FORT MYERS, Fla. (WBBH) — Tim Hamilton has owned TV Center Electronics and TVC Auto in Fort Myers for more than 30 years. He’s learned a thing or two about stopping thieves.
“We are the candy store for the adults,” he told NBC2. “People that pay and people that don’t want to pay. I mean, over 33 years, I’ve had my share of trying to prevent theft.”
Between all the security cameras on the outside and inside – to the literal fence covering his front glass windows – Hamilton said the measures have worked.
“I see (theft) less now, I think, because of the preventions that we’ve put in place,” he said.
But around the country, retailers say they are not seeing less theft. Target just closed several stores – explicitly blaming theft and violence.
There are growing concerns over organized retail crime, including “flash robs” or “swarm robberies” in which large groups of people ransack stores, sometimes in broad daylight.
What about in Southwest Florida?
Data from Fort Myers police shows no obvious trend. Cases of retail theft are up and down.
But in Cape Coral, rough estimates of their cases show a steady rise in retail theft each year since 2020.
“Certainly around this time of year, as we get to the end of the year towards the holidays, we see a lot more of it,” Trish Routte of SWFL Crimestoppers told NBC2.
Routte said they see both the smaller, local thefts and large crime rings of people coming in from outside of the area.
Hardware stores are among the top targets for full-time thieves. Their goal is to steal things they can easily re-sell, and places like Facebook Marketplace have made that easier than ever.
“The internet has made things chaos for law enforcement,” Routte admitted. “Thieves are going to these places, and they’re selling these items for mere pennies on the dollar.”
While industry data shows the problem may not be worsening as much as retailers suggest, lawmakers have taken action in response.
A new federal law aims to deter the resale of stolen goods online, and in 2022 Governor Ron DeSantis signed a state law toughening penalties for organized retail crime.
Retailers have taken steps to lock up popular items, but maybe the biggest challenge that remains is the fact that many don’t even try to stop people who steal. Data shows more than 40% of stores have no one authorized to stop shoplifters.
“By and large, the stores are saying hands off,” Routte explained. “Don’t confront them because the most important thing is we don’t want to see anybody injured over any kind of property crime.”
“As a corporation, you can’t say ‘you must tackle these people,’ you know because I totally get it. Let them go, your safety is much better. Smaller business, it might be a little different approach,” Hamilton said. “I’m going after them. I have, you know. And we’ve gotten product back.”
Hamilton has even carried a gun, just in case the worst should happen.
In the end, no matter how a business handles it, you can help them fight back against theft and maybe even fight price hikes. Routte advises people to only buy from reputable places. That way, you aren’t accidentally helping those who steal.
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