Seething over thefts from thrift shops

POST FALLS - When Syd Albright cruised by the Post Falls Senior Center on Sunday, the perfect items for organizing his garage were at the center's thrift store donation area.

But when the Post Falls man went to buy the plastic trays on Monday when the store was open, he drew a blank look from the worker - because those trays didn't even make it to the store's shelves.

Someone apparently stole the trays overnight.

"I think it's terrible that someone would steal from our senior citizens," Albright said. "The store raises money to help seniors and to steal items is unconscionable."

Area nonprofits that operate thrift stores as fundraisers say thefts from donation dropoff spots occur throughout the year, but they tend to increase during the spring and summer.

"We have cameras at all of our sites, but theft occurs occasionally, especially when it gets warmer," said Jeff Conroy, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul of North Idaho, which has stores in both Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls.

Alison McArthur, executive director of the Post Falls Senior Center, said theft outside the nonprofit's thrift store occurs about once a week.

She said this weekend's apparent theft is under investigation and surveillance video will be reviewed. She said workers noticed that some bags holding donations had also been torn open.

McArthur said the center has added more lighting around the thrift store and installed security cameras in an attempt to reduce thefts, but she and the board will be discussing other methods.

She said such thefts tend to occur more often during warm weather because that's when people typically have garage sales. What doesn't sell at those sales often gets donated to thrift stores.

McArthur said the center tries to show as much compassion as possible because often the thieves are desperate for help. She said she recently caught a mother and her 12-year-daughter attempting to steal items.

"We did not press charges, but told the mother that if we caught her again that we would," said McArthur, adding that the mother was issued a no-trespassing notice.

McArthur said thieves have even climbed over a locked fence at the thrift store to steal donated items. She said the center has also had to lock its Dumpsters because people have been searching inside those.

"We don't want to be liable in case something happens to someone," she said.

Coeur d'Alene Police Sgt. Christie Wood said thefts occur at thrift stores on occasion, "but very few compared to retail stores," she said.

"Some of the nonprofits do have surveillance cameras and it helps in trying to determine who the suspects are," she said. "They are most often a crime of opportunity and some people view the items as free since the items were donated. Not a good defense, but some people really believe that."

Post Falls Police Capt. Greg McLean said police only hear about a limited number of such thefts because, if items are both dropped off and stolen during the night or early morning, the workers often don't even realize a theft occurred. He said the most common way suspects are caught is if an officer happens to be patrolling the area.