Offenders generally had no fear of being arrested when selling stolen goods:
Thieves had little or no fear that an arrested fence would inform on them
Thieves selling stolen goods to strangers, or neighbors, had no fear that these people would ‘inform’ on them – strangers were generally described as workers on industrial estates, mini-cab drivers, builders, and young motorists
Any change in the level of difficulty in selling stolen goods was rare, but when this happened it was due to changes in fashion – and was then reflected by a reduction in price
Thieves rarely knew of anyone who had been arrested for selling stolen goods
General Modus Operandi for thieves selling and transporting stolen goods:
Many thieves had around 20 to 30 people and retail outlets where they feel they could ‘safely’ sell stolen goods
A recently arrested residential fence usually started dealing again after just four weeks thieves usually managed to sell stolen goods within 24 hours of their theft
Thieves did not, generally, need to try hard or travel around to sell stolen goods, as they nearly always sold in their local area
Drug-using shoplifters eventually became so well known locally that they had to travel to other towns and cities in order to steal
Those forced to travel to steal did so because they were too well known locally but they usually returned to their local area in order to sell
Shoplifters who used drugs and traveled by train often did not buy tickets
Specific modus operandi for stashing stolen goods:
Despite occasionally losing their own, and finding the stashes of other thieves, thieves generally felt confident that their stashes of stolen goods were safe
Stolen goods were rarely dumped or given away
Back alleyways were used to stash all kinds of stolen goods
Back alleys were also used to transport stolen goods by burglars traveling on foot
Shoplifters and burglars generally stashed goods in ‘safe’ places in public and semi-public areas
Shoplifters generally only gathered up their ‘booty’ from where it had been stashed after they finished stealing for the day
Burglars usually returned to the stashed goods with their buyer
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Scott wrote: Jul 31, 2018
I am enjoying this course - I know I am doing it slowly - but its awesome - Thanks