Many talk shows aired video footage last Friday taken of thieves stealing the third row out of the back of an SUV. Interestingly, they weren’t trying to steal the car, but these offenders have figured out that in seconds they can take out removable third rows and re-sell them on online, at swap meets, or to local car repair shops for hundreds of dollars. Currently, the third row seats do not have any serial numbers or markings to prove who the owner is, so they can easily be resold.

It’s just unbelievable to watch how easy it looks. According to the video footage, the way the thieves are taking them is out is that one person walks up to the car and scopes it out. Then he waves his partner over who comes prepared with a special tool that unlocks the glass on the back door without setting the alarm off. Once the glass is open, a third thief climbs inside and opens the door. He then unlocks the seat, grabs it and they all take off.

Officer David Stennick of the Long Beach, California police department said that third-row seat theft has become an increasing problem over the last several months. “Thieves aren't just stealing third-row seats stored in private garages. They're breaking into parked SUVs and grabbing third-row seats in the middle of the day." SUVs like the Toyota Highlander and Chevy Tahoe have been primary targets.

Police in a wealthy Dallas enclave have also reported a rash of SUV break-ins since last April in which thieves are stealing third-row seats. More than 50 third row seats have been stolen during this time. Both police departments suggest to lock the seats down by using additional cables or bungees to help slow down the process as it generally costs about $1,000 to have them replaced at the dealer.

So while the National Insurance Crime Bureau reports that in 2011 vehicle thefts were down by 3.3%, thieves have just found another item within the car to make quick money on. Now that police officials are more closely watching this new trend, offenders will have a harder time getting away with it. Once indicted, these criminals will be court ordered to take “anti-stealing classes” along with fines, jail time and community service. The purpose of imposing these theft classes is to teach criminals about what drives them to steal, why they find it difficult to stop, and most importantly how to stop the cycle of unlawfulness. The hope is that this requirement teaches thieves the skills necessary to change their life around so they don’t just end up in jail again.

For offenders who need to take a theft class, ask your judge or court system if you can fulfill the requirement by taking an online theft diversion class from your personal computer. Online classes are highly beneficial because you can take them 24/7 from any web-based computer, so the client does not need to meet any pre-determined class schedule. This means no more missed work or school time is necessary. Once the client passes the multiple-choice final exam with a 70% or better, a certificate of completion is issued. The client simply presents this paperwork to the courthouse to prove he took the class and the requirement is accomplished. Taking a theft class has become a mandatory requirement in many jurisdictions across the country, and taking them from the comfort of your own home is definitely the most convenient and least expensive way to go.

The practice of throwing a thief in jail for long periods of time and then releasing him back out on the streets has proven relatively ineffective without the support of counseling and education on how to change his ways. Specifically, numerous research done on young adults shows that the practice of simply confining adolescents to adult jails and prisons is counterproductive and inhumane. In fact, without the help of further support, they often end up damaged individuals who are more likely to commit more crimes and end up back in jail. With this knowledge, jurisdictions across the country now mandate that theft offenders of all ages take theft classes, or anti-stealing classes, as part of their punishment for the unlawful offense.

With this in mind, high-quality theft classes are available online that cover the same curriculum an offender would learn in a traditional classroom setting. Studies show that putting people back on the streets after a short jail stay doesn’t stop them from stealing again unless the offender has been mandated to take a theft class as well. A typical online course includes such topics as:

• The Impact of Theft on Society
• How To Understand Impulse Control Disorders
• Understanding Why People Steal
• Empathy Training to Understand the Victim’s Point of View
• Learn About Emotional Intelligence
• Effective Communication Skills
• Learn Tools For Stress Management
• Consequences and Risks of Theft and Shoplifting
• Specific Techniques to Overcome the Desire to Steal

Armed with the benefits of this knowledge and counseling, offenders are more likely to not steal again. From the looks of the recent headlines, it’s an education that many individuals could benefit from. Yesterday, a man suspected of filling automated teller machines in Midtown Manhattan with counterfeit bills was arrested after arriving back at JFK airport. He apparently loaded the ATM machines with fake money to mask his theft of tens of thousands of dollars. You might wonder how he was able to get into these machines? The answer is he was an employee of NCR Corporation, a contractor hired to service the ATM’s at the two Chase branches where the thefts occurred.

He will most likely be sentenced to a long jail time and then a theft education class upon release. He would highly benefit from an Online 16 Hour Advanced Theft Class as it is one of the most comprehensive available. For all individuals needing to fulfill a court mandated theft course, take one online today. Taking a class online is the most convenient and low-cost way to go. Just get the approval of your court system first since every jurisdiction has different rules about distance learning classes. Once approved, you will save time and money by staying at home to take the course at any time of the day or night that is convenient for you. This is a completely private experience and gives the client the ability to focus on the information, without any distractions from a typical classroom environment. Theft classes and counseling are the way to turn your life around.

If you have been convicted of shoplifting or theft, you have most likely been told that theft classes are in your future. Most courts across the nation are now requiring that offenders take “anti-stealing” classes as part of the retribution for their illegal behavior. The general philosophy is that jail time is not enough to rehabilitate someone who steals. Individuals benefit greatly from actually learning skills and techniques to stop the behavior so they don’t end up back in jail again. If you need to take a class, but don’t want to have to sit in a classroom full of strangers and be asked to share your story, take an online theft class! If you don’t want anyone in the community to see you walk into a theft class, take it online! If you are a high-profile personality and don’t want media following you, take a theft class online!

Online Theft classes are available nationally from any web-based computer. Classes are offered for both juvenile and adult offenders and are designed to be educational, easy to understand, and simple to use. The goal of taking a theft class online is to provide the offender with the same quality of information that might be found in a traditional classroom, but in the privacy of your own home. There is no driving in rush hour to meet a school’s predetermined class time. Online classes are available to the user the minute they register, and can be entered and exited at any time of the day or night, 24/7. There is no limit to the number of times the client logs in and out. It’s all about convenience and self-pacing.

The classes are done completely on the computer. This means nothing to download, no paperwork and no printer necessary. This allows the client the freedom to take the class on a laptop from the library, local coffee house, a friend’s apartment or his very own home. The student simply scrolls through the course page by page. At the end of each chapter, there is a multiple choice quiz. Once the quiz is successfully completed, the next chapter can be accessed. At the end of the course there is a final exam that needs to be passed with a 70% score or better. The test can be retaken as many times as necessary to pass the course. At the completion of the final exam, a Certificate of Completion is issued to the client. This is the official paperwork that the offender needs to present to the court system to prove he successfully finished the course.

Classes are available in increments of 4, 8, 10 and 16 hours. Clients typically choose the course length based on the requirement mandated by the court. It is highly recommended that prior to taking an online class; the client gets approval from his/her judge or probation officer. Every jurisdiction is different and we can’t guarantee that every single county in the U.S. will accept distance learning classes to fulfill their requirements. However, if they do accept them, taking an online class is definitely the most stress free way to get the education the offender needs.

As gas prices in California skyrocket, gas thieves are becoming more prevalent. The cost of fuel set a record this past weekend at an average of $4.614 per gallon. It went up about 13 cents overnight! They are saying it’s due to a refinery fire in Torrance, a refinery shutdown in Northern California and other pipeline problems. Whatever it is, it’s hitting the public hard at a time when many are still out of work or trying to catch up financially.

On Saturday, police in Northern California arrested a man in connection with the theft of about 1,000 gallons of fuel from a Shell station in Roseville. The story is that somehow the pump’s meter was disabled and a man in a black pickup truck pumped about 300 gallons of gas from the pump. Some of the gasoline went into a tank in the bed of the pickup. The same people came back two more times over a 3-day period, each taking another 350 gallons. The broken meter didn’t register that any gas was being pumped. A gas station attendant finally wrote down the license plate number of the suspicious looking vehicle and along with surveillance video, they were able to track down a 32 year old man in connection with the robbery at his parents’ home.

The station lost about $4,500 worth of gasoline and the suspect is now being charged with grand theft. His bail is set at $5,000. Roseville Police are also working with other law enforcement agencies that have recently seen other similar thefts. This major heist comes on the heels of reports that in the previous week, as gas prices were inching up, at least 4 people in the area reported the theft of gasoline from straight out of their vehicles! Apparently, gas thieves have become so desperate that if they can’t open the lock on the gas cap, they just cut right through the fuel filler line and run a hose directly into the gas tank. Needless tosay this causes a great deal of damage and stress to the owners.

If convicted, this offender will hopefully be mandated to take an online Advanced 16 Hour Theft Class to help mend his ways! We all understand that gas prices are astronomical, but this individual will benefit from taking classes by learning empathy. He obviously needs some help with recognizing the feelings of the gasstation owner and how this behavior impacts society around him.

Online Theft classes are perfect for this particular offender who doesn’t seem to have the inclination to actually pay for gasoline. He can stay at home and take a course from any Internet based computer. Online classes will still be as effective as a traditional classroom classes as they use the same current techniques and information to help improve one’s thinking and behavior. Classes are designedby a licensed and practicing psychotherapist who specializes in this treatment. They are an affordable and effective way to meet court requirements so the offender can get back to work and start living a lawful life.

Have you been caught for shoplifting or stealing? If you are at the point in the process in which the court has handed out your sentence, it most likely includes a mandate to take a theft class. You have probably already had to miss work or school to meet with attorneys, attend hearings and maybe even spend some time in jail. The one thing you can do for yourself at this point to help alleviate some stress is to ask your court system if they will accept a distance learning theft class, or a theft class online.

Taking a class online is highly beneficial because you can take it at your own convenience any time of the day or night. So, you don’t have to miss any additional school or work to drive to a predetermined class time. You can get home from work, eat your dinner and in the comfort of your own home, you can sign into the class. Online classes are available nationally from any web-based computer, so you can even take them during your lunch hour at a coffee house, or the library.

It’s best to do your research first before asking the court if they will accept an online class. Choose a high quality course like the ones available from www.theftclassonline.com . This program is designed by theft education experts with the guidance of a Dr. Ari Novick, a licensed psychotherapist. His courses include all the most recent tips and techniques to help the client overcome the desire to steal. They are educational classes organized by chapter to teach the client everything from the impact of his behavior on society, to understanding impulse control disorders, to cognitive behavioral interventions. Why do people steal? What was the client’s motive for his thievery? How did his actions affect those around him? He has now learned the risks of stealing, how does he learn to break the cycle and the desire? Needless to say, the client will learn everything that he would learn in a traditional classroom and more.

Courses can be taken in lengths from 8 – 16 hours, depending on what the court has required. All the offender has to do is log on, register for a class and then scroll through. Classes can be logged-in and out of as many times as necessary to complete the class. The user can take it chapter by chapter, or for 20 minutes now and 1 hour later, etc. Classes are always available online, so the user can take it in the middle of the night, early in the morning and anytime that works for their schedule. At the end of the course a final exam is issued. The client needs to pass the final with a 70% score or better. It’s important to note that the final can be retaken as many times as necessary until passed. Once it has been successfully completed, a Certificate of Completion is sent out via US Mail. The client then presents this official document to the court and the theft class portion of their retribution is fulfilled. It’s a much easier process than having to meet a classroom schedule on designated days and during designated times. Taking a theft class online is one way to alleviate some of the stress that comes with being convicted of this crime.