WATCH: Shoplifters caught on camera by Manlius Police Retail Crime Task Force

MANLIUS, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — With the holiday season in full swing, the Manlius Police are ready to bust more thieves as their Retail Crime Task Force enters its second season.

To combat the rising tide of retail theft, police have increased their presence in stores through their Retail Crime Task Force. They deploy plainclothes officers to work alongside loss prevention teams in places like Towne Center, home to Target and Tops, among other popular retail stores.

The initiative aims to deter shoplifters, especially as the holiday season approaches. Some of the arrests are easier than others, with some thieves cooperating and even admitting their wrongdoing, while others try to make a run for it.

In one instance, police caught a 25-year-old man attempting to steal over $400 worth of merchandise from Target. The suspect, who tried to evade capture by slipping on a jacket from the store’s warehouse, was eventually caught outside the premises.

This incident is part of a broader problem of shoplifting in the area, prompting law enforcement to take action.

“She stole from the stores, she had four active warrants,” said Captain Jeffrey Slater of the Manlius Police, referring to a woman known county-wide for shoplifting. “She had been here before and trespassed. So she was actually charged with the burglary charge, the higher level charge, because she wasn’t supposed to be on the property at all.”

Both the woman and her driver also admitted to using heroin in the parking lot, with evidence of drug use found in the car.

This case is not isolated, as Captain Slater noted that around 50 percent of thefts are linked to individuals supporting a drug habit or living beyond their means.

The police are also focusing on increasing penalties for repeat offenders, with the hope that the threat of a felony charge will serve as a stronger deterrent than a misdemeanor.

Last holiday season, from mid-November to the end of December, the Retail Crime Task Force made 22 arrests, recovering more than $11,000 in merchandise.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WSYR. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WSYR staff before being published.

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