Читать книгу Further Adventures of "Dirty Joe" Callihan - Joe Callihan - Страница 9

This next story has to do with my catching a very cleaver professional shoplifter. The Kmart had suffered one of its worse shoplift thefts ever. A cleaver, professional thief had managed to steal over $15,000.00 from the hardware and automotive departments in just one month. No one had ever seen him doing his theft, and no one had any idea of what he, or she, looked like. All they knew was they were short $15,000.00 worth of merchandise.

Both Bill and I wanted this jerk caught so he could do some hard time. As the hardware department was directly across from the Appliance department where I worked, I felt sure if I watched closely enough, I could catch him or her. The good news was we had just begun carrying portable video cameras. In fact, we had a working model, complete with VHS tape, locked inside our front display counter. I had the keys to the lock, and could take it out to demonstrate when needed. Was that a Blessing or what?

One afternoon I happened to look over into the hardware department, and caught sight of a guy who was scanning the horizon very carefully. I’ll bet that’s my guy, I thought to myself. Opening the display case I quickly removed the camera. It was fully charged and ready to go. So away I went! I went down and across from the aisle he was in. I went into the men’s wear department and stood about 150 feet away, and began taping the thief.

Using the powerful telephoto lens, I was able to capture his every move, from the head looking back and forth, to his tearing open the cardboard box containing a $29.99 Black & Decker Saw, so he could fill it with expensive drill bits, saw blades, and assorted expensive goodies. Then I recorded his effort to neatly reseal the box before heading to the front checkouts to pay the $29.99 for the “would be” saw. I was so delighted my plan had worked. He had absolutely no idea he was being filmed on my version of “Candid Camera.” It took all I could manage, to keep from calling out to him saying, “Smile! You’re on Candid Camera!”

More good news was the fact that I managed to flag down one of the ladies working in men’s wear, and had her get Bill Wilson to join me. Bill, after seeing enough, went to the front checkouts to await the thief’s arrival. When the guy left for the front of the store, I quickly replaced and locked the camera back in the display case, and waited for the call. When it came, I rushed to the front, knowing exactly who I would be looking for.

But to my surprise, Bill was leading the cooperative man back to the security room. The guy was after all, a professional. He felt calm and certain he could weasel his way out of this, much like the old man had felt. He kept asking, while being questioned, “What’s this all about?” “You know what it’s about, Bill said. You’re a Damn THIEF! That’s what it’s about!”

Being a professional shoplifter, He waited until the arrival of the police before making his case. “They are falsely accusing me of being a thief. I was going to pay for the items at the front checkout, but I was never given the chance. Then pulling out his wallet, he displayed five, hundred dollar bills. “How much was the amount of theft?” the officer asked Bill. He had totaled it, and it had come to $467.00 plus tax, or very close to $500.00.

Looking at Bill, the officer asked, “Do you wish to allow him to pay, or are you going to press charges.” He did not know that question was a no brainer. “Put the Damn Thief in Jail! Get his ugly face out of my sight!” Bill angrily replied. The poor thief looked disappointed that Bill had turned down his “generous” offer to pay. He looked so sad. So I decided to add to his sorrow.

As the policeman was getting ready to lead him away in cuffs I said, “Hey Jerk! I’ve got your antics on camera. You can watch yourself at your trial. Then try to buy your way out of that one! I hope you get hard time, and lots of it!” Needless to say, our shoplifting monthly losses declined by a large amount after his capture. What kind of HUGE REWARD did I get from K-Mart? “You did a good job Joe!”