I would like to clarify some of the statements that have been made concerning Farm & Fleet and their shoplifting stops.

I feel the Northern Star perpetuates a number of misconceptions toward the type of stops that are made.

The dollar amount of a stop is irrelevant to the crime. Whether an item is 39 cents or $25, it is still considered retail theft in this country.

Farm & Fleet is ridiculed for the small stops with the larger stops going unnoticed and unpublished in your paper. If they are going to give Farm & Fleet a bad rap they should print all of the stops. Shoplifters come from all walks of life and not one group of people is responsible for it solely.

Your paper downplays the seriousness of this crime by making cartoon jokes and bad write-ups.

Retail theft effects every single one of us with higher prices. Prices must be raised due to the loss to retailers by retail theft.

The paper should work with the store to put an end to such a ridiculous crime. The Northern Star is a part of the university which receives funding from the tax revenue made in this town. If retail theft went unstopped the university itself along with the students enrolled there would be affected.

Retail theft is a crime and should be taken very seriously. Farm & Fleet is faced with shoplifting on a daily basis with the average stop being of greater value than $20. Add $20 a day for each day of the year which turns up to be an exceptional amount of money lost.

I am an employee of Farm & Fleet and I am honored to work in such a fine business establishment.

We all hope that your paper can take a look at your misconceptions you are choosing to display to the people of this town.

Retail theft is a very serious crime by law and should be depicted as such.

Diane Garmer

Farm & Fleet employee