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WEBVTT THE BURLINGTON POLICE PARTS OFPAST COUPLE YEARS AREA >> --YEARS.BURLINGTON BUSINESSES LIKE THEOUTDOOR GEAR EXCHANGE ARE ALWAYSON HIGH ALERT AGAINSTSHOPLIFTERS.>> THIS IS KIND OFUNPRECEDENTED. >> OGE'S LOSS PREVENTIONCOORDINATOR SKYLAR LOBDELLTHINKS THE PROBLEM IS GETTINGWORSE. THE STORE SEES THEFTS ALMOSTEVERY DAY.>> WE HAD ONE IN HERE THE OTHERDAY WHO HAD TWO JACKETS IN HISHAND AND JUST WALKED RIGHT TDOOR.>> HE ESTIMATES IT COSTS THEM ASMUCH AS ONE FULL TIME EMPLOYEE'SSALARY EACH YEAR.>> IT'S CERTAINLY AN ISSUE. >> THE BURLINGTON POLICEDEPARTMENT HAS HAD 29 RETAILTHEFTS REPORTED IN THE LAST 30DAYS. THAT'S DOWN 2 FROM THE SAME TIMELAST YEAR.BUT DEPUTY CHIEF SHAWN BURKESAYS THAT MAY NOT BE AN ACCURATEREPRESENTATION OF WHAT'SACTUALLY HAPPENING TO STORES.>> RETAIL THEFT IS REALLYUNDER-REPORTED IN THE SMALLERBOUTIQUE TYPE STORES, WHO FINDTHE LOSSES MAYBE 5 DAYS LATER.>> BURKE SAYS OVERALL THEY'VESEEN A RISE IN THE LAST FEWYEARS. HE BELIEVES IT'S A SYMPTOM OFOPIATE ADDICTION.>> IF A PERSON IS STEALING TOFEED THEIR HABIT, THE ONLY WAYTHEY ARE GOING TO STOP STEALINGIS IF THEIR HABIT IS ADDRESSED.>> BUT HE SAYS THERE MAY BE HOPE ONTHE HORIZON THANKS TO INCREASEDACCESS TO OPIATE TREATMENT.LAST MONTH, THE GOVERNORANNOUNCED THAT THE WAITLIST INCHITTENDEN COUNTY HAS BEENELIMINATED, AND SIGNIFICANTLYREDUCED IN OTHER PARTS OF THESTATE.>> THERE IS BETTER ACCESS FORTREATMENT.THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS THAN OFBECOME MORE CREATIVE AND AWAREOF OPIATE ADDICTION.I THINK WE ARE GONNA SEE BETTEROUTCOMES. >> A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH ISALSO IN THE WORKS.THE BURLINGTON BUSINESSASSOCATION IS WORKING WITH THESTATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TOTOUGHEN THE LAWS AGAINSTSHOPLIFTING.RIGHT NOW, SOMEONE HAS TO STEAL$900 IN A SINGLE SPREE TO GET AFELONY CHARGE.>> THERE'S NOT MUCHCONSEQUENCES.>> SARAH O'DONNELL SAYS THE GOALIS NOT TO JUST PUT PEOPLE INJAIL, BUT TO PREVENT IT ALLTOGETHER. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN-- >> I WOULD LOVE FOR A SMALLBUSINESS TO FEEL LIKE THEY CANOPEN THEIR DOORS AND HAVE THEIRMERCHANDISE OUT OF NOT HAVE TOHAVE THE CONSTANT VIGILANCE.>> WHERE THERES AT LEAST SOMEDISINCENTIVE FOR THEFT IS GONNAMAKE A DIFFERENCE AND HOPEFULLYTHAT WILL ALSO HELP THE PEOPLECOMMITTING THESE CRIMES TO GETTHE HELP THEY NEED. BURLINGTON POLICE IS NOT TOSTORES ON CHURCH STREET.TROPHY STORES ARE ALSO FEELING

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According to a National Retail Federation survey, organized retail crime, like professional shoplifting, costs stores $30 billion a year. Shop owners across the country, and in the Champlain Valley, are continuing to see that grow. "This is kind of unprecedented," Outdoor Gear Exchange employee Skylar Lobdell said. As the store's loss prevention coordinator, Lobdell thinks shoplifting is getting worse. He sees theft almost every day. "We had one in here the other day who had two jackets in his hand and just walked right out the door," Lobdell said. He estimates it costs them as much as one full-time employee's salary each year. For some other small Burlington businesses, shoplifting has a serious impact on their bottom line, even if they are able to make their rent payment that month. "It's certainly an issue," Deputy Chief Shawn Burke said. He said the Burlington Police Department has had 34 retail thefts reported in the last 30 days. That's one more than this time last year, and Burke said that may not be an accurate representation of what's actually happening to stores. "Retail theft is really under-reported in the smaller boutique-type stores who find the losses maybe 5 days later," Burke said. "Often times, smaller retailers that lack professional loss prevention folks, they don't know until they have taken an inventory that something has been stolen." While some stores are seeing an uptick recently, he said the problem has been on the rise for a few years, a symptom of the opiate crisis. "If a person is stealing to feed their habit, the only way they are going to stop stealing is if their habit is addressed," Burke said. He said there may be hope on the horizon thanks to increased access to opiate treatment. Last month, Gov. Phil Scott announced that the wait list in Chittenden County has been eliminated and significantly reduced in other parts of the state. "It there's better access to treatment and the criminal justice system is definitely becoming more creative and aware of opiate addiction, I think we are gonna see better outcomes," Burke said. A more proactive approach is also in the works. The Burlington Business Association is working with the state's attorney's office to toughen the laws against shoplifters. Right now, someone has to steal $900 worth of goods in a single spree to get a felony charge. Sarah O'Donnell with the association said the goal is not just to put people in jail but to prevent it all together. "I would love from a small business to feel like they can open their doors, they can have their merchandise out and they don't have to have this constant vigilance," O'Donnel said. "At least some disincentive for theft is gonna make a difference and hopefully that will also help the people committing these crimes to get the help they need," Lobdell said. Burke said it's not just stores on Church Street being impacted. Grocery stores have also been affected by the rise in shoplifting.