in merchandise will be stolen during the holidays.

The Global Retail Theft Barometer, which surveys retailers worldwide, says that close to $2 billion will be stolen during the four weeks prior to Christmas. That number is up 6 percent from last year.

Joshua Bamfield, executive director of the Center for Retail Research, said:

“They shoplift for Christmas gifts, they steal for themselves, for their family.”

The New York Daily News reports that the holiday atmosphere can give thieves the perfect opportunity to shoplift. Overcrowded stores provide an easy cover for Holiday thieves, and with the current state of the economy, many people can justify a little theft.

Joseph LaRocca, senior advisor of asset protection for the National Retail Federation trade group, said:

“It’s really a question of need versus greed. People will rationalize what they are stealing: ‘Oh, I’m feeling the economy. I lost my job’.”

Earlier this month, a report was released that detailed the 10 most shoplifted items. Among the objects chosen most be thieves were razor blades, electronics, and Filet Mignon.

Johnny Custer, director of field operations for Merchant Analytic Solutions, said:

“Most shoplifters simply succumb to temptation. But add a sense of desperation because of the economy and holiday pressures, and you have the recipe for theft soup.”

According to the NY Daily News, one in 11 people will steal this holiday season.

Did you give yourself a five finger discount this year?

Shoplifters to Steal $1.8 Billion This Holiday Season is a post from: The Inquisitr

If you don’t believe in bad karma turn your attention to Utah couple Eldon Alexander, 36, and Korin Vanhouten, 47. The couple were caught stealing small ticket items from a WinCo Foods store when they became the victims of a car burglary.

According to Ogden police the couple were caught and cited for stealing small-ticket items worth less than $25. After leaving the store the couple realized their car had been broken into and presents inside the vehicle were stolen.

The couple quickly flagged down the very same police officer who had just written up the report about their theft.

According to Eldon and Korin a stereo amplifier, drum machine and other items valued at $60 was stolen from their vehicle during the theft.

Not only were the shoplifters robbed, the robbery occurred when the police car belonging to the officer writing them up was parked very close to their own vehicle.

Whether or not you believe in karma, Eldon and Korin had what was coming to them when they decided to steal from a store during the holiday season.

We also hear they have been added to Santa’s naught list and won’t be getting any presents this year. Do you believe in bad karma?

Shoplifters Get Caught Inside Store As Car Is Broken Into Outside is a post from: The Inquisitr

With throngs of people flooding stores during the holiday season, thieves have the perfect opportunity to slip by unnoticed. So what holiday gifts to crooks fancy the most?

Adweek reports that shoplifting is up 6% from 2010 and that 1 in 11 holiday shoppers will ‘accidentally’ forget to pay for at least one item. This adds up to an estimated loss $119 billion (1.45 percent of total sales) for merchants.

Johnny Custer, director of field operations for Merchant Analytic Solutions, said:

“Most shoplifters simply succumb to temptation. But add a sense of desperation because of the economy and holiday pressures, and you have the recipe for theft soup.”

Here are the ten most stolen items during the holidays.

1. Filet Mignon – The loss rate for luxury meat has risen by 21 percent between 2009 and 2011
2. Hard Liquor – From underage kids looking for a holiday party, to alcoholics who want to treat themselves to a free bottle of booze, the shrinkage rate for liquor is 2.9% in North America.
3. DIY Items – Tooth brushes, power tools, and razors. These thieves may want to better their lives, but they don’t want to pay for it.
4. Handheld Electronics – As electronics get smaller and pricier, they’ve become the perfect target for holiday thieves.
5. Razor Blades and Shaving Products – After shopping for friends and families, there just isn’t enough money for basic items. Read Hayes, director of the Loss Prevention Research Council, said: “In bad economic times, you’ll see more basic items stolen.”
6. Deodorant – The deodorant choice for thieves, according to Adweek, is Axe.
7. Clothes – Since 2009, clothing theft has increased 31%.
8. Hot Toys – Items on the 2011 Toys ‘R Us “Hot Toys” list are expected to be prime targets this year.
9. Perfume – “Highly desirable and often small in size, [they] can be extremely vulnerable to theft,” reads The 2011 Global Retail Theft Barometer report.
10. Sneakers – Shoplifters can easily swap out shows during an annual holiday theft run.

‘Tis the Season for Stealing: The Ten Most Shoplifted Items During the Holidays is a post from: The Inquisitr

According to workers at the store located in the Sunland Park Mall in El Paso, Texas, Tavera, who won her beauty pageant crown back in 2008, allegedly took the shirt and hid it in shopping bag before walking out without paying for it.

Once she was outside of the building, store employees confronted and detained Tavera and then waited for the police to arrive.

In addition to the theft over $50/under $500 charge that Lorena faces, the El Paso Times reported that she also has two outstanding traffic warrants.

El Paso County Jail records show Tavera was booked early Saturday and released Saturday afternoon after posting $300 bond.

The former Miss El Paso’s recent incident isn’t the first time that a beauty pageant winner was arrested by Texas town’s police.

In April 2009, they arrested Raelene Aguilar, Miss New Mexico USA 2008, in Downtown El Paso on a drunken driving charge.

That charge was dropped eight months later because of insufficient evidence.

via Gawker

Miss El Paso 2008 Busted for Shoplifting at Dillard’s is a post from: The Inquisitr

Shannon Marketic, Miss USA 1992, has been arrested in Texas for allegedly shoplifting cosmetics from a Target location.

Marketic, who has been released on unknown terms from Denton County Jail, was detained shortly after 9PM by loss prevention staff at Target. Among the items Marketic is accused of attempting to steal is an Olay moisturizer worth $60, as well as unspecified “baby items.” She claims that the incident is all a misunderstanding:

“Those three things had rolled to the back of the cart, underneath my purse, and my basket was overflowing,” she said. “As I was pulling things out and talking on the phone, I just wasn’t paying attention and I just wasn’t seeing them.”

She added: “I can swear on a stack of Bibles that there was absolutely no way” that she intended to shoplift.

Since her Miss USA win nearly two decades ago, Marketic has been twice convicted of driving while intoxicated and arrested once for public intoxication at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. She also unsuccessfully sued the sultan of Brunei for $90 million, alleging he detained her as a “sex slave.” A judge ruled that the prince was immune to such action, and dismissed the case.

Former Miss USA Shannon Marketic caught shoplifting cosmetics is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Connecticut traffic reporter on WTNH in New Haven was arrested for shoplifting just over $100 of merchandise from a Sears location in Milford.

33-year-old Desiree Fontaine got picked up Saturday by police after security allegedly spotted her trying to leave with the unpaid for merchandise. The station for which Fontaine works reported briefly on the incident:

The police report states that Fontaine was arrested Saturday after being confronted by security in the Sears store in Milford. The allegation is that she attempted to take merchandise from the store worth $104.98 without paying.

Fontaine was released from the charges on a promise to appear in court on July 7th. WTNH said that the matter was “personal” and refused further comment:

Ms. Fontaine is employed by WTNH as its morning news traffic reporter and also anchors the station’s “Connecticut Style” program. WTNH’s News Director, Kirk Varner stated that the station would not have any comment on what he called “a personnel matter” at this time.

Fontaine has worked as a reporter for five years, and was previously stationed in both Washington DC and Baltimore. She has been at WTNH since 2007.

Traffic reporter Desiree Fontaine arrested for shoplifting is a post from: The Inquisitr

Julia E. Laack, 36, of Sheboygan Wisconsin, was followed home by police officers following an alleged shoplifting incident.

Laack is accused of stealing beef jerky and a lighter from a convenience store Thursday. Police say that when they came to her door she refused to answer, becoming belligerent and argumentative. Laack allegedly began berating her three children, loudly blaming one child for the incident. When police entered the home in an attempt to calm her and stabilize the situation, they say she began to strip in front of the three children. Laack asserted the officers could not arrest her naked.

Laack remained uncooperative and reportedly kicked on officer in the groin while spitting at another. Police say she exposed herself against the cruiser window, and registered a blood-alcohol level of 0.112 percent. Laack has been charged with felony battery of a peace officer, resisting an officer, shoplifting and two counts of disorderly conduct.

[Source: KansasCity.com]

New law enforcement evasion strategy: getting naked is a post from: The Inquisitr

You might think twice about helping yourself to those goods on the shelves but a growing number of people aren’t. People who wouldn’t normally even think of shoplifting are finding themselves on the wrong side of the law as our economic worries get worse.

According to Ian Urbina in a New York times post says that police departments around the country are seeing a 10 to 20 percent increase in shoplifting arrests this year over last. As Ian points out this figure is probably on the low side since most stores just ban the shoplifters from the premises instead of having them arrested.

This isn’t a case of serial shoplifters either as much of the increase appears to be coming form first time offenders like Richard Johnson

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.

Source: New York Time

[picture courtesy of Joe Raymond for The New York Times]

Shoplifting ranks swell as economy flounders is a post from: The Inquisitr