Buyers bear responsibility in theft cases

With budgets tight headed into the Christmas season, we're all looking for bargains.

While the temptation to purchase the latest cell phone or other gizmo is unlimited, funds to do so are not.

Market places like ebay, Craigslist, Facebook pages or even the Gazette's classified ads make it easier than ever to reach people who might have what we're looking for, or want what we have for sale.

Unfortunately, with universal access comes the opportunity to make a buck -- or even thousands of bucks -- by selling stolen property.

We're not immune to such scams in Southwest Nebraska, and many stolen items have changed hands through online posts as well as being purchased in person by unsuspecting or unscrupulous buyers.

Fortunately, the same tools that are used by the crooks can be used to catch them.

In Norfolk, Nebraska, recently, a 19-year-old man was caught using social media to advertise two pairs of headphones, valued at more than $530, which had been shoplifted a few days earlier at a local Target store.

Alerted to the theft by the store, police were able to identify the suspect by using store security cameras and then spot the online posts.

High prices of gold and other precious metals have made stealing and selling them more profitable.

But some local theft victims have been just as successful in having their property returned, alerting jewelers to be on the lookout for certain types of missing valuables.

While it's responsible to try to make your dollars stretch as far as possible, it's equally irresponsible and immoral to purchase property you know or suspect is stolen. Plus, you could be charged with receiving stolen property, or at least lose the money you paid for the item, and the item itself, if it turns out to be stolen.

To be safe, only buy items from people or sources you trust, and expect to pay a fair price.

If the price someone is asking is a steal, it may literally be just that.