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| -Lurid Crime Tales- |
| 'Group' robbery at Mesa store has police worried |
| 2007-08-29 |
| Nearly 30 people swarmed a Mesa convenience store at Alma School and 8th Street late Friday, stealing about 15 beer cases, chips, sports drinks, gum and candy. The Mesa Police Department said this is the second time in less than two weeks that this type of group shoplifting crime has occurred. Mesa Police Department's Steve Berry said the thieves pay for some items, but only to distract the clerk from the others who are stealing items. The extreme number of thieves then overwhelms the clerk and makes it difficult for employees to identify them, even on surveillance tapes, Berry said. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #11 I would bet that Free Radical's approach worked for two reasons: 1.) His loud declaration drew the entire store's attention to the shoplifters. They know what they're doing is wrong and don't want anyone to see it. Call it a residual guilt complex. 2.) The "Elvis" gambit instilled just enough uncertainty that the individual shouting it might actually go off on them in another few seconds. Few low IQ thieves are willing to confront a full-blown psycho. Summoning up The King in times of trial would un-nerve a lot of lowbrow types. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-08-29 21:04 |
| #10 TW, I can imagine that it was some form of an insult, but beyond that, puzzled as well. Maybe FR or someone else can xplain. |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2007-08-29 20:02 |
| #9 Go to damn near any convienience store near any urban high school. You'll see the "Five only allowed in at a time" signs. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-08-29 14:57 |
| #8 UA's back in session. Check Face Book. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2007-08-29 14:50 |
| #7 I'm glad that worked, Free Radical, but I don't understand why it worked. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-08-29 14:21 |
| #6 'Swarming thefts' are an old trick. In a previous life, I worked as a loss prevention agent at Tower Records. One summer we started having episodes of 'swarming.' So one day about 15 guys came in, went immediately to the hip-hop/rap cassette section and started openly ripping the wrappers off of tapes and putting them in their pockets. I decided to use 'unconventional tactics' to stop the swarm. I climbed up on the tape Shelves in front of them and (in a VERY loud voice) announced to the entire department that everyone in the hip-hop/rap section "looked like Elvis." The gang-bangers dropped the tapes, declared that I was most certainly on crack, and left. My supervisor collared me the next day and told me that I was "very brave, and VERY stupid." But we had no more swarms that summer... heh heh heh! |
| Posted by: Free Radical 2007-08-29 13:44 |
| #5 Of course the answer to this is the Mall Ninja force! |
| Posted by: bombay 2007-08-29 13:36 |
| #4 This kind of swarming shoplifting is often reported from Youths™ in France, I've read it happening on the Champs Elysées, in the south of France,... basically, Youths™ walk in, help themselves, and leave, either for immediate consumption (food, drinking), or for theft (perfume, clothes,...). This is rather frequent, as acknowledged by shopkeepers, but is rarely reported by the msm. |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2007-08-29 13:03 |
| #3 A group beating of the robbers as they departed the store would be called a hate crime... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2007-08-29 11:07 |
| #2 I wonder if that would work at Nordstroms. I need a new pair of shoes. |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2007-08-29 10:07 |
| #1 'Group' |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2007-08-29 03:58 |