According to the FBI, retail crime in the US is a $30
billion a year business.
When you think of items most stolen, what comes to your
mind? There are cars, of course. Any and all types of electronics such as
smart phones, tablets, gaming systems.
Certainly jewelry.
But some of the items on that list might surprise you. Here's a list of 7 bizarre items (in no
particular order) thieves love.
1) The Bible:
Of stolen books, the Bible is the most stolen. Apparently the "Thou shall not
steal" commandment must have escaped their attention. This most stolen book is of particular
curiosity since Bibles are available for free from so many different places of
worship and can routinely be found in hotel/motel rooms.
2) Pregnancy Tests:
At first glance, this seems like a very strange item to be
on a frequently stolen list. Are there
so many women out there who are so desperate to know if they're pregnant that a
drug store over the counter pregnancy test has made the list? This item is popular among thieves for a
couple of reasons. First, it's easy to
steal. Lots of little boxes on a shelf
can be swept into a large handbag in one quick swipe of the arm. And second, as with many over the counter
items, it can be a little too pricey for something that can be used only once.
3) Nutella:
I can hear you saying…What?
Stuff you spread on your morning toast
is an attractive item for thieves? Well,
apparently the answer is yes. Grape jelly and strawberry jam are one thing,
but Nutella's chocolaty hazelnut spread is highly desirable. German police reported that 5,000 jars of
Nutella valued at $21,000 were stolen from a warehouse. And at Columbia University in New York the
cafeteria was going through 100 pounds of Nutella a day when it first appeared
in the dining halls. Students were
filling to go cups and even taking full jars with them.
4) Hair Extensions:
A rash of hair extension heists have been prevalent in
cities like Chicago, Philadelphia and Houston.
The thieves target top-of-the-line human hair extensions that cost up to
$1,000/pack. The average person uses 2
packs each time and the hair needs to be replaced every 3 to 6 months.
5) High-End Vacuum Cleaners:
While the other items on this list are small and easily
concealed, a vacuum cleaner is not exactly the type of item a thief can tuck
away in a pocket or shoulder bag. But
apparently the updated versions are lighter, sleeker and come in smaller boxes
that don't attract a lot of attention.
Thieves like them because they are highly valuable, very expensive and
easy to resell.
6) Energy Drinks:
The more advertising dollars that are spent on a product the
more valuable a target that item becomes, and energy drinks are highly
marketed. An energy drink that sells for
$3/each can be quickly and easily sold by thieves for $2/each making them a
lucrative item.
7) Tide:
You would think those big bright orange containers would
make it difficult to sneak them out of a store.
However, thieves make lots of money from stealing Tide because they
reportedly sell the detergent back to the stores at a much cheaper price than
Procter and Gamble charges the same stores for their product.
Of course, this doesn't mean your car, electronic toys, and
jewelry are now safe because the thieves are busy stealing Bibles. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment