Haunting Thefts

Here's the rundown of this week's show:

Home Invasions / Residential Burglaries

• Thieves go for small, high-value, easy-to-carry stuff.
• Top items:
• Cash
• Laptops, tablets, phones
• Jewelry and watches
• Prescription meds
• Firearms
• They want things they can grab fast and resell easily.
• Average loss? A few thousand dollars per break-in.

Store Robberies / Retail Theft

• The “greatest hits” list of what walks out of stores:
• Electronics
• Designer clothing and accessories
• Cosmetics
• Alcohol
• Meat and deli items
• Baby formula
• Coffee and razors (because apparently people love stealing those)
• Why these? Small, expensive, and easy to flip online.
• Retailers lost around $45 billion last year from theft alone.

Car Break-ins / Vehicle Thefts

• Most stolen from cars:
• Purses and wallets
• Phones
• Sunglasses
• Tools
• Packages left in plain sight
• Most stolen cars (as of 2025):
• Hyundai and Kia models (still a big target!)
• Older Honda Accords and Civics
• PSA: Hide your stuff. Even loose change in the cup holder gets attention.

Modern Grave Robbing in the U.S.

Frequency

• Rare but Real: Grave robbing is uncommon today but still occurs, often driven by the illicit trade in human remains and artifacts.

Motivations

• Financial Gain: Stolen items include jewelry, clothing, and personal effects, which can be sold on the black market.
• Cultural Exploitation: Some individuals seek artifacts or remains for personal collections or spiritual practices.
• Medical Use: Historically, bodies were stolen for medical research; while less common now, incidents still happen.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

• Federal and State Laws: Grave robbing is illegal under various laws, including the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), which mandates the return of Indigenous remains and cultural items to their communities.
• Museum Repatriations: Institutions like the American Museum of Natural History have returned thousands of human remains that were previously acquired without consent.

Public Awareness

• Cultural Impact: The practice raises significant ethical and cultural concerns, particularly among Indigenous communities and descendants of enslaved peoples.
• Media Coverage: Incidents of grave robbing often lead to public outcry and increased awareness of the need for stronger protections.

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