Economy behind rise in shoplifting in Washtenaw County
![Target_shoplifting1.jpg](http://www.annarbor.com/assets_c/2009/12/Target_shoplifting1-thumb-537x357-20105.jpg)
A loss prevention officer at Target in Pittsfield Township watches customers holiday shopping on Wednesday.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
Along with digital cameras and video games, Ann Arbor area retailers say Zhu Zhu pets are one of the hottest gift ideas this year.
And as with any hot item, the interactive toy pets are also coveted by shoplifters.
Recent statistics from Washtenaw County law enforcement agencies and retailers suggest shoplifting season isn't limited to the holidays as the recession continues. Police say retail fraud is up across the board over the last two years.
While a slight uptick occurs during the holiday season, especially at larger retailers, officials say the recession is driving up the numbers.
Shoplifting has become so prevalent in Pittsfield Township - home to many big-box stores - that officials there are looking to create their own local ordinance. And the township is planning to hold its first ever retail fraud conference late next month so representatives from area retailers can share information on the issue. A date has not yet been set for conference.
“Where we’ve seen the economy take a greater toll we’ve certainly heard from our retail members shoplifting cases are above or on par with where they were prior to the economy tanking,” said Joe LaRocca, a senior advisor for asset protection with the National Retail Federation.
The NRF, which represents 1.6 million retailers - including Walmart, Meijer, Sears and Starbucks - says its members lost roughly $34 billion to retail fraud in 2007. That number climbed to $36.8 billion in 2008.
LaRocca said no solid numbers are available yet this year, but early polling indicates the numbers are steadily climbing.
Locally, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department reports retail fraud jumped 27 percent from the first 11 months of this year compared to the first 11 months of last year.
The Pittsfield Township Police Department reported retail fraud is up 9 percent from last year, and that number will increase once December’s figures are totaled.
Gordy Schick, the township's deputy director of police services, attributed part of the rise to new stores opening, but said the economy is also a factor. Pittsfield includes two Meijer stores, two Targets and the new Walmart.
![Target_shoplifting2.jpg](http://www.annarbor.com/assets_c/2009/12/Target_shoplifting2-thumb-325x228-20107.jpg)
More holiday shoppers means more shoplifters for large retail stores.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
"The numbers have certainly continued to rise, and we can take into account the economy and hardship that has taken place, not only at a state but at a national level," Schick said.
The township is considering its own local ordinance because officers are tied up with several hours of paperwork under the state's laws. Schick said the local ordinances would be modeled after state law, but not require so much paperwork.
"It's becoming more and more of a burden every time, and it's taking officers away from the road," he said. "This is one issue that is becoming more and more serious, and I think we're doing the proactive thing here."
With the rise in shoplifting, some noticeable changes in patterns, behaviors and methods are also being seen among thieves.
Retailers are hearing from shoplifters that their motivation is the economy, LaRocca said, and the same items that are hot during the holidays are targeted all year.
Thieves are stealing Zhu Zhu pets, digital cameras, video games and designer clothes in any season. Pittsfield Township reported more retail fraud in August, October and May than December.
“The rationalization comes up more and more that they are stealing because they feel strapped for cash or financial pressure, but, on the whole, you don’t need a $900 handbag,” LaRocca said. “It doesn’t necessarily fly with the retailers.”
LaRocca and representatives from Target and Walmart have also reported a significant rise in organized shoplifting.
LaRocca said it usually involves a group of several individuals who each play a specific role. One will distract clerks, others will keep an eye out for security guards or cameras, and others will fill a bag full of merchandise.
Although LaRocca is hesitant to reveal the methods organized shoplifters use to get past alarms, he said one common trick is to line shopping bags with aluminum foil - which blocks the alarm's signal from reaching the tags - and stuff them full of merchandise.
The groups are then selling the goods online at auction sites like eBay. At cheaper prices than the stores, LaRocca said the bargains are especially popular with the economy struggling, which fuels the fire.
“Organized shoplifting is different in that it typically involves a large-scale operation with sophisticated criminals who play different roles and who steal things with the intention of selling them - they aren’t shoplifting for themselves,” LaRocca said.
Schick said organized shoplifters are increasingly causing problems locally, and the new Walmart Supercenter has been hit especially hard.
"They move like gypsies until they feel like the heat is on them, and then they move on to the next location," Schick said.
Ann Arbor’s independent retailers report a different variety and much lower numbers of shoplifters. Although no solid statistics are available for only those stores, many of the owners say they've only seen a slight increase in shoplifting over the last two years.
Pam Blakely, a manager at Bivouac, said traditional shoplifting isn’t up, but they're seeing more "gray area shoplifting" where people try to say an item is on sale for 25 percent instead of 15 percent.
In other instances, people come in through one door, grab an item, then attempt to return it for store credit.
“There are quite a few different methods people use to try to rip off a store, and they don’t consider some of it stealing,” Blakely said.
The Get Up vintage owner Kelly McCleod expressed an opinion common among smaller retailers - stealing much more personal at a small shop. She said more strangers visit her store during the holidays, so more items go missing, but she largely trusts her customers throughout the year.
“We really get to know our customers and our regulars, and they want to see us succeed,” McCleod said. “So there’s so much trust in this store that stealing from me is like stealing from my wallet.”
Peter Cole, a manager at Sam’s clothing store in Ann Arbor, said he stays more vigilant during the holidays, but doesn't have a significant problem with shoplifters.
“I’ve been working here for 11 years, we see the same people and we’re not some faceless corporate entity,” Cole said. “If you steal from me, when you leave, you see my mom standing the counter. I mean, what, are you gonna steal some pants from a 60-year-old lady?”
The employee-to-customer ratio also works in the independent store’s favor.
McCleod used to keep a “wall of shame” at her old location, comprised of Polaroid photos of shoplifters. She said she and her employees generally give thieves a harder time than most other retailers before calling the police.
“We harass people,” she said. “I mean, you really want to be that jerk?”
Tom Perkins is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
Realist
Sun, Jan 10, 2010 : 12:43 a.m.
This is in response to Halima. So saying that someone moves around like a gypsy is now a racial slur?? When did we become such an overly sensitive society that we can't use a term with a definition of "One inclined to a nomadic, unconventional way of life." to describe someone that moves from place to place? It seems that you would use "The pot calling the kettle black" as a racial slur too... Here's a crazy lesson I learned in elementary school - Sometimes, words have more than one meaning. The fact that you know that Gypsies are also termed Roma shows that you have the ability to grasp that concept, but your narrowminded assumption that the line has ANYTHING to do with ethnicity is a self-gratifying attempt to victimize yourself at the cost of a public official's reputation. You should be ashamed of yourself!
The Picker
Sat, Dec 19, 2009 : 8:22 p.m.
Pam Blakely says she sees grey area theft? What about retailer gouging? $100+ flannel shirts, Please spare us the tears!
hypsi
Fri, Dec 18, 2009 : 3:42 p.m.
Halmia and Roadsie completely agree that the Gypsies quote didn't need to be printed. I guess only certain minorites can be sterotyped in journalistic print/blogs? Maybe the Roma group in Dearborn needs to be alerted? I can think of a few family friends that would be interested.
Rosie
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 7:37 p.m.
I agree with what wlkate said. No one "needs" these games, cameras, toys, etc. If someone was stealing cereal and toilet paper I might agree that we could place greater blame on the poor economy, but if people are stealing the latest must-have items we need to blame our society that glorifies gift giving and getting. We live in a society that is sadly so materialistic that the worst in people comes out during the holiday season as people attempt to get the latest gadgets and "name-brand" items. We all remember the man who was trampled to death last year as customers attempted to enter a store on Black Friday? That is not something we should have to even think about as a possibility in our country. What we need to remember is the real reason for Christmas and get away from our culture of "you have to have the latest and greatest items." Other industrialized nations that are doing far better than the U.S. are likely doing so because those people do not live in materialistic madness. Celebrate the real reason for the season and you and your family will be much less stressed and have a more enjoyable Christmas.
Captain Magnificent
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 5:59 p.m.
NEVER speak of Tony Orlando like that. I'll slap you in the mouth!
treetowncartel
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 4:36 p.m.
So, I suppose we should boycott Fleetwood mac/Stevie Nicks, Willie Nelson and Tony orlando
roadsidedinerlover
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 1:36 p.m.
Rodney, Just because it was a quote, does not make that slur right. It is an ethnic slur against the Roma people. Mr.Gordy Schick should re-think his choice of words to associate the Roma stereotype with shoplifters. I work at Briarwood Mall and I have to deal with shoplifters and it is not fun. Many of them are teenagers. Where are the parents of these teens? Obviously, they were not parented correctly.
Macabre Sunset
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 1:05 p.m.
The real problem is a judicial system that won't punish people for this behavior. Judges prefer to pass along the costs to the rest of us. That $38 billion lost to thieves is passed along to honest consumers. We could build a few more jails for a lot less and greatly reduce that amount. As long as they know they won't get jail time, they will be more and more brazen in their behavior.
linuxtuxguy
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 1:04 p.m.
"and they they dont consider some of it stealing" Seems there is a word too many in there.
Ricebrnr
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 12:10 p.m.
So once again, law abiding citizens should lose access to useful tools such as e-bay or craigslist because criminals choose to misuse them? Thank goodness I already sold my old frigge and stove to someone who could use it instead of dumping them before this call to action!! What else shouldn't we get to do because of criminals? Follow that to it's logical conclusion and tell me if you want to live there...
treetowncartel
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 11:14 a.m.
I wish those big box stores on Carpenter were as dilligent about the outside of thier stores. The woods in Montibeller Park behind them are littered with plastic bags and the paper handbills/sale circulars.
wlkate
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 10:52 a.m.
As far as I am concern shoplifting in this article has nothing to do with the current economy, zhu zhu pets, digital cameras, video games, designer clothes and $900 handbags, no one NEEDS any of these things they just want time and do not want to pay for them. Stealing from retailers is like stealing from my wallet because the retailer is only going to pass the cost onto me. I hope and pray the retailers do get a local ordinance modeled after state law, require less paperwork and use it on every all shoplifter.
bunnyabbot
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 8:25 a.m.
As a small shop owner I have had a couple items shoplifted this holiday season. I agree with the other owner who said you are stealing directly from me and my wallet. I too will call the cops and the proceed to rant at the shoplifter until the cops arrive. I have followed people down the block before loudly saying for people to hold on to their purses, that person right there is a shoplifter, alerting other shop owners to open their doors, come out and get a good look at the perp. I also don't use nice language at these moments.
Mikey2u
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 7:01 a.m.
I remember when Pittsfield Township was a nice place to shop.
Halima
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 : 6:24 a.m.
I think it was inappropriate to include the ethnic slur to Gypsies in this otherwise well-written article. The Roma have a hard enough time in this world without bringing their name into completely unrelated crime stories.