Columbia Police Crack Down on Shoplifters

Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott says, for far too long, the department’s punishment for shoplifting has been too weak. Officers’ hands have been tied due to an unclear policy where a ‘courtesy summons’ is issued to a retailer who catches shoplifters. The retailer is then left to deal with the courts to resolve the matter. In the meantime, the suspected thief isn’t arrested and also doesn’t go to jail. Local business owners tell the chief, they’re frustrated. “I was actually at the Publix on Gervais St. and witnessed a shoplifter was not arrested and the manager came to me and said, ‘Please do something about this.’ The manager at Walmart said, ‘Please do something about this,'” said Scott. He says talks with city leaders could toughen the policy before the holidays end. For more information on how to schedule a free robbery prevention seminar for your business or group, contact the Columbia Police Department at 803-545-3500. “We’re working right now to make sure we have a concrete policy for officers to follow. I don’t want retailers to feel hopeless. They need to know we’re there, we will respond and we will prosecute.” Last year retailers nationwide lost $11.7 billion to shoplifting, according to the National Retail Federation. This year, local police want to make sure ’tis ‘not’ the season for taking what belongs to someone else. “We’re gonna prosecute the people who shoplift.”