[HWR_14]

The homeless population (including those in shelters and cars) is < 1% of SF's population. Even if they used products at the same rate as the rest of the population and stole 100% of what they used, they would be responsible for less than half of retail shrinkage.

[xyzzyz]

Homeless people steal stuff mostly not for their own consumption, but to sell it.

[compiler-guy]

Which would make this a gang problem, rather than a homeless problem.

[atdrummond]

No? Plenty of them do it as independent freelancers and fence it at less than reputable locations throughout the Tenderloin.

[gnu8]

Of course they are stealing things for their own consumption. They are merely choosing to steal a particular thing that is easy to steal and easy to convert to cash, which they can then use to purchase the diverse things they need to survive.

[Eleison23]

Do we now? Please tell me other ways homeless people are dishonest criminals in your eyes.

[nhoughto]

Yeah good point, not something I’d properly thought about.

[jandrese]

What if they were selling it to get money for drugs?

[jowsie]

Does it matter?