Fruitport Township Police Department releases statistics for retail fraud complaints.
Fruitport Township Police Department responds to retail fraud complaints on an average of approximately one per day. Retail Fraud is the legal terminology for what is commonly referred to as shoplifting. Depending value of the stolen property and prior criminal history, the offender could be charged with a misdemeanor or a felony.
Retail fraud is committed in a variety of ways. Some offenders conceal merchandise inside their clothing or a bag. Others simply load a cart full of merchandise and try to push the cart out without paying for it. Some try to switch price tags on merchandise or switch the contents of one package into a package of another lower-priced item (to avoid paying the full-price for the item). With the introduction of self-checkout lanes, security personnel are finding some shoppers are not scanning all of the items they take through the self-checkout lanes.
Area retailers use a variety of methods to reduce theft – including plain-clothed security officers (referred to as loss prevention or asset protection), surveillance cameras, and a variety of anti-theft devices and procedures. Police respond to complaints from the stores.
Examples of recent retail fraud complaints responded to by Fruitport Township Police Department follow:
01/01/2012 – Meijer – 5300 Harvey, Fruitport Township
A 48-year-old male subject reportedly selected three bottles of liquor, removed security devices and packaging, and concealed them in his coat. He then exited the store, making no attempt to pay for the merchandise. When confronted by loss prevention personnel from the store, he fled on foot. The same male subject was identified when he was involved in a retail fraud at Younker’s, 5580 Harvey Street in Fruitport Township, only a few days later (01/04/2012). Loss prevention personnel at Younker’s reported they had observed the subject conceal clothing items in a bag and leave the store without paying for the items. Loss Prevention personnel struggled with the subject who was uncooperative. When the subject was in custody, they discovered a black handgun lying on the ground underneath him. It was later determined to be a BB gun that had no markings of any sort and appeared to be a real handgun. The subject was lodged at the Muskegon County Jail. Total amount of reported theft from the Meijer incident was $149.97. Total for the Younker’s incident was $105.50.
01/05/2012 – Walmart – 1879 E. Sherman, Fruitport Township
A 36-year-old male subject reportedly selected numerous items, removed them from packages, and concealed them inside his clothing. He attempted to leave the store without paying for the items and was apprehended by loss prevention personnel. The total recovery for this incident was $196.39.
01/22/2012 – Walmart – 1879 E. Sherman, Fruitport Township
A 30-year-old female subject reportedly went to the self-checkout lane and scanned several items, but did not scan other items. She paid for the scanned items and attempted to leave the store with the other items she had bagged without scanning. Total recovery for this incident was $219.21.
01/26/2012 – Sam’s Club – 1707 E. Sherman, Fruitport Township
Three adult male subjects enter the store and load two 46” televisions onto a cart. One of the subjects distracts a greeter while another pushes the TV’s out of the store without paying for them. The three subjects have not yet been apprehended, and the merchandise has not been recovered. Total loss: $2,173.40.
02/09/2012 – Walmart – 1879 E. Sherman, Fruitport Township
A 24-year-old female subject removed concealed prerecorded “Twighlight” movie DVD(s) valued at $30.00. She removed packaging in the restroom and left the store with them without paying. The offender was not apprehended at the time of the incident, but through additional investigation she was identified and interviewed about the incident. The report was referred to the prosecutor’s office for charges.
Fruitport Township Police Department Retail Fraud Statistics
2008 – 385
2009 – 367
2010 – 365
2011 – 357
2012 (to date) - 48
The majority of retail fraud complaints in Fruitport Township come from the larger retailers such as Walmart, Meijer, JC Penney, and Sears.
Retail fraud laws can be found at www.michiganlegislature.org, sections 750.356c and 750.356d.
In addition to retail fraud complaints, Fruitport Township Police Department regularly responds to area retailers for a variety of other types of complaints - including credit card fraud, purse larcenies, and larcenies from vehicles.
Address/Location
Fruitport Township Police Department
5825 Airline Hwy
Fruitport Charter Township, MI 49415
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 231-865-8477
D/Sgt. Bruce A. Morningstar
[email protected]
231-865-8477