An observation that will most likely end up in the Attic but without my intent (Page 2): a few years a brand new Kroger store located near a High school closed only a coupled years...

home brewer Loc: Fort Wayne, Indiana

a few years a brand new Kroger store located near a High school closed only a coupled years after it opened due to the thieving students. Many stores around here close when the non payment overwhelms the profit. This only seems to occur in the poorer neighborhoods; making things worse for those people who are honest.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

home brewer wrote:

a few years a brand new Kroger store located near a High school closed only a coupled years after it opened due to the thieving students. Many stores around here close when the non payment overwhelms the profit. This only seems to occur in the poorer neighborhoods; making things worse for those people who are honest.

True. The poor honest people will suffer in one of two ways -- there may not be any stores left within walking distance and they have to take public transportation to buy food and household items, or small mom-and-pop stores come in where prices are much higher.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

Longshadow wrote:

Sadly....

And they increased the base "theft minimum" that they worry about.....
A $5 sammich does not meet the minimum criteria.

Just imagine if everyone started doing that...
Oh, Wait, that's why some stores in Philly are closing (leaving)........ too much theft.

Stealing is stealing, and there shouldn't be a minimum. A lesser fine sure but no free pass. Since all I was getting was a 20 oz. coffee for less than 3.00, I felt like asking the cashier what would happen if I just walked out without paying.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Bridges wrote:

Stealing is stealing, and there shouldn't be a minimum. A lesser fine sure but no free pass. Since all I was getting was a 20 oz. coffee for less than 3.00, I felt like asking the cashier what would happen if I just walked out without paying.

Bit then there would be SO MANY more to prosecute.

Basically what the law is saying is that under this value, we're not worried about it.

M1911 Loc: DFW Metromess

All my friends call the "convenience stores" and gas stations stop-n-robs.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

M1911 wrote:

All my friends call the "convenience stores" and gas stations stop-n-robs.

Ruthlessrider

Bridges wrote:

I was in a Wawa, (for those who do not know what t... (show quote)

The effectiveness of the punishment for such crimes seems non-existent. Most everyone who knows me thinks I am a very liberal person, and I try to be, but when it comes to this kind of petty crime my liberalness disappears. There needs to be an adequate response to this type of crime to bring an end to it. Don't ask me what that is, because we have laws prohibiting the kind of action I think it will take.

Years ago I remember reading a story of a U.S. Ambassador's son in who vandalized several cars in the nation his dad was assigned. The punishment by the local government which did not recognize the diplomatic immunity the father had, was not afforded the son. The punishment was 20 lashes with a thin bamboo rod. While that sounds harsh, my bet is it saved this lad from committing other crimes, and the memory of this punishment has probably stayed with him to this day. It seems like, as a nation, we are sparing the rod and spoiling the kids.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

I'll not rant. I'll get suspended.

clint f. Loc: Priest Lake Idaho, Spokane Wa

This is why elections matter. Elect your prosecutor with car or you’ll end up with DA’s like Gascogne or Bragg or Willis or, well you know what I mean.

therwol Loc: USA

Bridges wrote:

Stealing is stealing, and there shouldn't be a minimum. A lesser fine sure but no free pass. Since all I was getting was a 20 oz. coffee for less than 3.00, I felt like asking the cashier what would happen if I just walked out without paying.

I agree with you that there shouldn't be a minimum on stealing. I think that minimums are set because law enforcement is undermanned and tied up with more serious crimes. Same with the court system and jails.

PhotoMono123 Loc: Houston, Texas

Two things were brought to mind from this post:

a) It is absolutely a sign of the times. I know that no one — absolutely no one — would have done this in the 1950s! Of course, almost everything was behind counters then, but still... ;)

b) In the 1950s (and earlier) Wawa was a small local dairy outside of Philadelphia. In the late 1960s or early 1970s they began opening convenience stores (a la 7-Eleven) in the Philly suburbs. It has been interesting to watch them grow over the years.

gastech1949 Loc: Imperial Beach, CA.

In downtown San Francisco CA there are blocks and blocks of stores closed and empty because the theft problem and lack of prosecutions put them out of business.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

PhotoMono123 wrote:

Two things were brought to mind from this post: br... (show quote)

You “know that no one — absolutely no one” would have shop lifted in the 1950s?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Mac wrote:

You “know that no one — absolutely no one” would have shop lifted in the 1950s?

A rarity then.
Most had good morals & scruples then.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Longshadow wrote:

A rarity then.
Most had good morals & scruples then.

I must have grown up in a bad area.