Recently, a sheriff in a small county in the southern state of florida announced they cracked a theft ring involving nearly a dozen perpetrators.  The bust yielded nearly a million dollars in stolen goods.  The investigation was spearheaded by a special team of detectives who focus their attention on theft from retailers.  The suspects, the police cal “boosters” were sophisticated and well organized, making over $50,000 a month.  The team worked with loss prevention units around the area.  Calling the defendants brazen thugs, the sheriff announced he would continue the special efforts in cracking the groups that engage in these professional shoplifting rings.  The unit is funded by state and local resources and was instigated by the problem that theft causes, shutting down many businesses in the area as a result of the substantial losses.   These individuals are distinguishable from those individuals that shoplift occasionally, opportunisticly, known as compulsive shoplifters.   The police will seek the maximum penalty in the case, “the consequences will be state prison” says the sheriff.