MENTOR, Ohio — Now that daylight savings time has ended and Thanksgiving only weeks away, holiday shopping will quickly ramp up for many Northeast Ohio establishments.
And now that holiday shopping is right around the corner, Mentor Police Captain Mike Majernik has a message for holiday shoppers in Northeast Ohio, "If you plan on stealing, don't come to Mentor."
According to the Department of Justice, the total loss from shoplifting ranges from 1-5 percent of a store's annual stock turnover with at least 5 percent of customers shoplifting.
The frequency of the offense is greatest for boys between ages 10 and 18, and for girls between ages 12 and 20.
Mentor Police are taking a particular interest in the popular shopping destination in the city of Mentor, the Great Lakes Mall.
Malls are popular spots for thefts, shoplifting, and robberies in the parking lots. Captain Majernik has made it known that he and his department is not having it.
"We are back in the stores. We are going to have undercover police in the stores, in the parking lots and in contact with the loss prevention officers to combat retail theft. Stores are here to make money and theft can really drive out businesses if there is a huge loss."
It's not only an effort to help local businesses from sustaining losses financially, but to protect the community while they brave the crowds to complete their holiday shopping lists.
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