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Page 12
THE BATTALION
THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1979
Sticky fingers
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A PROFESSIONAL MANA6EMCNT AfiENCV
PRESENTS
NO\VLEASING FOR SUMMER & FALL
ONLY PRIVATE BUS
3^rhf’
Shoplifters are the omnipresent crook
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For Leasing Information Call 693-5196
By JAMES HAMILTON
Battalion Reporter
In Texas, as throughout the na
tion, shoplifting is a massive and
growing problem. Last year, more
than 4 million shoplifters were ap
prehended and prosecuted in Texas
while more than 140 million sepa
rate incidents of shoplifting oc
curred.
Surveys conducted in large cities
such as Houston and Dallas indicate
that one out of every 12 customers
in retail stores is there to steal.
The Bryan-College Station area
has also had its share of shoplifters.
In 1976, there were 48 arrests for
shoplifting in College Station. In
1977, there were 68 arrests, and in
1978 there were 70.
Through the first two months of
this year, 32 arrests were made.
June Lusk, security manager
of K-Mart Discount Stores, said
the average value of a shoplifted
item was $2 four years ago.
Today the average price is $28.
which indicates that 1979 will be a
record year for shoplifting in the
city.
Monaco I
(under new management and ownership)
Magnificent, easy living can be found at Monaco I,
with a swimming pool for a refreshing swim and
balconies for a private visit with friends. Monaco I
also has efficiency, 1, 2, & 3 BR with a laundry room
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range, refrigerator, disposal and dishwasher and are
fully carpeted. For further information call 693-2614.
All bills are paid.
ELCkico
RESTAURANTI
“The stores around here are get
ting tired of it,” said Capt. Bernie
Kappella of the College Station
Police. “Most of the stores are get
ting perturbed about shoplifters and
are willing to prosecute.”
“Some of the stores, especially
the neighborhood stores, operate on
very small profit margins,” he said.
“So when something is stolen from
them, they really get hurt. Many of
the stores are fighting back.”
June Lusk, security manager of
K-Mart Discount Stores, said she
does not tolerate shoplifters.
“If I catch a shoplifter, I prose
cute,” she said. “I want them in jail.
“If the shoplifter is a minor, then
we handle it through the probation
department,” she said. “But even
with minors I prosecute as far as the
law will let me go. ”
K-Mart uses a program of films and
lectures. Capt. Kappella sometimes
demonstrates to the employees how
shoplifters steal merchandise. .
“A little more than half of the
shoplifting in this-~area is done by
juveniles who steal a candy bar or
something else negligible,” Kap
pella said.
Contrary to Lusk’s figures, he
said as many as 35 percent of all
shoplifters are college students.
“When a person is caught shop
lifting,” Kappella said, “the store
personnel will try to get a statement
from him. If the store wants to press
charges, we transport him to the
police station where we make out an
arrest record.”
In Texas, if a shoplifter is caught
stealing merchandise valued at less
than $5, he must set a bond of
bought the televisions,” he^EV
Ted Hugghins. general r dcinj
dise manager of J.C.Penailgest
Inc., said he would “prqsecitur
and all shoplifters, regard!]
age.”
When shoplifters steal, ctJ
ers pay. Like all retail stored
ney’s raises its prices to i
profit drains that result fromtwj
lifting. H
In some stores, this price in
> x Vx no a rrVt no nnnfr r\n> i
can be as high as 5 cents pet ...
uiey-
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“The year before last at this time,
a shoplifter would be sent to city
court and would be fined $52.50.
About two years ago this month.
Judge (Kenneth M.) Robinson took
the bench. Now the fine is $203.50,
which I am delighted about,” she
said.
Despite the tighter laws and
stronger penalties, Lusk said that
shoplifters are stealing more now
than they ever have before. She said
the average value of a shoplifted
item was $2 four years ago. Today
the average price is $28.
“The shoplifting business is really
on the way up,” she said. “I can’t
see anything that’s going to stop it.”
In Texas, if a shoplifter is
caught stealing merchandise
valued at less than $5, he must
set a bond of $203.50.
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(under new management and ownership)
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3107 TEXAS AVE. - BRYAN
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Each apartment is fully carpeted and has fenced
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Now leasing for
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c Posctc(a ( De( T?ey
(under new management and ownership)
Quiet living with Spanish flair describes Posada Del
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Lusk said the average shoplifter at
K-Mart is middle-class, aged 13-19,
and female.
“Women or girl shoplifters out
number the male shoplifters 20 to
1,” she said, adding that about 2
percent of all shoplifters are Texas
A&M University students.
Many of the shoplifters Lusk ap
prehends are women carrying large
bags with them, she said. “They
usually have nothing in the bags but
our merchandise.”
She said K-Mart’s most fre
quently stolen items include cosme
tics, shoes and other clothing.
Shoplifters sometimes wear sto
len clothing out of the store and will
hide merchandise in jackets, coats
and baby strollers, Lusk said.
“One night at about 9:25, five
minutes before closing time, I
noticed a young lady going toward
footwear. She was carrying a baby
that was wrapped up in a blanket. I
just had this feeling that something
was going on. I have that feeling a
lot.
“I walked back there and saw her
put a pair of shoes under the baby’s
blanket. I walked up to her and said,
‘I’m security. Can I help you?’ She
started running.
“As she ran out of the store with
ight behind her, she dropped shoes
— three pair — from the back of the
store clear to the front.”
To teach its employees about
shoplifters and their methods.
$203.50. He then has two options:
To appear in court, plead guilty or
not guilty and let the judge decide
what happens, or to not show up
and forfeit the bond.
“They have the option if they post
their bond, ” Kappella said. “If they
don’t post a bond, they sit in jail
until the case comes to court.”
When the stolen merchandise is
valued between $5 and $20, the
theft is called a Class B mis
demeanor which carries up to a $500
fine or six months in the county jail.
If the stolen merchandise is valued
between $20 and $200, the theft is a
Class A misdemeanor. The penalty
for that is up to $ 1,000 or one year in
jail, or both.
“If we catch a shoplifter, we don’t
care who it is — well prosecute,”
said Keith Steffey, general manager
of Gibson Discount Center. “But we
don’t catch many here. ”
Steffey said Gibson’s most fre
quently stolen items are cosmetics,
fishing lures, clothing and small
appliances.
Kappella said, however, that pro
fessional shoplifters seldom fre
quent the Bryan-College Station
area, although he has seen “rings” of
juveniles caught for shoplifting.
“Professional shoplifters have
been known to drive stores out of
business by stealing so much the
stores can’t operate,” he said.
“There have been women who
carried TV sets out of stores be
tween their legs. We’ve caught
people carrying hams like that,”
Kappella said.
“Some shoplifters have been
known to calmly walk into stores,
pick up televisions, and walk right
out with them. They usually aren’t
accosted by anyone because the
store employees assume they
Last year’s price increases fei
tail theft, if equally distn) Mft (
among all adults in tMpnt
States, would be $137 perp^je fin
Sears Roebuck and Co. ir; bir c
J. A. Wharton said he prosecm red
adult shoplifters and lev pice
juvenile authorities hand ar.
minors. In the last threeyafcra'
has been involved in about filler o
ecutions.
“We would investigate
cases of shoplifting each mis
Wharton said.
He said the shopliftingprolili I
Sears has declined since thei ■
tion of an electronic sensor deii
the store that alerts the peis I
when a customer leaves wi| *§£]
item he didn’t pay for.
"We’ve found that shoplij_«
can’t be categorized byracqP®
come levels,” he said. “Weveil
that many of the middle andi
class people have a tendeijHi
shoplift. The younger set
be more tempted to take recti “T1
radios, but we’ve also had fill |
olds do the same.”
Like K-Mart and Penney's.fl
has a program to teach
ployees how to detect shop.^^—
“The easiest way to catch ski gPl
ters is to watch their eyes, buli
not always possible,” Whartoiii I
W
Some shoplifters havellM
known to calmly looltir
stores, pick up fr/mstoni,;bGC
walk right out with them,
“Some shoplifters work in team
they can cover each other.”
Lusk said he has heard many
sons for shoplifting.
“The teen-age kids usually»
just wanted to see if I could getai
with it, ’” Lusk said. “The midd
aged people say, T don’t know^
took it. I just wanted it. ”
Very little shoplifting seemstol
PE
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“Tl
ST
SENIOR WEEKEND
FRIDAY APRIL 27
SENIOR BANQUET 5:30-7:30 P.M.
BRAZOS CENTER
GUEST SPEAKER: CAPT. GEORGE GAY USN
(RET)
CASUAL DRESS
SENIOR BASH 8-12 P.M.
LAKEVIEW CLUB — DENNIS IVEY
CASUAL DRESS
SATURDAY APRIL 28
RING DANCE — 9-1
MSC BALLROOM
ED GERLACH
RUDDER EXHIBIT HALL
BON SHON
FORMAL DRESS
RING DANCE PICTURES BEGIN AT 5:30 P.M. TICKETS ARE ON
SALE NOW UNTIL THURSDAY AT THE RUDDER BOX OFFICE.
Freshman Ag Society
End of School Dance
Friday, April 27, 8-12 p.m
Kleberg Center
$1 For Members
$2 For Nonmembers
(nonmembers must be accompanied by a member)
All members come and bring your friends.
done out of need. About TOp®
of all shoplifters have ehoUghm* |
with them to pay for the sldi
items, Kappella said.
“They always tell us, ‘Weill
for it, now. Just give us a chana,
Steffey said. “One time, wecanj
teen-ager with a cap in his boot
had the money on him. I guess!
was just trying to see ifhecouldjl
away with it.”
Kappella said many stores ini
area make their merchandise toot
cessible to the public — andshopl
ters. Store owners sometimesa
down on aisle visibility by dispfe
and other things they put up,!
said.
Retailers should haveanareaoi
side their stores where custom
would have to check packages,h
said.
“Shoplifters sometimes go W
stores with staplers and tags,” h
said. “They open up one item, pH
a more expensive item inside it,
then reseal it. They also use hois
with false bottoms.
Kappella said there are no stoifj
in this area using cameras.
“One of the problems is
we’ve got the attitude of a still
town here,” he said. “loom#
store owners still think, well, it
not going to happen to me.’ Buli
does.”
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