Robinson Township Police Chief Dale Vietmeier said there is an ongoing issue with shoplifting at The Mall at Robinson and Robinson Town Centre.
"It continues to be a problem. I don't know how we're going to stop it," Veitmeier told Patch.
In 2012, Robinson police made 40 shoplifting arrests for items such as jewelry, clothing and tools, valued at more than $200 at The Mall at Robinson and Robinson Town Centre.
Police have made 26 shoplifting arrests so far this year, which included a woman in March who attempted to steal 17 Pittsburgh Penguins game jerseys from JC Penney. Veitmeier expects that the number of arrests will at least double.
Melissa Cruise, owner of the Once Upon a Child resale store in Robinson, recently told the Pittsburgh Tribune Review that employees there are seeing an increase in fraud involving attempts to resell stolen merchandise, as well as shoplifting.
Assistant manager Jill Reed told the Trib she grew suspicious last month when a man came in three times in 10 days to sell new clothes with original price tags.
After contacting police, it was discovered the man was a professional thief who had been stealing clothing from stores and selling them for a profit, the Trib said.
Crime statistics from the Pennsylvania State Data Center in Harrisburg show that Robinson's 2012 shoplifting rate of 85.72 incidents per 10,000 people far exceeds that of Allegheny County at 24.11, and the state at 31.29.
And while shoplifting overall is declining in Robinson, authorities believe the mall and town center being on the busy Parkway West corridor might be contributing to higher illegal activity.
Whatever the case may be, the Trib reports that the Mall at Robinson, and stores like Once Upon a Child are increasing their security with video cameras, employee training and other measures.
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