SOMERSET COUNTY, Md. -- The Seton Center in Princess Anne has seen a recent uptick in thefts from their store. They are now taking extra steps to stop it from happening.
A few months back the store had to ban strollers inside and now, they've had to ban large bags too.
Jennifer Trager, Seton Center's Program Manager, said they're just there to help the community, but they want to make sure people aren't taking advantage of a store with a small group of staff and little security.
If people walked into the Seton Center Thrift Store, their eyes would be met with a variety of wall decor, clothes, DVD's, blankets and a number of other items. On Wednesday, July 10th though, similar merchandise left the building without making a pit-stop at the register.
"We were informed by another customer who used to volunteer here that the young lady had filled her large bag with a whole lot of merchandise," said Trager.
Hence the new 'no large bags' policy inside the store.
Akilah White lives in Princess Anne and said stealing from a place like the Seton Center seems to not only cross the line of legality, but morality.
"That's kind of unacceptable because the people, they donate this stuff and they try to give it to us for a good price so we can afford it since it's hard now," said White.
With the low prices seen around the store, Trager said they know they're not in the money making business, but whatever profit the store can bring in goes right back to the charity.
"The money that we bring in through our thrift store is able to go back into our programs which is then in turn able to go back out to the community," said Trager. "Is it large amounts of money, I doubt it, but it's the principle behind it that we're going to give you everything we can."
Trager also said at the end of the day, if someone needs help all they have to do is ask.
"If they come to staff, more times than not they're going to leave with whatever they need as long as we have it," said Trager.
Staff also rearranged the store on Friday, in part to give them a better line of sight and another avenue of preventing thefts.