Thursday, September 20, 2007

Retail Shoplifters

These animals are real pros. They have the nerve/confidence to steal while a Tobacconist is in the Humidor with them. It does not seem to slow them down one bit. Adding insult to injury, they disheveled cigars, boxes, packaging, and they purchased ONE cigar: most shoplifters purchase at least one inexpensive item, probably thinking that is their 'smoke screen'.

I am posting this video contrary to some very good advice: two days ago Guillermo Leon told me to consult my attorney first. I'm sure he is wiser, smarter and more prudent than me, but I can't resist. Retail Tobacconists deal with this insanity every day and they must be educated and warned. Besides, attorneys are on the wrong side of justice at least 50% of the time, and I can't count on law enforcement helping us at all. The last criminal we prosecuted (we were lucky enough to catch him) merely had to pay back the cost of one cigar, yet he stole dozens. That is a joke since it cost us and the legal system hundreds of hours just to be compensated twenty bucks.



This, and many more videos will become part of the Tobacconist University Service College section on Retail Theft/Shoplifting. It costs us over ten thousand dollars a year per store just to compensate for the losses; as if retail wasn't difficult enough. I hope these images will help us survive. And I hope these animals are not breeding and producing another generation of degenerates.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

As a new Cigar Retailer in the state of Maryland I would like to know if there is an online bulletin board for posting such video or pictures of people like these. Kind of like a Cigar shops most wanted... If not i think I just might have to create one.

Administrator said...

yes! you can go here: http://tobacconistuniversity.org/forum/index.php

Dragonlorde Obsidian said...

I worked loss control many years ago for a large chain store in Maryland. I can tell you firsthand that Maryland is not tough on shoplifters. In most cases, the judges try to make the store the bad guy for even bring the case. You also have to be careful posting or sharing pictures of shoplifters (even caught in the act). Maryland courts (Howard County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City) have a history of letting criminals sue you because you embrassed them or made their criminal activity public. I cannot imagine the hassle of trying to get to get cigar store shoplifters prosecuted in this outwardly anti-tobacco state.