Shop lifters stealing items to sell for drugs, reports shop owners in Anchorage

The Anchorage Police Department says they will target petty drug deals and return to foot patrols in some areas, in town, to stop the dramatic increase in crimes, like thefts and burglaries. Those are crimes fueled by an increase in drug use, officials say.

"We've seen a dramatic increase in property crime," says Kenneth McCoy, deputy chief of operations with APD, during a Thursday morning news conference with the chief of police and the mayor. "We believe a lot of these crimes are being fueled by an increase in drug abuse."

"We think if we can attack the drug problem in our city, we'll be able to reduce some of those numbers," McCoy adds.

Along with areas like Spenard, Fairview and Mountain View, downtown Anchorage shop owners say that they've seen more shop lifters, over the years. Specifically, people looking to steal and sell what they've sold for drugs, they say.

Often, people linger in the alleyways doing drugs or drinking, says Nina Walker, who has worked at Once Upon a Blue Moose for 18 years.

"They're stealing to supply their drug needs," she says. "And those are the ones that can be violent and scary, because they have nothing to lose."

Walker says she finds items from her shop, or other ones from downtown, being sold to tourist as authentic Alaskan art pieces, but at cheap prices.

She says they typically steal things like an ulu, or items small enough to stuff into pockets, like mukluks. Walker says she now keeps those items either behind a case, or locked-up with chains.

Several other shop owners have the same story, saying the shop lifters have become brazen.

"They lean way over like this and reach in," says Millie Lazich of The Alaska Ivory Exchange, as she demonstrates how the thieves try to reach behind the counter and grab hand-carved knives. "You have to be real careful."