A shoplifting and theft diversion class is definitely in need for this foursome! Check this out. After four months of surveillance by the FBI and police, arrests were finally made in a shoplifting crime spree that went from California to Colorado, and Washington to Florida and back to California. Allegedly the team of shoplifters would target a particular store like Apple, Best Buy, Costco, Microsoft and Wal-Mart and would enter together. They would make a wall to block surveillance cameras while one person would steal a high-ticket item like a hard drive by putting it under a dress or coat. They would get in and out of the stores within 3 – 4 minutes and would then mail the items to accomplices in Chicago to be fenced for cash. Police estimate that they have stolen over $3 million dollars worth of items.
All four of them are in custody in a county jail without bail. This is going to be no walk in the park for these offenders. Along with jail time, fines, restitution, and community service work, the court system now recognizes that education is really the key to preventing this behavior from reoccurring. If and when they get out of jail, they’ll be expected to take theft education classes to learn how their behavior affects society as a whole and how to improve their basic thinking to make better choices and decisions in life.
Theft education classes are now available to take on the computer instead of a classroom environment. This is becoming a more and more popular way to learn and to fulfill court requirements because it is a more private, convenient and effective way of learning. Many times we hear from clients that have already spent time at in-person classes that they have opted to finish the class online instead because the instructor is always late, is flakey, or the material is outdated and the other participants are intimidating. An online theft class gives the participant the ability to stay in the safety and quiet of his or her own home and take the class from an web-based computer device.
Online classes are extremely easy to navigate. Simply enroll in the number of hours of class that the court has mandated and the program is immediately available to you at any time of the day or night. This enables the participant to sit and really focus on the material in peace and quiet. Participants also benefit from online classes because they don’t need to miss any more work, school or family time to take them. The client can enter and exit the program whenever he or she has free time.
Taking the theft class from the computer also gives the participant the ability to get through a class more quickly than they would be able to if they were taking a traditional classroom course. Classroom based courses usually meet once or twice a week, so it would take at least 2 months to finish a 10-hour theft class. However, if the class is taken online, the participant can sit down over a weekend to fulfill the court mandate.
These cross-country shoplifters could probably use a lifetime of theft education, but if you’ve been caught for a shoplifting offense that requires a 4, 8, 10 or 16-hour requirement, ask the judge if you can take them online!
