JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Shoplifting doesn't pay was the message at Joint Base Lewis-McChord's Lewis Main Exchange Feb. 29. Officials from Directorate of Emergency Services' Crime Prevention program joined forces with Army and Air Force Exchange Service to spread the word during an information fair, DES' first in 2012.
"We wanted to share information on the high cost of shoplifting and how it affects the costs of running a store," Chris Owens, DES crime prevention officer, said of the Loss Prevention Awareness Fair at JBLM Lewis Main's Exchange. "The cooperation between us and AAFES has been wonderful -- this was just a good idea and we ran with it."
DES and AAFES added McGruff the Crime Dog, who posed for photos with more than 100 children for the afternoon affair. The photograph went along with a certificate naming the child a "shoplifting crime fighter."
Service members guilty of shoplifting are punishable under Article 121 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Shoplifting Family members can also hurt their sponsor's career and the opportunity to use AAFES facilities, or possibly living in on-base housing can be put in jeopardy.
Loren McKinney, AAFES' loss prevention manager at JBLM, added that after shoplifting's personal penalties, entire communities face higher AAFES price tags (to recoup losses) and possibly less military recreation resources in the future.
"AAFES is a non-profit organization," he said. "Sure we pay our bills and employees, but everything left over goes to FMWR. That's your bowling alleys, your skate parks and all of that great stuff so it impacts the entire community.
"What we're working on now is deterrence, educating the public on what affects shoplifting has on the entire community. This is a federal facility, so shoplifting here is a federal crime."
Like other DES fairs, the loss prevention focus wasn't the only information sharing going on. Among other areas, Owens brought information on Internet safety for kids, cyber bullying, tips for kids who are home alone, as well as new information on the dangers of distracted driving from the Washington State Patrol.
The former Airman said he respects social media and other technology (find "JBLM crime prevention" on Facebook,) but there's still no better way to inform a community than to be out among it.
"By being out here, the public can take away information, they can ask questions and we can continue to foster the relationship between law enforcement and the community," Owens said. "That's so important because they need to know they can trust the police and that we'll have a compassionate response to them."
DES and AAFES welcomed teenagers from JBLM Main's Teen Zone, an afternoon program run by Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation's Child, Youth and School Services. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, almost 25 percent of all apprehended shoplifters are between the ages of 13 and 17.
Teens received a tour of JBLM Lewis Main Exchange's loss prevention office where they monitored the approximately 100 closed circuit television cameras placed across the sales floor. AAFES also has Electronic Article Surveillance towers and markings to further protect stock from theft.
Aleina Rocha, a CYSS Army teen, said not only was stealing simply the wrong thing to do, the fines involved were also a good reason to think twice.
"They say you'll have to pay over $200 just for one item," she said, "even if it only cost $10."
"When they say they're watching you," Aiyana Parham, another CYSS Army teen, said, "they mean it."
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