Behind the Jeans: What Motivates The Blue Jean Bandits?
Decatur Metro | July 8, 2008Over at Fresh Loaf, Andisheh notes and pashaws an AJC article that quotes the APD likening the blue jean bandits’ motivation for stealing $300 jeans to that man in tights, “Robin Hood”.
Ripped from the AJC…
“It’s a fashion statement, and they can sell it,” says C. Dawson, a manager at Urban Fusion, a Castleberry Hill boutique that was hit twice. “If they could steal Benz’s, they’d steal Benz’s.”
Atlanta police say the groups have a gang-like mentality that’s part greed, part Robin Hood. Descriptions of the groups usually mention an older man and several younger people in their teens or early 20s, often wearing unremarkable jeans, white T-shirts and hats or sunglasses. An older man seems to organize the groups, while younger people grab merchandise. At least one woman has been arrested, too.
They wear what they steal, and sell it to their friends and family members at reduced rates, police say. Police say large quantities of stolen merchandise leaves the metro area, but won’t say where it’s going or how it’s getting there.
Andisheh is certainly right to gaffaw. The ol’ Robin Hood analogy isn’t quite on par. Though these guys aren’t just stealing for profit, their other motivation isn’t exactly feeding the poor…its all in the name of fashion and image.
Is it just me, or did these heists just become even more pathetic? And does this mean we won’t see another rash of break-ins until the fall/winter ’08 line comes out?
The article also quotes APD saying that these approximately 36 guys (can you approximate 36?) seem to be operating in three groups around the city. 16 arrests have been made thus far.
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This is a good example of how the ridiculous begets the ridiculous. After all, there’d be no career prospects in blue jean banditry if there weren’t people who find it reasonable to pay $300 for a pair of jeans.
Like the attribution to Willie Sutton when asked why he robbed banks: Because that’s where the money is.
Crime waves on the horizon? $50 t-shirts that say “Working Class Hero” on them are getting dangerously close to the tipping point…
Rob from the rich and give to the poor . . . . $300 blue jeans? Yes, it’s precisely what they need.
“Is it just me, or did these heists just become even more pathetic?” definitely not just you. i am still struggling with the irony that most of the world doesn’t see the jeans as worth anything near $300, and hence, probably not worth the effort and risk of stealing. as willie sutton might say, “the money ain’t there.”
Modern day media and marketing are very powerful forces for the neurotic mind.
Most of this stuff really comes down to power seeking because of a lack of centeredness within….
I belong to a particular religion as I feel individually weak so aligning myself with this group I become powerful.
I strongly affiliate to a particular political party as I feel individually weak so aligning myself with this political group I become powerful.
I align myself with specific brands of fashion that are percieved to be status symbols by slick marketing companies as I feel individually weak so aligning myself with these symbols (cars, clothes, etc. etc.) make me feel more powerful.
What’s crazy is that some of the more expensive clothing is so desired by people who shouldn’t even be thinking of stuff like that. I can understand wanting to wear something that is “in” when you are a teenager, but there are definitely limits. $300 jeans and $150 shoes are just sad (BTW, I’m not suggesting people shouldn’t sell them for that much… it’s just sad idiots think they are cool and don’t understand the value of saving money).
On a related but different note, a woman was arrested at Boogaloos today for shoplifting. The bike patrol responded quickly.