Video helps lead to shoplifting busts at Party Suppliers

A Wilmington business manager spent her entire day in court, facing more than half a dozen people who allegedly shoplifted from her store.

Just a few months ago, Party Suppliers manager Jennifer Meadows said people were filling up their carts with goodies, and walking out the door without paying a penny. “Shoplifting became a huge problem here, I think because of the economy.”

Meadows said people were stealing things, as inexpensive as a dollar gift bag.

By the time police could get to the store, the alleged thieves were long gone, so Meadows decided to take matters into her own hands.

She captured still photos off the surveillance video, and posted them on the front door of the store, offering a fifty dollar award to anyone who identified the people in the photos.

Meadows said, “Every person that walks in here stops and looks at the pictures, will sit there and say ‘wow, I know that person.’ “

Those identifications led to five guilty pleas. Meadows and Wilmington police detective Craig Melville faced seven alleged shoplifters Monday in court.

Now, they say, shoplifters know not to mess with the Party Suppliers store.

Meadows plans to face twelve more alleged shoplifting cases in court Thursday.