Strategies To Counter the Receiver of Stolen Goods (From Criminal and Civil Investigation Handbook, P 8-83 to 8-114, 1981, Joseph J Grau and Ben Jacobson, ed. - See NCJ-84274)

• NCJ Number: 84330
• Editor(s): J J Grau
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 32 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Sale Source: McGraw-Hill Publishing Co
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. Information contained in this section has been selected and extensively edited from 'Strategies for Combating the Criminal Receiver of Stolen Goods' (1976), P 7-28 and P 74-94.

Annotation

The role and impact of the receiver of stolen goods and the scope of the fencing problem are discussed, followed by consideration of the indicators of fencing activity, assessment of the fencing problem, alternative strategies in antifencing, and the role of the storefront as an antitheft strategy.

Abstract

The fence encourages theft and reduces the chance of apprehension of the thief by limiting the time the thief has stolen goods in his possession and by limiting the thief's involvement in the marketing of the stolen goods. Well developed fencing systems tend to increase burglaries and reduce the clearance rate for burglaries. Statistical indicators of fencing are high rates of theft combined with low clearance rates of theft, low arrest rates for theft, and low property recovery rates. Police surveillance of a fencing activity is useful in confirming information gained from informants and arrested suspects. Specialized strategies for localized fencing include (1) the surveillance/warrant strategy, which consists of performing a surveillance at the location of a fencing operation; (2) buy-bust strategy, which proceeds by acquiring and marking a piece of 'bait property;' and (3) the undercover buy-sell strategy, which involves an undercover agent completing several transactions of different kinds with the fence to build a case. A modified undercover buy-sell strategy best serves a joint effort against a narcotics fencing operation. To date, the undercover buy is the most frequently used strategy against the multilevel fencing structure typically used by organized crime. In the case of mobile professional theft rings, successful strategies involve anticipating its use, which consists of extensive intelligence gathering to learn of associations and the use of informants to learn of an impending theft. Detailed instructions are provided on the creation of a storefront fencing operation to apprehend thieves.