24 Feb 2023

178

Property Crimes: Analysis of a Shoplifting Case

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As indicated by the speculative, On May 20, 2016, roughly at around 18:00Hrs, officers reacted to the Socks for Feet Outlet situated at 222 Citation Way. As per the Socks for Feet Security Officer Bo Foot, three individuals entered the store and started moving down the Big Feet zone of the store. Security Officer Bo Foot watched suspect one take three dozen sets of the Big Guy Brand socks and place them down his jeans. Security Officer Bo Foot at that point pursued the three suspects into the Hammer Toe segment of socks where Security Officer Bo Foot watched suspect two places two dozen sets of the Hang Nail Free brand of socks into suspect three's handbag. As Security Officer Bo Foot moved toward the suspected persons, they started to run. As Suspect one ran he knock Security Officer Foot making him tumble to the floor. Each of the three suspects came up short on the store into the back parking garage of the store. 

These statements were corroborated by other witnesses present at the scene of the crime at the time the crime was being carried out. The Socks For Feet store owner, Clifford Tunnel, wrote in his statement that he could identify the three individuals, two white men and a lady, Bubba Hurt, Skeeter Redrum, and Summer Breeze walk into his store, and he could remember instructing Bo Foot, the security personnel to watch them. He then heard a yell a few minutes later and saw Bubba Hurt rum into the security officer, and the three suspects left the store through the back door. The other witnesses Andrea Sianturi, the Retail sales attendant and Susan Bunnion, a shopper both confirm that they saw these occurrences and could positively identify the suspects. These three suspects were taken into custody by the Happy Town Police Department, and they could be determined beyond any reasonable doubt that they are the individuals described by the four witnesses. 

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The security office of Socks For Feet Store Mr Bo Foot wrote that he informed the owner Mr Clifford Tonnel that he saw the three individuals leave the store with some unpaid for merchandise. Therefore a detailed inventory report was drafted from a careful stock evaluation to know what was missing. It was found out that men’s socks were missing which were later recovered when the suspects were apprehended. Thirty-six pieces of the Big Guy brand each retailing at twelve dollars worth four hundred and thirty-two dollars in total and twenty-four bits of the Hang Nail Free brand retailing at ten dollars each, amounting to two hundred and forty dollars were missing. The store in total lost an amount of six hundred and seventy-two dollars from that incident. 

As the district attorney, under Title 16 of the Criminal Code for the State of Georgia, three suspects Bubba Hurt, Skeeter Redrum, and Summer Breeze should be charged with Theft by Taking (O.C.G.A. 16-8-2 (2010)). This bars any person from unlawfully taking or be in possession of properties that belong to other persons with the intention of depriving them regardless of how the property was acquired. Also, the three suspects would be charged with Theft by Deception (O.C.G.A. 16-8-3 (2010)). In subsection (a), a person will be said to have committed this crime if he acquires property by deception with the intent of depriving the owner of his ownership. 

Under Penalties for Theft code (O.C.G.A. 16-8-12 (2010)) subsection (a) part (1), the three suspects should be convicted for having stolen property whose worth exceeds five hundred dollars whose sentence is imprisonment for up to ten years and not less than one year as the trial judge deems fit. This is justifiable from the cumulative value of six hundred and seventy-two dollars acquired from the inventory report from the store, which also translates to the merchandise value found in possession of these suspects. The second charge which is specifically fundamental to this case is Theft by Shoplifting (O.C.G.A. 16-8-14 (2010)). Shoplifting whether carried out alone or in concert with other persons with the aim of depriving the owner of their property attracts a penalty of three hundred dollars fine. This applies to Skeeter Redrum and Summer Breeze. Bubba Hurt on the other hand who has a prior record of shoplifting with misdemeanour severity, however, should be fined an additional fine of not less than two hundred and fifty dollars which cannot be probated on top of other charges imposed on the suspect. 

In the view of these suspects, it is evident that they are professional criminals basing on the three-tier aspects of qualifying professional from amateur criminals. First, the suspects displayed a low moral capacity as they were caught trying to shoplift at Just for Kicks Martial Arts Studio. This also falls under the “modus operandi” as they were found at another store meaning they had their schedule planned well. Amateurs will also be stopped by prior conviction but these suspects all have priors, yet they still indulge in such practices. This is arguably tough, but all indications point to them being experienced and professional in their criminal offences. 

Most criminals do not possess characteristics that uniquely identify them as criminals. Most of them possess knowledge about criminal techniques. These criminals do not depend on crime as their primary source of income hence they do not view themselves as criminals. The type of criminal topology that should be applied is shoplifting. Shoplifting is notified by the disappearance or shrinking of goods from the total amounted inventory. Large retail stores have on the other side increased the need for shoplifting. Bubba Hurt, Skeeter Redrum, and Summer Breeze took three dozen pairs of the Big guy brand socks and two dozen pairs of the Hang Nail free brand socks. This is an accumulated total of 50 pairs of socks less the total socks inventory in Clifford Tonell’s store. 

Boosters are the type of shoplifters that first examine then execute their crime skillfully. They carefully monitor the expensive items and how the merchandise can be sold to a dealer who deals explicitly with stolen goods. Most shoplifters do not have a criminal record laid on them. Bubba Hurt has a previous history of shoplifting as compared to Skeeter Redrum and Summer Breeze. Shoplifters steal inexpensive items to cater for their own basic need. In most scenarios, they tend to have sufficient funds to cover the stolen items. 

There are many possible reasons for shoplifting like greed, need, and excitement. Shop, retail and store owners should come up with measures to curb shoplifting. Like Clifford, Tonell could have implemented the electronic price tag system. This system sets the alarm if the item is picked and the price tag on the item not removed with the help of Andrea Siantori, the store employee. Clifford Tonell could also implement the antishoplifting statues that entail the shoplifter to cater for the cost security. Letters could be sent to the Bubba Hurt, Skeeter Redrum, and Summer Breeze or their parents and ask them to pay a certain amount in addition to returning the Stolen Items. A study of Covertly Shoplifters (2004), states that most people likely to shoplift are the middle-aged shoppers as portrayed by Bubba Hurt, Skeeter Redrum, and Summer Breeze. 

References 

Biernath, M. Crimes and Offenses.  Law Review 17 (1). 

Clinard, M. R., Quinney, R., &Wildeman, J. (2014).  Criminal behaviour systems: A typology . Routledge. 

Howe, M. D. (1938). Juries as judges of criminal law.  Harv. L. Rev. 52 , 582. 

Strayer University - Learning Resources Center/Library. (2018). Retrieved from https://strayer.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2016-2017/Catalog/Student-Services-and-Activities/Learning-Resources-Center-Library 

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StudyBounty. (2023, September 16). Property Crimes: Analysis of a Shoplifting Case.
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