BY WORKING WITH BUSINESSES POLICE COULD DO MORE TO DETER CRIME IN LAWRENCE KANSAS

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How Police and SecondHand stores can work together to deter property theft within a community.

The only possible way to deter property theft is for the police and the business owners that deal in second hand items to have a working relationship.
In other communities, not only has this proven to be successful it has even been proven to actually deter crime in the area's that this kind of co-operation is achieved.

This kind of protocol will raise their awareness of stolen property, make things tougher for criminals and deter and identify offenders who handle stolen goods.

In order for this type of action to be successful the police must provide lists of stolen property to businesses that have signed up to a code of practice.

This would include the business agreeing to keep written records of the items they buy and checking property offered to them for possible problems. It could also include photographing sellers of items valued at over $100.

There would also need to be a protocol agreement for handling stolen property that does end up in the business.
Like requiring the alleged victim to positively identify the item before it is confiscated. Limiting searches of businesses cooperating with an investigation. Giving the business a property receipt and case number for items seized, And possible means of providing restitution to a business that becomes a victim themselves once stolen property is identified.

Police should also provide details of prolific offenders with the shops that join the program, so that they are aware of people who steal and who will be looking for outlets for that stolen property. When these people attempt to sell things to the business, the business will be in a position to acquire information for police without risking becoming a victim themselves.

Criminals who steal need to sell that property and police, by working with secondhand outlets, would be able to make it more difficult for criminals to dispose of stolen goods this would lead to the recovery of more stolen property.

Not only would this type of program help businesses lower the risk of buying stolen property it would also reduce the market for stolen goods within the community and show criminals that it will not be easy to get rid of stolen property in Lawrence Kansas.
Adherence to this type of program would enable customers to buy goods from local second hand stores with complete confidence, knowing that their origins are legitimate.
We have a good customer base of genuine and honest people and it is always within our interests to maintain that relationship of trust.


“I also believe that this type of program would act as a deterrent to people who try to sell stolen goods through businesses like ours, as it will be clear to them that we simply won’t tolerate it.”