Police in Norwood say they've interrupted a black market economy of resold stolen goods. It’s an invisible hand of capitalism that affects those who don’t even take part.
Officers served search warrants at two businesses Thursday in what Lieutenant Ronald Murphy calls a fencing operation. He says the stores would buy stolen goods for a fraction of their original retail prices, and then resell them for less than the market rate.
“It’s coming from shoplifters, mainly," Murphy says. "These shoplifters typically, through our investigations, were drug users and drug addicts. They go in and steal these items (because) they know they can take them to these places and get money for them instantly.”
The merchandise included things like cell phones, cigarettes, razors, and baby formula; all things that can be resold quickly and quietly.
“They’re almost as bad, the shops are, as the actual drug users because (of) supply and demand. If the drug users didn’t have a place to take this, the shoplifting wouldn’t be as severe,” he says.
Investigators had help from Wal-Mart and Kroger. Murphy says the retail giants lose thousands each month to shoplifters and have to raise prices to make up those losses.
Police raided the Sherman Market and McKiddy Automotive, which according to the Norwood Drug Task Force, was known as the “Heroin Pawn Shop” because of how easy it was to sell stolen goods there.
Murphy says, “Sherman Market and McKiddy Automotive present as much of a problem to society as those addicted to heroin. These two businesses act as a safe haven and enable the addicts to retain funds to purchase heroin.”
Three people were arrested:
- Fandi Tahat, age 59, charged with 1 felony count of receiving stolen property.
- Ayham Odeh, age 35, charged with 2 felony & 1 misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property.
- Wendell McKiddy, age 58, charged with 4 felony & 3 misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property.
