Today WSJ has a long article on how retail stores,police,Ebay work to catch those who sell stolen goods on Ebay,FB,AMZN,etc-
There is a pastor in Florida with his mother and wife,will sell fenced goods on Ebay since 2016,grossing millions.
Home Depot surveilance team spotted 2 persons who walked out with hardware (drills) without paying and took picture of their car licence plate.
They tracked them that they will go to an address in Florida of this pastor.
This pastor will then list them on Ebay at a lower retail price,has great feedback,then they decide to buy from him,thats how they got his address,and even return it ,and found his return address.
So HD got a search warrant and found all the HD goods in his home.
The article said Ebay and others regularly look at 500 accounts on Ebay which sell goods prone to shoplift and ask the seller to show where they come from.
The 2 HD shoplifters said they have been doing this for years,bringing him goods and received $5-10K,but lately it is just$500 as it is getting harder to steal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Automasters
(Post 1227135)
He got greedy and luckily was caught. If he didn't he may have continued for a while
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Ebay and law enforcement personnel look at 500 accounts on regular basis,does not matter how much he sells,as long as he sells like new merchandise prone to shoplift or if there is a raid on retail stores like the one in CA,they will be looking at sellers in that zipcode selling brand new designer handbags,perfume,shoes etc when their sales history show they never have much worthwhile for sale.
I bet you AMZN does the same as well.
Some stolen goods would show up in local fleamarkets,then bought by Ebay sellers .
I know a retiree,who worked for HD,after 2 years ,they promote him to marketing-his job is to stand by the entrance and guess how much the person walking in is going to spent!!
These days they will train him to guess how much they are going to steal.
I dont think ordinary thieves will know big retailers have ways -taking pictures of license plates of shoplifters and pass them onto police?
and stalking them to see where they go?
and find the seller on AMZN,FB,Ebay?
and buy and return item to get his address,and obtain a search warrant to search for HD merchandise in his home?
Quote:
Originally Posted by oethumb39
(Post 1227164)
Police really have nothing better to do these days that its come down to stalking ppl on amazon.ebay.
How about catching the thieves at the point when they are stealing from the store instead... nope
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retail store workers are told not to go after them,afraid of violence,as some carry firearms,and sometimes it is not one individual but a gang.
small shops do try to fight back,
police and retailers are not the only ones stalking on sales venues or chat forums,US customs,FBI,Ebay staff ,Vero .
They can also ask Ebay for seller name,address,etc
IRS can also ask for your sales record
California is $950 ?
Some raid the freezer section of Walgreen for food,several times a day !
More raid Home Depot and Lowe for tools to resell /
