‘Shoplifting on the rise after Soudelor’

Shoplifters are a big headache for many stores on Saipan but the problem appears to have escalated after Typhoon Soudelor pummeled the island, with many incidents happening despite the obvious presence of surveillance cameras.

The manager of a large store in As Lito told Saipan Tribune that they’ve already been experiencing shoplifting incidents before the typhoon but there have been even more incidents after Soudelor, with new thieves surfacing.

The manager said a few minors have been involved, but most are adults who operate individually. She disclosed that there is even one shoplifter who let his small child watch him steal cans of milk from the shelf.

She said the store has been monitoring a certain shoplifter, who is so good that they could not catch him red-handed. She said they would only learn that items have been stolen after reviewing the surveillance camera’s footage and playing it in slow motion.

Showing Saipan Tribune the footage, the manager pointed to the same shoplifter, who asked about the price of a cigarette then surreptitiously stole a Bluetooth speaker.

The manager said they would usually call the police if they really have hard evidence such as footage.

In two instances where they called the police, she said they learned that the cases are still with the Office of the Attorney General but not prosecuted yet.

The manager said if police want to arrest these thieves, they are more than happy to share the footages of their surveillance cameras.

She said most of the items stolen are products for cars, canned goods, milk, betel nut, and gadgets.

Since they are aware that police are currently busy with the typhoon rehabilitation operations, most of the time they just confront the thieves just to get back the items.

The manager said this shoplifting problem should be exposed to the public so the government will be aware of it and that the court should send a strong message by sending them to jail.

She said one man stole in separate incidents a total of eight cans of milk by hiding the items in his pants, prompting them to move the product near the cashier’s area. One shoplifter hid 10 cans of corned beef in his pants.

Another manager of a store in Dandan made the same observation—that there seems to be a rash of shoplifting incidents after Typhoon Soudelor. She said they don’t call the police anymore because nothing happens. The police will talk to the shoplifters, then let them go, the manager said.

“If we catch a shoplifter, we just get back the items and tell them not to come back anymore,” the manager said.

She said minors involved would only steal small items such as candies and toys, but adults would get drinks, wine, shampoo, canned goods, and other items.

She said their stores are surrounded with high-tech surveillance cameras but thieves do not seem scared or worried about it.

When asked for comments, Department of Public Safety acting spokesman Jason Tarkong said detectives are currently working on a lot of burglary and theft cases and domestic violence.

Tarkong said he has not come across recent shoplifting cases, but he assured that detectives will be looking into the stores’ concern.