One of the constant things you can count on in the span of history is that organized crime will go where the money is. Whether it is prohibition, dockworking, gambling, wherever profits are highest. If they weren't showing a profit in their smash-n-grab networks, they wouldn't finance them, using "disadvantaged youth" as their proxies makes it safer for the financiers, lowering the risk/reward ratio.

Not too complicated, but maybe prevention efforts should be focused more towards the top, there is seemingly no end of available foot soldiers. Except, that might affect "campaign contributions!" Just think how profitable the gun and ammo trade might become if they end up being prohibited.

Don't know if this has ever been mentioned but seems to me that some kind of high resolution polycarbonate display case would deter quite a bit of the effort of smash and grab .
Kind of hard to get the loot when you can't get into the counter.
THAT and every employee packing, of course.

When courts stopped letting people use force to protect their property it opened the door for brazen theft.

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
Nope, but in Florida I think the odds of getting shot trying this is pretty high. Sorry to hear of your situation, glad everyone is ok.

Ha right ? Sheriff chip in pcola and sheriff Bob in Santa Rosa county and sheriff Grady in Polk county and I imagine many other FL sheriffs would be like… well they died doing what they love.

Sorry you were targeted. Seems you were prepared. Glad you and staff are OK! You run a class act.

Haven’t seen reports of an uptick. We’ve been seeing a ton of counterfeit cash though.

Around here in our small town if someone tried that, I don’t think they would survive.

If they made it out of the store, the bored police and county sheriff would be on them like white on rice.

quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:
When courts stopped letting people use force to protect their property it opened the door for brazen theft.

When your are smashing everything in sight with a hammer - you could be next, deadly force is in play.

The cost to retrofit stores is so exorbitant that it's easier for most to relocate.

And
If they do stay and retrofit,
The prices go way up to pay for that expense.

Haven’t seen anything quite like that around here. Glad you and your staff are ok and nothing was taken. We had a rash of after hours pawn shop burglaries a few weeks ago targeting handguns. One store was hit twice about 3 weeks. Fortunately, arrests were made of a 17 year old and 13 year old (shocking to me). There are a lot of things about the Middle East that I don’t agree with but how they handle thieves is not one of them.

This was pretty creative way to deal with a car parts thief: Forklifted auto thief

One liquor store in Memphis has been turned into a drive thru several times. They had even cased the store and knew where the good stuff was stocked.
One of the big issues in Memphis is they are paying the juveniles to go commit the crimes. They caught some 13 year olds with prior arrests and wearing ankle monitors out car jacking people at gun point.

Pawn shop north of Memphis kept the guns in fortified room. They found out where and drove a truck through the side of the building.

Our sheriff has put the word out come up from Memphis and commit crimes in our county then be prepared to do the time.

Tipton county sheriff warns crooks from Memphis

I was in the local shopping mall a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday evening (heading to the new Scheels for some reloading supplies) and I counted seven uniformed police/sheriff officers, one with a police dog, and four private mall security folks -- can only guess somebody had received a tip about a possible mall riot or organized theft event.