A very real problem with stolen electronics at Starbucks

The New York Times reports (Make sure to burn one of your 20 free articles a month on this one) stolen laptops, phones, purses, bags have become almost as common as a double chi no foam half skim lattes anymore. You sit in Starbucks with your bag or phone nearby under a coat or you get up to use the restroom, you come back and suddenly you're minus some high ticket items. NYC police have said the sheer number of Starbucks make them perfect hunting grounds for such items. From the article:

From Times Square to the Village to Brooklyn Heights, Starbucks pops up again and again on police blotters. Officers have set up stings in the chain’s stores. A commander even asked one branch to put up a sign warning customers; the manager demurred, saying such a sign required corporate approval.

As that clip mentions police are setting up stings in Starbucks and outside in the patio seating but clearly there just aren't enough police who can be put on this kind of detail. “I think it’s great people are so comfortable with New York City,” said Lt. Dan Hollywood, who is on the Grand Larceny Task Force in the Manhattan South precincts. “But we’ve turned it around enough; maybe they’re not quite as raised up as they used to be.”

It's not JUST New York City experiencing these robberies. The story mentions such far away lands as Toronto, Berkeley California, Birmingham Michigan and *gasp* Hoboken.

It's our opinion that you can't blame Starbucks for these thefts, the onus falls on the owner of the equipment to keep it as safe as possible. We sure would like it if Starbucks would ADMIT there is an issue in their stores to help protect their mealtickets electronics but until that day comes (never is our guess) folks will just have to rely on stories like these to get the word out.

See, you can make a difference in fighting the scourge of crime

Four losers were loading up their SUV with stolen goods when a citizen, like you or me, was willing to simply pick up the phone and call police. A man noticed three men loading his neighbor's belongings into a vehicle at Linden and Garfield at 2 am yesterday and made with the 911 call. The three crooked males, Edwin Ventura, and Freddie Mauricio, both of Jersey City, and Michael Lima of North Bergen were arrested along with female Soveira Polanco of Paterson who was sitting behind the wheel of the SUV (because women simply can't do the heavy lifting when it comes to crime and flat screen teevees).

All four were charged with burglary and theft. Book 'em Dan-O

Hoboken HS basketball standout disappoints, attacks man and steals his wallet--UPDATED

Eddie Canary, listed at 6'2" and 175 in the team program is being charged with beating a man unconscious and then stealing his wallet. Ouch. It gets worse. The all county basketball star is then being charged with attacking another man a few minutes later. No word yet on what led to the supposed crimes.

We'll follow this story today and hopefully have an update later today to these sad developments.

UPDATE 9:46 am

Well it appears Eddie was indeed a very very naughty man. As the report gets fleshed out here, we find out Eddie who is a junior at Hoboken high is already 18 years old and therefore ready for the adult criminal justice system.

The story tells us Eddie beat a 21 year old man from Dover Plains NY unconscious near Third and Madison streets in Hoboken and took his wallet. That's classy. He, along with his posse of friends then took off leaving the victim face down and unconscious. Police caught up to Mr. Basketball Star in Church Square Park where he was beating yet another victim with his little friends.

You know what we love Eddie? We love big tough guys who travel in packs and attack people. That really shows how tough you are. You'd never think of taking on somebody one on one but when you get your little cement headed friends together you're all about the violence and intimidation. What a tough guy you and your friends are. We hope the Hudson County lockup has a basketball league just for you, but we tend to doubt it.

In the words of Sergeant Hulka in Stripes:

"Gutless.....punk"