NCJ Number
174784
Date Published
1996
Length
55 pages
Annotation
This document describes a strategy for dealing with the theft of electrical consumer goods by focusing on the distribution chain for such stolen goods.
Abstract
Police activity against crime involving stolen electrical goods currently focuses on the original burglary or theft itself. This study examined best practice in business analysis to provide insight into the patterns of distribution for stolen electrical goods. The study recommends that police services take a broader, more strategic view of crimes involving theft of electrical goods, including better cross-jurisdictional cooperation. In addition, the police should mount a concerted effort to promote widespread property marking by the public. Property marking has long been recognized as key in discouraging and detecting crime. Operation Circuit Breaker, which police and others can follow to disrupt the distribution chain for stolen electrical goods, includes interviews with police officers and civilians, interviews with informants and discussions with magistrates. Tables, figures, references, appendixes