This coming weekend is predicted to be one of the biggest in retail sales for 2012. Last minute shoppers will be flocking to the malls to purchase gifts for friends and family to fulfill holiday obligations. If you know you’ll be part of this onslaught, be sure to protect your belongings from thieves who will no question be watching and looking for opportunities.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, the most common complaint is identity theft. All a thief has to do is get a hold of your wallet or purse and you’re on your way to having to shut down all credit cards, change locks on your house, and putting a hold on all debit cards. There are a few things to take into consideration to lower your risk of becoming a victim.

First of all, whenever you are out shopping, whether it be at a mall or chain store, be sure to keep your valuables close to you. You may have a false sense of security because you’ve done it a million times before and it’s never been a problem, but never leave your purse in an unattended shopping cart. If you carry a purse, keep it closed and under your arm. Don’t put your wallet out on a counter for everyone to see the amount of money you are carrying around.

Most of all be aware of your surroundings! Before you leave the mall, have your keys out and remember where you’ve parked prior walking out to the big parking lot. Always try to park in well-lit areas and try to finish your shopping while there’s still daylight. If possible, have a shopping buddy with you and stay close together as you walk out to the lot. Don’t leave anything of value inside your car where it is visible to people walking by and always make sure you lock your doors.

If you have been caught for stealing someone else’s valuables during this holiday season, and are a first time offender, you can expect some jail time, fines, lawyer fees, and court appearances which will take you out of work or school. Judges today also assign theft diversion classes as part of the restitution in an attempt to teach the perpetrator why their behavior is unacceptable and ways in which to overcome the desire. The one thing you can do to try to lesson this load a bit is to get your judge’s approval to take a class online rather than in a traditional classroom.

Online theft classes are easily accessible from Ipads, PCs, and laptops. Nothing needs to be downloaded or printed out, so all you need is a WIFI Hotspot and you are on your way. The difference between taking a class online and one in a classroom is that you can take them from the comfort of your own home, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You don’t need to follow someone else’s schedule, but can login and out from the course whenever you have the time. They can also be accomplished more quickly because you have the ability to sit down and go through the class over one entire weekend, instead of having to wait weeks for the traditional class to convene. They also provide complete privacy and anonymity. The only people who need to know that you are taking the class are your attorney and judge. You don’t need to go into a classroom full of people you may or may not know. At the end of the course, a Certificate of Completion will be mailed to you. This is the document you show to the court to prove you successfully completed the requirement. Enroll in an online theft class today to get this experience behind you.

Parents beware - according to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention (NASP), approximately 25% of shoplifters are kids and 55% of adult shoplifters say that they started shoplifting in their teens. With the holiday season in full swing, it is important for parents to talk to their children about stealing, and what the repercussions are if they are caught in the act. Most teenagers don’t realize that if they are with a group of kids who are shoplifting but they aren’t, they can still be convicted as an accomplice to the crime. They should also be reminded to be sure if they are planning to purchase an item, to hold it so it is visible. Do not, under any circumstances, put the item in a bag or pocket while they continue shopping. The adolescent could easily get distracted, forget it’s there, and unintentionally walk out of the store with it. Although they might have the right intentions, authorities will consider this an attempt at shoplifting.

When teens are asked why they shoplift, one of the top answers is because they were bored and looking for some excitement. This is a distressing excuse and should alert us all to be aware of what our kids are doing over the holiday break. There is a good chance that your teenager will end up at the mall with friends over the vacation. Be sure to remind them that shoplifting is not okay and punishable by law.

Peer pressure is also a top reason why teens say they shoplift. They want to look cool in front of friends, or get an item that they otherwise could not afford. Teens also say that they steal because they feel unloved or that no one cares about them and they are looking for attention. Again, it’s important to stay involved in your child’s life, be proactive and have the discussion about theft with them. Most importantly make sure they know you love them.

If your teenager is caught for shoplifting this holiday season, court mandated theft prevention classes are available to take online. The repercussions of theft have evolved from when we were their age, and now most judges will order a theft education class along with fines, community service and possible probation punishments. Theft classes help shoplifters to understand why this behavior is inappropriate and how it negatively impacts everyone around them, from family to retailers to the average tax payer. Students are taught techniques to use to overcome the impulse to steal, how to walk away from peer pressure and other preventive behaviors.

Online theft classes are for all age groups, but are particularly beneficial to teen offenders because this generation is so familiar with working on computers. For parents, having your teen take an online class alleviates the pressure to drive them to a classroom, at a specific class time each week. First be sure to get the class pre-approved by your judge. Once you register, the class is easy to follow and ends with a final exam. As soon as the final is passed with a 70% or better, a Certificate of Completion is sent out to you. This is the documentation that proves to the court that the requirement was successfully fulfilled. If you are in a rush to meet a deadline, taking an online course can enable you to get through the 4, 8, 10 or 16 hours of material more quickly than waiting for a traditional classroom experience.

Taking an online theft class for a court mandated requirement is the easiest, most convenient and least stressful way to accomplish this educational aspect of the retribution process.  

Did you know that if you are caught shoplifting this holiday season, you will have to fulfill a plethora of punishments? Yes, if the retailer decides to prosecute, you will not only be subject to the embarrassment of it all, but legal fees, missed work for court appearances, possible jail time, community service work and a theft diversion class? According to the National Retail Federation, retailers across the country lose about $30 billion in merchandise to shoplifters per year. Shopping malls, individual retailers and cities are responding to this information this holiday season by increasing surveillance with hired security, and police are increasing patrols. It’s not a light matter, and teens that are considering this as a way to get some holiday gifts for their family, or anyone else with this inclination should think hard before committing the offense. A prosecution for shoplifting will not only go on your record, but will add a great deal of stress to your daily life.

Interestingly, it seems that along with all the ongoing electronic thefts we’ve seen throughout the year, this 2012 holiday season is already seeing an increase in intimate apparel theft! Four female shoplifters in Battle Creek, Michigan, stole about 53 bras and underwear from the Victoria’s Secret store in Lakeview Square Mall this past weekend. These thieves actually got away, but once the video footage is reviewed, they will need at least a 10-hour theft class! Victoria’s Secret stores in other cities have also recently been hit. In Richmond Heights, Ohio, a man stole about $1,474 worth of merchandise, in Nashville a woman stole a few thousand dollars worth of product and tried to return it and in Palo Alto, a group of thieves stole about $11,000 worth of bras.

If you are caught for shoplifting this holiday season, in most instances you will receive a misdemeanor on your record and the judge will order you to make restitution, among other things. If you need to take a court ordered theft diversion class, ask your legal system if you can take it online. Most jurisdictions across the U.S. will now accept this type of distance learning classes instead of having to go to a traditional classroom course. The benefit for you is that the classes can be taken from any web-based computer device at any time of the day or night. This gives you the freedom to take the class from home after dinner, or work during your lunch hour, or from any Wi-Fi Hotspot in town. You don’t have to get anxious about making a pre-established classroom schedule, or worry about missing more work or school.

Quality online classes are completely current with the most up to date theft prevention education. Clients can expect to learn how their theft impacts their victims and society as a whole, skills in stress management and effective communication, emotional intelligence training, and specific techniques to help control this impulsive behavior in the future. Another benefit is that if you do feel embarrassment, the class is completely anonymous and no one needs to know that you are enrolled except your legal team, and the judge.

Take a 4 hour or 10 hour theft and shoplifting class online today to fulfill your court mandate. You will find the experience interesting, informative and as convenient as it gets!

The holiday gift-giving season is upon us and so is a predicted increase in shoplifting statistics. Everyone wants to be able to show up to his or her various holiday parties with gifts, or have gifts waiting under the tree for their own family. There is a lot of pressure here in the U.S. during the Christmas season to have material items to give to loved ones. However, with the current economy and so many people still on unemployment and out of work, this can prove to be a difficult task. A new study conducted by the Center for Retail Research, an independent research group in the United Kingdom, reports that retailers in the United States are expected to lose $8.9 billion during the 2012 holiday season due to shoplifting, employee theft, and vendor or distribution losses. That figure is up 4 percent from last year.

This particular report shows that shoplifters will steal about $3.8 billion worth of goods. Employees will steal $4.7 billion, while another $400 million will be lost due to vendor fraud or administrative errors. These numbers may sound astronomical, but is definitely sending the message to retailers across the country that they had better be on high alert during this shopping season.

We know that large retail chains have responded to this ever increasing problem over the last decade by installing magnetic tags, having additional undercover guards on the floor and relying more and more on camera surveillance. In fact, many cameras today are hidden so well that the consumer has no idea it’s there. The latest technology enables managers to watch what’s going on outside the store, as well as inside using something as small as a cellphone.

When all is said and done, it’s really not worth trying to steal a gift for your mother or aunt this holiday season. Consequences are severe and can really ad havoc to daily life. First of all, if caught you will be brought to the back office of the store and wait for police. If the retailer decides to press charges, you can expect spending at least the rest of the day at the courthouse. Depending on the severity of the charge, jail time, community service hours, financial retribution and theft diversion classes will come your way.

If you unfortunately get caught up in the illegal act of shoplifting during this holiday season, the one thing you can do to make your life a bit easier is to take your court mandated theft diversion class online. Yes, with technology today, distance-learning classes have become extremely popular and are readily available. Just be sure to get the consent of your judge prior to enrolling, and you are on your way to fulfilling this requirement from the comfort of your own home. All you need is a web-based computer and some free time to take the class at your own convenience. Nothing needs to be downloaded or printed out, so you don’t need to be tied to a desk or printer. Classes are available online 24/7 so you don’t have to miss any work or school to take them. Once you pass the final exam with a 70% or better, a Certificate of Completion is sent out to you to prove to the court system that you fulfilled the mandate.

Classes are also available for those who know they are on the wrong path and are looking for self-improvement measures to stop the cycle. Take an online theft class today to fulfill a court order or to learn techniques to stop the urge before you get caught!

When traveling in the U.S. this holiday season, be aware that certain cities are more unsafe than others. If you are going to one of these cities, due to your best to look like you know where you are going, keep your Smartphone deep in your purse or pocket and park in well-lighted areas. Be on particular alert in the following cities:

1) Detroit

This has ranked as one of the top cities for theft and shoplifting for many years. This is particularly due in part to the large unemployment rate in the city.

2) St. Louis

St. Louis is also a dangerous city for theft. Gun violence seems to be more prevalent here.

3) Philadelphia

“The city of brotherly love” is ranked as the 5^th largest in the country. By the 20^th century it had already been deemed “corrupt and contented”. It is one of the top cities in the country for theft, as law enforcement has been focusing more on violent crimes. Philadelphia has had the highest homicide rate out of the nation’s 10 most populous cities.

4) Oakland

Oakland has been battling crime for decades. It began to take-off in the 1960’s and by the 1970’s the per capita murder rate had risen to twice that of New York and San Francisco. Citizens believe that it continues today because of its understaffed police force due to budgetary constraints.

5) Las Vegas

Las Vegas has dealt with budget cuts to its police force in recent years, thus making it easier for people to get away with theft. Some studies have rated Nevada as the highest state for car theft.

6)Reno

The city of Reno has experienced a dramatic increase in its unemployment rate to more than 10%. This has prompted the city to become a bigger site for theft. This is especially the case with regards to stealing items from tourists in the city, so watch out!

If you live in one of these cities, you might have unfortunately become a target of the high rates of crime, or have been involved as a perpetrator. If you have been convicted of shoplifting or theft and need to take a theft education class, look no further. Online theft classes are easily available to you in course length increments of 4, 8, 10 and 16 hours. With pre-approval from your judge, probation officer or court system, you can fulfill your requirement from any web-based device. Simply choose the court mandated length you need, register and the entire class is immediately available to you on your computer screen. A huge benefit of taking a course online is that you are not on someone else’s schedule. You can login and out of the class whenever you have free time. If you want to put it behind you quickly, you can take the class over an entire weekend or you can spread it out at night over a couple of weeks.

Theft classes online contain all the same educational material you would find in a bricks and mortar classroom. Participants learn to understand impulsive behavior, learn empathy for others and how to overcome the desire to steal. The goal is to rehabilitate the behavior so the individual does not repeat it. Take an online theft course today to fulfill your court obligations and begin to get your life back on track.