University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, April 30, 1980
]
Elderly shoplifters often seek thrills, financial relief
By JENNIFER ROBLEZ
Staff Renorter
8:03 a.m. Officer Robert Fox of the Department turns in his reports to his supervisors and prepares to leave the law enforcement center after an eight-hour
8:42 a.m. : Now in street clothes, he drives to Dillon's, 7149 Massachusetts St. Without drawing attention to himself he walks the mahies and watches each customer carefully.
10:17 a.m.  an elderly, distinguished-looking man slips a package of cheese into his right front coat pocket. For follows the check-out card and out of the store.
He approaches the man and asks about the cheese. The man offers to pay for the item. The man describes his respect for the woman. He mentions his long years of service at his former place of business. Fox listens, shakes his head, then escorts the man to the police station to talk with him.
THE Elderly man, well-known in the community, is one of a growing number of elderly people, who, for whatever reason, steal from Lawrence grocery stores.
"It's been a problem all over town," said
Fox, an undercover security officer for 15 years for the three Dillon's stores in Lawrence.
Nine times out of 10, Fox said, the elderly shoplifter could afford to pay for the stolen item.
"Some just abuse the system. They don't really need to steal. Very few elderly people don’t have the money to pay for it," Fox said.
One contributing factor to the shopfitting at Dillon's is its nearness to Babcock Place, an apartment complex for the elderly at 17th and Massachusetts streets.
"In general, we get more elderly shopers than some grocery stores," Fox said. "But it's still very disturbing to catch an elderly person."
CITTY ATTORNEY Colk Knutson said the courts had prosecuted elderly people charged with petty larceny or shoplifting. Knutson said the courts were lenient.
"The judges are sympathetic towards it. Usually the people are really embarrassed." he said.
Knutson said most elderly people charged with shoplifting would plead guilty instead of going through a court trial. He said that judges were most likely to suspend jail
sentences, but that most would require a fine of up to $100.
Because of the court's attitude about prosecuting elderly offenders, Fox said it was sometimes difficult to keep arresting senior citizens.
"Above all, the arrest isn't made to send the person to jail, but to teach them a lesson. If they can get by with it, they'll continue to speak that will take advantage of you." Pox people said.
But after going through the judicial system, Fox said, the elderly person comes away with a more respectful attitude.
MARK BROTHERS of the police department's Crime Analysis Unit said staff members were beginning to compile information on elderly shoplifting in Lawrence.
"We need to go over the arrest records and find patterns," he said. "The theft itself is an indication of a larger problem. We need to know what thirms are being stolen."
Fox, however, said his unofficial count of elderly shipperless about 10 each for the past year was up from morning hours last year at several grocery stores, he arrested 20 elderly persons, all aged 65 and over.
District Court records for February and
March showed seven court cases against elderly shifflopers, but Knutson said the number could be higher.
"Some appear before a judge and plead guilty before the paperwork is ever completed," he said. "It's a matter of opening the case, and sometimes the bookworm does not reflect that."
LAWRENCE'S professional counselors for senior citizens offer varied explanations for the shoflining.
Fox said the theft was an activity that often gave meaning or excitement to a dull routine.
And Caroline Signor of the Douglas County Council on Aging said idleness could cause an old person to seek thrills by stealing.
"How does one define a need? Sure most of these people can pay for the items, but can they pay for the loneliness they live with each day?" she asked.
Also, some elderly people have a hard time budgeting money received from retirement pensions and government assistance, she said.
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"Either a relative arranges the transactions or someone who is got to make a
"They sometimes don't have a lot of extra money or they don't budget it well."
Sarah Cunningham of the Gray Panthers, a national organization that calls attention to the elderly's problems, blamed society's failure to provide people for such problems as shooping.
"You would steal too if you were hungry or nobody within miles cared about you," she said. "This nation is geared towards the young. No one takes the time to help older people with chronic health problems. Shoplining in a way is a cry for help. Is a disgrace for all involved."
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