SI Mall's New Way to Show Who's Been Naughty

If the the tanking economy or decline in Santas and Christmas trees isn't enough to take the yuletide spirit out of your holiday shopping this year, a mall in Staten Island has found a new way to spruce itself up for the season: putting up mug shots of shoplifters. The Staten Island Mall is giving everyone a look at thieves who were caught stealing there by placing the crooks' photographs up on advertising boards throughout it. DA Daniel Donovan has developed a program that digitally mixes the images of shoplifters in with ads for shops within the mall.

The program has begun with five criminals who have already been convicted, but Donovan plans to mix in any thieves caught stealing during the holiday season. He told the News, "We can put more people up, take more people down. If you shoplift in this mall, your picture may end up here, too."

The worsening state of the economy has only drawn more attention to a problem that is on the rise: 185 theft arrests have been made at the mall this year, compared with 115 all of last year-- and nationwide top retailers report that shoplifting is up nearly 10%). The ads will pop up on 11 boards throughout the New Springville shopping center 2 million times throughout the season.

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By Billy Parker in News on November 24, 2008 4:41 PM

Comments [rss]

babyhitler

#10 - wrong. the most problematic shoptlifters are employees. employee theft is the biggest loss to most companies.

Politburo

It doesn't matter what the crime is.. just wait until they're convicted until you put the pictures up. It's really quite simple.

Papercutninja

The most problematic shoplifters aren't one-timers like kids or something like that. They're shoplifters BY CAREER. Stores aren't super concerned about some punk ass guinea who wants to be rebellious and take a corny Ed Hardy t-shirt or something. There are groups of professional shoplifters who will walk in, distract and take ENTIRE PILES OF CLOTHING for return or resale. These people are already known to the security and the stores, and as soon as they are seen, every employee watches them like a hawk.

JacqueMehoff

I was accused of shoplifting at a Herman's. they asked a lot of questions like where did I live. when all they needed to do was look in the bag.

I hope they're homeless now, at least, herman's is gone.

I set off the alarm at a modell's too, my portable radio was on and their antiquated system beeped. they were more respectful and laughed when they saw what I had in my bag.

Spirit of 76

I had the same thought. This isn't like that Wall of Shame for drunk drivers. Those guys at least are reasonably known to be guilty, and they were threatening the lives of others with their actions. Not so much simple shoplifters who at least should be left off the board unless they're convicted.

babyhitler

this is cool until there is some accdental mixup and some innocent gets thrown up there and there is a defamation civil suit wherein the mall has to pay thousands to a million dollars. It's gonna happen. Trust.

NannyState

I got a free Lancome bag with my picture!

r1b2

DWI photos in Nassau County, shoplifters in Shaolin, everyone's a celebrity!

Mr Mel

The few guys I know from Staten Island would probably enjoy their pictures being posted.

Clarice City

It's a stockade! Ha ha!

Will they install a replica of a colonial stockade next to it, like in Colonial Williamsburg, so we can take wacky/ silly family photos in it?