Mall marauders

Pickpockets spend $11,628 in an hour.

by Jan Schlain

posted 12/13/2009

Rebecca's black Coach bag had a stuck zipper, so she didn't close it as she shopped at Kohl's one weekday morning. A pickpocket took the opportunity to steal her Visa and bank cards. In the hour before she realized they were gone, the cards were used to make $11,628 in purchases--two MacBook Pros at the Apple Store in Briarwood and a pair of expensive cameras at Best Buy. She reported the theft in time to thwart an attempt to buy six iPods at Target.

Government, business, environment, the U-M, and more.