Have you ever been tempted to grab more than just one newspaper from the rack? ‘There all the papers just sit; why not take more than one?’ seems to be the mindset for many people lately. The problem of taking a newspaper that is not paid for is an increasing problem lately for the Hope Star and also has been reported with some bigger papers.
“It is very much out of control,” Hope Star Circulation Manager Donnie Hollis. “I have never seen it this bad.”
Hollis thinks hard times have contributed to the paper thefts. He said he runs usually 10 to 12 percent theft on a regular week.
“This really set in in October. When we went up in July, it got a little worse, but October is when it started to get bad,” he said. The Hope Star has 25 sales racks in operation throughout Hope.
Hollis said thefts also occur when papers are thrown into yards, but the difference in rack thefts is the contracted person to fill the racks is the one who is being hurt, along with the newspaper itself.
“The contractor buys the papers below cost and distributes them to the racks to make a profit, but if someone steals a paper it takes two sold to make up for that. If a paper is stolen the carrier has nothing to get credit for. It is just as if you are going into that person’s house and stealing from them,” Hollis said.
Hollis said it has gotten bad enough he has considered having cameras installed. Hollis said it would be beneficial to the paper and the carrier if or when a person sees someone in the act of stealing papers to get their license plate and report it to him or the police.
“If they call here and ask for me I can take it from there and notify the police,” Hollis said.
Hope Police Chief J.R. Wilson said anytime a person views a criminal act they should call 911.
Wilson said the penalty for conviction depends on the crime charged. If the value of the property is $500 or less it equals a Class A misdemeanor.
“People do not realize to steal one paper is a misdemeanor and can cost them a lot more than a 75 cent paper,” Hollis said.
He also noted that some customers steal from yards and children will sometimes come along and pick the papers up and get into paper fights close to bus stops.
The papers are someone’s property, and he hopes that more people will be mindful of this.
If a someone does not receive their newspaper for whatever reason, the Hope Star delivers another paper, also at extra cost to the business.
“I think people may not realize when stealing from racks, it is the carrier is the one getting hurt. The bottom line is the racks may have to be watched,” Hollis said.
