GAP store -2

Dear Mouse, When I told the story to my friend who has been in the States for quite a number of years (but with the accent that would make you think that she just recently flew in), she advised me not to play the role of a concerned citizen for profit-oriented stores. She said that its high price is inclusive of insurance paid for loss for whatever causes..shoplifting..fire...snow? The thieves are mostly drug dependents. It is not due to poverty that they rob the stores in broad daylight. They may be poor but they get the basic needs from non-profit agencies mostly funded by the state thru grants. Its for their "private fund" for drugs. Sometimes, they operate in groups but most of the time, they go solo. Ayaw manghati. The victims are mostly the stores that are lax in security and the displays arrangements are attractive to the thieves. The store thieves go inside the store, assess the security and the possible exits then they move at calculated precision that people who witness the incident swear that they thought they must have seen Clark Kent metamorphosed into Superman in a fraction of a minute. They do not pick up one item only. It is not worth their time. They get the whole batch that are in the display racks by simply holding the items by the hangers and run away with five or more items ,especially leather outer coats. Then they hawk them in the sidewalk or bring them to the fence.( You know people who are not fond of fencing but are willing to take the merchandise at prices lower than the initial bid in e-bay. If you see beautifully dressed ladies perpetually ordering food and drinks to be able to linger in fastfood restaurants near the shopping malls or areas, look for recycled shopping bags from known stores such as Macy's, Neuman and Bloomingdale underneath the tables .Some of them are filled with merchandise that they buy from these people at very low prices. Interesting ? Some of them are enterprising old matron -looking Filipinas. They are bejeweled and they can pass off as your friendly neighbors' rich aunts from the islands. Shame on them. They buy items from perfume to lingerie, from toys to trinkets and even a simple votive candle. One time, I was at the bathroom of the fastfood and some girls offered me a box of perfume for one third of the price. I said thank you. Thought baloon...kung RL pa yan siguro...ay mali. Fragrance-free nga pala ang workplace namin except for the white flower that I smell from time to time and other Chinese pain- soothing balms scents coming from one's desk. The CA t