Law enforcement leaders in Wichita and Derby are reporting sharp increases in theft cases, mainly involving shoplifting from local stores. They talked about their concerns Tuesday during a workshop meeting held by Sedgwick County commissioners on crime trends and the need for funding and staffing for local agencies.
Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan said retail thefts have been up 38 percent in the city this year, and they’re up an average of 39 percent over the past five years. He said property crime is an emerging problem in the city. He has been pushing for regulations on secondhand dealers, and the City Council is planning discussions on those regulations at their May 9th meeting. Sullivan said, “Anything of value that has a serial number or a price tag, there needs to be some mechanism in place to track who’s selling those things to second hand dealers.”
Chief Sullivan said some of the retail chain stores are the biggest problems for theft and that’s a trend that needs to be addressed. He feels that is being driven by social problems, including homelessness.
Derby Police Chief Robert Lee said there are more organized rings of shoplifters who can dispose of property quickly. He said they don’t have to go through pawn shops and they are using social media to get rid of stolen items. He said the shoplifters are more likely to confront store employees and police and resort to extraordinary means to escape. He said there have been some high speed chases because of shoplifting incidents, and most of them have been called off because they’re not worth the risk. Lee said a license plate reading system installed in Derby has been a useful tool for tracking suspects in theft and burglary cases.
Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter said burglaries have been down in the county, but there has been an increase in thefts, mainly involving equipment and items taken from barns and sheds.
[ photo, left to right: Derby Police Chief Robert Lee, Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter, Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan ]
