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Running Arrow Bill wrote:With the inflation driven, "sin taxes" on cigarettes, overpriced cigarettes, couple of hoods could easily carry out in their arms $1000 + in tobacco to sell on the street...

This is true, and when they rob convenience stores they often grab as many as they can carry.

However they probably are not that easy to fence. People on the street aren't going to pay $8 a pack or whatever they cost in a legitimate store now.

I saw a robbery recently where they stole an entire truckload of tobacco products and abandoned the empty truck. That's a lot more profitable and probably safer than knocking off stores one at a time.

(I was in line behind a guy who bought a carton of cigarettes. He paid with $100 bill, and his change was less than $20. I remember when a carton was about $2.50, and probably there are people in this forum who can remember when it was $1.)

- Jim

Criminals rarely take revenge in these cases, partly because they would be obvious suspects. The exception that I'm aware of is when a gang is trying to control turf. Then the victim can be subject to firebombing, vandalism, and that sort of thing, which is difficult to defend against.

That happened to a business owner in Galveston who tried to drive drug dealers away from his business. He did eventually get them cleared out, but someone tried to set his business on fire while it was closed. Only their incompetence as arsonists stopped the situation from being worse.

- Jim

Can someone explain what's with the "smoke shop" robberies? Do they have a lot of cash or something else worth stealing? Is it the "bath salts"?

These crimes seem rampant.

These places used to be called head shops. I haven't been in one for decades. I was under the impression they sell rolling papers, bongs, posters, incense, and maybe minor-league porn.

- Jim