Theft of Power Tools at Home Depot

As I remember, Home Depot used to keep the valuable tools in locked bins up front and you had to ask someone to unlock them to get one. Once their losses are high enough, they will go back to that arrangement, even if that makes them hire one or two actual clerks to check you out. Stealing is still a misdemeanor crime and if it is not being investigated or prosecuted then that is something to talk to the police chief and DA about.

Things have gotten a little wild lately. I was in the Magnolia Center Ralph's on Friday around 1pm. A guy with a back pack was going in and out of the store with a plastic plate from the salad bar. He was looking around at the entrance, and seeing no employees rushing into the salad bar and helping himself, then going outside eating, then repeating. Really sad, but I couldn't help thinking of that plastic spoon he was eating with dipping into the various items in the bar, over and over again.

I think I saw them. They showed great Skil.

This is the result of Prop 47 - Those who wrote and supported the legislaton and those who voted for it.

Thank the politicians who made theft of items valued at under $950 not worth bothering about. Burglaries from cars and homes in San Francisco are doubling annually as a result, the same will happen here.

I'm surprised this is news. Since the state changed the rules for petty theft, shoplifting has gone crazy. Most of the big box stores in N cal now have private security to chase shop lifters. I was at Harbor Freight when a guy pushed a shopping cart out the door full of welders. A truck stopped and the driver and the thief threw the loot in the back of the truck and took off. The employees said there was a law stopping them from grabbing the thief.

Policy for allowing shoplifters and thieves to get away are conceived with good intention. Yet like anything, if word gets out that there's no consequence then there's no controlling it. But if the hammer was put down just enough times, these rodents would stop and realize. It's gotten out of control and nobody's doing anything. Even employees are loosing it about their being told to stand down because it erodes pride and loyalty. I know a guy at a Goleta grocery store who says every week teams come into his store and clear out the shelves of medicines and cosmetics. They will see these people on film. They have even talked to them when they've come back and showed the thieves the videos of them. And then just ask them to leave. They and others come back. The only penalty is hire prices for honest shoppers.

coastwatch - it's the store policies that prevent them from manhandling shoplifters. If you're so unhappy here, maybe you should move to a state like Texas - no shoplifting there! LOL

Twice we have bought tools from Home Depot, only to open them up and find crappy, used, broken tools in the box, clearly a 'return'.

It's time to start busting some knee caps. That'll stop them.