Steal Away

This is a story about a shoplifter. And the one store he hit over and over and over. It’s also a story about about drug addiction, the American scourge that turns opioid users into heavy drug abusers. And finally, it’s a story about a mother and son. Michael Wilson in the NYT (Gift Article): He Was One of New York’s Busiest Shoplifters. His Mother Was a Cop. “He popped through the sliding front door, where a security guard stood posted. No sense trying to sneak in — the guards all knew him on sight. In his head, a timer was ticking, like a shot clock. Ninety seconds. That was how long it would take for the police to respond to the 911 call the security guard would be making right now. He hurried past the guard to get to the pharmacy area downstairs. The nearest route down was the escalator going up … Andino scooped what he could into a laundry bag, seeking out the brands he knew he could easily sell. Aveeno lotion, Cetaphil cleanser, CeraVe moisturizer. Sensodyne toothpaste, Crest White Strips. Ninety seconds. He raced back up the escalator, past the guard, and back onto Greenwich Street and into the nearby Chambers Street subway station. He boarded an uptown train, and the doors closed behind him. Success. Tomorrow, he would be back again.” David Andino got away with the goods. But his experience is hardly a success.