Robbery - Hard to Tell Thieves from Everyone Else

In movies, thieves are often portrayed as sly and conniving, or hardened and violent.  In real life though, there are other types of thieves who do their best to look unassuming and use their cleverness to steal from their victims.  Take for example Doris Payne, who spent parts of five decades robbing jewelry stores of high-priced […]

Protect Yourself from Internet Identity Theft

In our June 25 post we noted that the majority of identity thefts result from stolen wallets and purses, stolen mail or from information exchanged during a phone or male-order sale. Internet access accounts for only 14% of ID thefts, according to a recent study by financial consulting firm Javelin Strategy & Research of Pleasanton, […]

Stolen Wallets Are Greatest Cause of ID Theft

Identity theft is a nightmare that can take months or even years to clear up. When thieves stole Gina Titus’ wallet she wasn’t prepared for the depth of the trouble it caused. “They used the checking account and credit cards before I could cancel them,” the San Francisco PR account executive complained. “Then several months later […]

Thrill-Seekers Beware; Shoplifting Is a Crime

For many teens it starts out as a lark. See if you can sneak a new CD, pack of baseball cards or t-shirt out of the store. Maybe your friend dares you. Maybe you just see something you want but don’t have the cash in your pocket. Maybe the thrill of getting away with something illegal […]

Gay Marriage Ruling: How Will It Impact Criminal Law

Recently, the California Supreme Court ruled that denying marriage to same-sex couples was against the constitution of the State of California, thus legalizing gay marriage throughout the state (at least for now).  While this will have great repercussions on the law in general, especially civil law, there are a great many areas in criminal law […]

How Prison Overcrowding Could Help You

The state of California has a massive prison overcrowding problem, due in part to the nation’s “war on drugs” and the state’s Three Strike laws.  Laws and policies such as these can often put non-violent offenders in jail for long periods of time, even as their crimes would barely warrant parole in other states.  As […]

Burglary, How the Global Economy Drives It

It’s no secret that America’s economy is in a recession.  What is odd is how the global economy is affecting local criminal activity.  For example, one American dollar used to be worth two British pounds (UK currency) which meant your dollar was twice as strong as their was; however that has changed and our current […]

Burglary On the Rise: How to Cope

In the last year, burglary rates have jumped as much as 20% in some parts of the San Fernando Valley, and 6% overall in the Valley.  Due in part to the crumbling economy, everything from air conditioners to plasma televisions have been reported stolen throughout the Valley.  Van Nuys has been one area particularly hit […]

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