NOTE: The images of the alleged shoplifters were blurred by the Advance based on store owners’ statements that not all of the people pictured have been found guilty in a court of law.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Shoplifters beware.
Store owners and managers across Staten Island have instituted a policy which they say has proven successful in deterring shoplifters, regained money for stolen items and eased the burden on police officers.
Surveillance images of people who have been accused, arrested and/or found guilty of thievery are plastered to the front entrances of at least four businesses, including a gas station in Bulls Head, a grocery store on the North Shore and the Staten Island Mall.
Some legal experts, however, contest the tactics violate citizens’ rights and put the accused at a disadvantage when typically they lack the financial means and time it takes to properly defend themselves in court.
When asked recently about a dozen or so photos at the Met Foods in Grasmere captioned “THIEF," store manager Nick Argano said a lot of the people pictured had been arrested, so it serves as a "deterrent for other customers thinking of [stealing].”
Surveillance photos of suspected shoplifters are plastered to the front entrance of a 7-Eleven in Bulls Head, which in the past has helped the store recover money for stolen items. (Staten Island Advance/Kyle Lawson)Staten Island Advance/Kyle Lawso
THE ACCUSED
At the intersection of Richmond Avenue and Victory Boulevard in Bulls Head, photos taped to the door of the 7-Eleven have in the past worked to embarrass customers, their family and friends into paying for stolen items in return for having the photos removed, according to a source with ties to the business.
A lawyer who shopped every day at the store was at one point caught slipping a $3 power bar into his coat pocket. Staff had suspected the man of making it a habit, and when he was caught, “He paid for like 40 of them," the source said.
Items people have taken over the years include sunglasses, protein shakes and candy.
Police responded to the business on two occasions over the past 12 months for a report of larceny, according to an NYPD spokeswoman.
When asked about the policy, shoppers and commuters passing through the commercial corridor on a recent afternoon had mixed feelings about the policy.
“I think it’s fine that they have [photos] for themselves, so that they remember, ‘This is the person who stole from us before,'” said a 19-year-old man waiting for a bus. On the other hand, he said, if a person is falsely accused, it could be “dangerous to a person’s reputation.”
‘IT’S JUST A DESK APPEARANCE’
At Met Foods in Castleton Corners, staff members for years have been subduing suspected shoplifters until police arrive, and posting photos of suspects to ward off other potential thieves, said owner Bill Fani.
At the Grasmere location, about a dozen photos were taped to the front window recently.
A sign above the photos reads, “We reserve the right to inspect all packages.” Another reads: “SHOPLIFTING is a MAJOR CRIME. Our Policy is to PROSECUTE.”
Police said they’ve responded twice to the Grasmere store and three times to the Castleton Corners location over the past 12 months.
Argano said he believes posting the photographs are more effective in deterring would-be shoplifters than the threat of police, because if someone is arrested for shoplifting, “It’s just a desk appearance [ticket] ... unless it’s grand larceny."
Police have not responded to a request for comment about whether the NYPD encourages or discourages store owners from posting the photos.
Once an arrest reaches court, legal experts on Staten Island say it’s common for the district attorney’s office to accept a plea deal that eventually would remove the charges on the condition the person is banned from the store for a certain amount of time.
At the Staten Island Mall, the names and photos of people found guilty of crimes and banned from the premises -- most for shoplifting -- are displayed near an entrance during the holiday season.
The Richmond County district attorney’s office did not respond to a request for comment in regard to their methods of prosecuting suspects.
A VIOLATION OF RIGHTS?
At larger establishments across the country, such as department stores, the targeting of shoppers of color by private security and other employees has disproportionately affected both working and prominent African-American women, according to a statement by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
A federal jury in Kansas City awarded $1.2 million to a black woman falsely accused of shoplifting by a security guard at a Dillards Department Store in a 1997 case recognized by human rights activists as an example of “shopping while black."
A private attorney on Staten Island who has defended clients accused of theft said the practice of posting the photos of anybody -- regardless of race -- in lieu of an arrest puts the business owner at risk of a lawsuit.
That being said, it’s low risk.
“Everything is legal until you get caught,” said attorney Lou Diamond. “[Business owners] can get away with anything until [a suspect] pursues it in a court of law, but they don’t have the financial means or time to do it.”
Additionally, said Diamond, most defendants accused of shoplifting don’t have a criminal past “that’s consequential” in terms of a plea deal. So it’s easier for the defendant to plead guilty, stay out of trouble for a certain amount of time and have the charges erased.
“A person who has a minor record, they just want to get it over with.”
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