Some of the readers may feel that an amoral discussion of modern thievery has merit. If someone is broke, homeless, starving, or oppressed do not they need good knowledge in case they decide to resort to stealing? It is one of those grey areas the authors have debates on. We will discuss various facts, speculation, and techniques on the idea this can be useful in emergencies. Felony type stuff like Armed Robbery of Banks, Counterfeiting, etc is out of the scope of this work and is near suicide or out of reach of the average reader.
Beware the temptation to be a petty shoplifter or common thief. Yes, it is true that oppression can be very real. It is the sign of a rational mind to by angered by this. However, once you are arrested and fingerprinted, you will be in a database for life. How many promising brothers and sisters have successfully fought political persecution only to be later sent behind bars for a maximum sentence on a shoplifting charge? Plus, if you consider any group part of your identity, you make it harder on others of that group due to the old "birds of a feather flock together" ethos.
The story of Tre Arrow, a leader in the eco-green movement, is a popular story in anarchist literature. Tre Arrow was a well-respected activist who believed firmly in stopping wasteful suburban sprawl. He was a veteran of numerous protests and even ran for congress under the Green Party's banner. The group he hung with was known as the Earth Liberation Front, a serious thorn in the side of the logging companies - and had the attention of several three letter agencies. Back then, they were trying to stop the outright pillage of a beautiful wilderness area so others could enjoy it. For suspected burning of logging trucks working in that area that a few in the ELF claimed 'responsibility' for, he was being 'looked for' by law enforcement. He then fled to Canada, where he could have waited things out and been left unmolested until things died down and were forgotten. But, instead of being cool and laying low, he went to the store and tried to sneak out with some bolt cutters! The Canadian authorities caged him up. While he did try to fight extradition, it was unsuccessful. After having to spend tons of money in legal fees, he finally got shipped to the US where he served 78 months in federal prison. Now, he has a felony record, is missing 78 months of his life, and still must go through a halfway house - all for bolt cutters that cost 20 to 30 USD!
Of course, not all bad shoplifting stories are from diehard activists - most are from broke kids wanting a free buzz! At least, that is what James Hawthorne, Jr. was after. James was a young guy in his 20s from a inner city in the Dirty South who was thirsty for some beer. What better way to get some beer than to waltz up into a small, locally owned convenience store and liberate a case of beer for him and a buddy! But, after going in and grabbing a 15 USD case of beer, he was followed out to the car by an enraged clerk! The clerk angrily demanded the beer be returned. When James reached down to grab something off the floorboard, the clerk shot through the car twice with a pistol. Police arrested the clerk and charged him with murder. However, due to public outcry and the rash of recent armed robberies in the city, all charges against the clerk were dropped and he was declared a hero by many. Yes, it could be said it is best to drive off quickly if being chased by armed, nervous employees. One could even say James was a fool and should have been more stealthy or waited till the clerk had a line of customers. We could also debate the whether or not it was right the clerk got away with murder when the shoplifter was unarmed. But, is the item you are stealing worth your life when the person killing you will be exonerated most of the time? Even if you do not get shot to death, you can expect no mercy or justice even if improperly handled as society hates thieves.
Be sure to also check out ideas on Infiltrating as sometimes both disciplines can go hand-in-hand. Also, read back up on Security Culture as this applies to anything activity that is probably best if not found out.
Consider also WHY you are stealing. If you are stealing to feed an addiction, you may be in serious danger!
Be familiar with the location of your target item. Know the habits of the item's owner and associates. Know all escape routes. Always measure risk and reward. Visit the place several times legit and make mental notes of potential issues. Are there cameras? Where are they located? What about those RFID sensors? Can they be unplugged or is that covered with a metal pipe? When is it busy? When is shift change? Are there dudes on cell phones walking around but not shopping? Are pigs parked around 24/7? Have you rehearsed in your mind what to do if confronted?
Look at a satellite birds-eye view of the location on google maps. Are there forests nearby to get lost in? Is there a safe place for a get away vehicle that a zealous worker may not chase you to and get your car tag?
Questions are the answer. While no amount of preparation is completely without risk, at least some forthought can go a long ways towards lessening the odds.
Carrying knives and firearms can increase you sentence if caught stealing. Leave these at home. Not only that, just like the James Hawthorne, Jr. story in our intro, it gives a nervous and armed employee legal justification to blow your brains out - even if you are only suspected of being armed! Plus, we have heard stories of folks caught doing petty crimes getting good quality knives and firearms confiscated by cops, never to be seen again.
But remember, in our society, property is more valuable than life... a cvs manager strangled a shoplifter to death for stealing toothpaste, another theif was shot for stealing $15 of beer...
And yes, knives and firearms can be stolen... in someone who isn't the author's "ownership" are four good quality knives, one was purchased, one was a gift, two... well... along side those is two multitools, acquired similarly. Getting caught will probably be a felony though, so be fucking careful and ready to run.
Furthermore, moderately sized sporting goods stores rarely actually have good security. The weapons counter will be devoid of employees at times and it's perfectly feasible to walk up and acquire a rifle or crossbow. Ammunition is sometimes openly on shelves. Aggressive high quality survival and pocket knives may be secured simply by the silly magnetic lock to the shelf, which can be yanked off.
Sleight-of-hand tricks not only are great for magic tricks, but have illegal uses as well. Indeed, even casinos sometimes include famed prestidigitators on blacklist profiles for fear of them sneaking cards. Most tricks involve focusing attention on something else other than the real object being hidden. The discipline requires good dexterity, watching your eye movements, and loads of practice in front of a mirror. If you become good at this, minor items such as cigarette lighters on check-out counters and other small items can be lifted fairly easily. We once knew a pothead chain-smoking street magician who never ran out of lighters this way. Of course, more than lighters can be gotten. Other small items can be fair game, too. Pick up some magic books, if this sounds interesting.
Palming and misdirection can save your ass from police busts, too! If you get really good, imagine your dime bag of weed "disappearing" before a cop body searches you.
Be aware that pawn shops are the absolute first place pigs look for missing stuff. All pawn shops are going to want to see a valid in state ID before taking an item. Most pawn shop owners have a vested interest in keeping good with the cops and will cooperate if pressed. They are also going to record serial numbers (if any) of the item. Always check acquired items for engravings or metal plaques cemented on the item that can identify ownership. Be sure to wipe info off of computers.
Pawn Shops are well known for only offering 25% or 50% of the actual value of items. It may be best to sell items by internet if waiting and security is possible.
Electronics can often be sold online quite easily for 60% of their retail value. Just look at how many people are selling RAM, a game, a flash drive, a netbook, etc on ebay at any one time... if you have a friend some distance away and can get stuff to them to sell, you're pretty much perfectly safe selling online.
The usual Security Culture warning, drugs and petty thievery is what gets most guerrilla cells broken up not good police work. Car breaking is also a great way to enrage Bubba the redneck and get your brains blown out onto the pavement. Lastly, consider the bad karma.
Yuppies leave expensive things in their cars. One kleptomaniac contributor found ozs of coke, brand new apple laptops, serious firearms, and even 700 dollars cash. Of course, this contributor only contributed once and was never heard from again!
The plan goes like this: Wait till cover of night. Go to rich neighborhoods with low crime rates. The lower the crime rate the less cops. Go up to each car and test the handle to see if it is unlocked. Every now and then one will be. Don't touch if there is a blinking red light! DO NOT BREAK THE GLASS. IF you just wait for an unlocked one most people will not even realize anything is missing and will not call it in. Do this at night. Always look around. IT is sometimes worth breaking the glass if you see something that is truly worth it. DON'T GET CAUGHT. Getting caught entering cars is a misdemeanor called Unlawful Entry (Or the more serious Breaking and Entering if windows were burst or locksmith techniques were used). These crimes can land you months in the Pig Hotel known as Jail and make going to legit forms of income troublesome in the future.
You may look into acquiring some jiggler picks or a "slimline wafer pick" if you want to get into locked cars... most lack security systems stock, and those that have them will be visible about it. See Locksmithing. These may also start older cars if you're really willing to put that much on the line... (really, it's a bad idea, car theft gets investigated a lot, and odds are you'll end up in prison for a long time)
If you must indulge in kleptomaniac activities due to some adrenaline rush, there is a better option. Repossession Agents are generally free of the police and corporate oligarch legal system. It is also a very mercenary-type job with quite a bit of autonomy. If you can get over oppressing those down on their luck while empowering the banking system, this could be a calling. Be aware that for any job like this, you may need a good criminal background.
With many auto loans turning sour in this economy, there may be openings for those willing to put themselves at risk, while possibly causing unemployment and even homelessness due to their actions. Laws vary from state to state over qualifications and liabilities. Ask at your local County Clerk Office of the Court to see what certifications you need. You can also check out these websites for more information:
American Recovery Association - http://www.repo.org/
QuickRepo.com - http://www.quickrepo.com
RepoCompanies.net - http://www.repocompanies.net/rcn
8. Steal Now Pay Never
Rule of Theft: If you steal something, and are skilled and/or fortunate enough to get away with your item and your life, then you obviously deserve whatever you stole.