Chhatarpur:

Three minors suspected of being pickpockets and thieves were tied and paraded in Harpalpur in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district on Sunday, a police official said.

A video of the minors’ ordeal went viral on social media, after which police began a probe, the official added.

In the video, the three minors can be seen tied together with a rope and being marched, while a crowd follows the trio.

The incident is of Old Galla Mandi, some 55 kilometres from the district headquarters.

“On the complaint of one Dharmendra Rajput, a case of theft was registered against the three minors. The viral video showing them tied and paraded is also being probed,” Harpalpur police station in charge Pushpak Sharma said.

According to residents, the area was witnessing pickpocketing and thefts, including that of mobile phones, recently.

These residents claimed the three minors were caught this morning, tied and paraded to the police station.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A view of the National Institute Of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (Nimhans), Bengaluru. The study was carried out by a team of researchers from NIMHANS. 
| Photo Credit: File photo

A case report by a team of researchers from NIMHANS has revealed that stealing behaviour is influenced by emotional instability, underlying personality vulnerabilities, a negative self-concept and coping mechanisms. The study titled ‘Psychopathology Underlying Stealing Behaviour’ was published in the Malaysian Journal of Psychiatry in July.

Stealing behaviour that is repeated, has been observed in individuals who do not meet the description of kleptomania, an impulse control disorder that results in an irresistible urge to steal, the paper said. “Those with specific psychological conditions may be more prone to resort to stealing as a coping mechanism for their emotions,” said Manoj Kumar Sharma, professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, who also heads the SHUT Clinic at NIMHANS, and is the corresponding author of the study.

Psychopathology of stealing

Aimed at exploring the psychopathology that underlies the activity of stealing, the study has presented the case of a young adult female patient from a nuclear family. “She had a history of parental neglect, poor coping mechanisms, emotional dysregulation and impulsive behaviour, in addition to frequent stealing,” said Dr. Sharma.

“The first time the girl stole something was during her early adolescence. The patient reported feeling extremely guilty after the act and felt she was a bad person. There have been a few other incidents where she stole trivial things, such as clothes, Maggi, chips, and chocolates. She reported having no awareness of what was going through her mind and felt that her body was moving on its own,” the doctor said.

“The case report has demonstrated the role of stealing in coping with chronic parental criticism and neglect. The patient had a negative self-concept and emotional instability, which was further exacerbated by her poor coping. Furthermore, the acts are followed by feelings of guilt and shame, and are not motivated by thrill-seeking tendencies,” he said, explaining the case.

“The case report has provided evidence to help recognise that individuals who steal, may also have co-occurring psychological issues. Working with individuals who steal would necessitate screening and offering psychological support to this population,” he said.

Factors that could lead to stealing

Pointing out that a wide range of factors can lead to stealing, including lack of resources, peer pressure, a desire for the product, impulse control, and behavioural modelling, Dr. Sharma said stealing activities have also been linked to other psychopathologies, including drug abuse, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and obsessive–compulsive disorders.

Stating that not all acts of repeated stealing fall under the category of kleptomania, Dr. Sharma said some people who steal or shoplift repeatedly feel guilty or regretful rather than satisfied with their actions. 

“Stealing is not so much a want to be gratified as it is a coping strategy. The present case report examined the possible factors underlying stealing behaviour to understand the case motives. It offers evidence for understanding and helping people who engage in stealing behaviour, and who have co-occurring psychological problems,” he added.

A shocking video of two Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers stealing money and other items from bags of passengers at Miami International Airport has gone viral on social media. According to the New York Post, the officers allegedly stole at least $600 in cash and other items from passengers’ luggage on June 29 this year. The officers identified as 20-year-old Josue Gonzalez and 33-year-old Labarrius Williams, were arrested in July when enforcement officials began investigating claims of theft occurring at the checkpoint. 

A video of the theft has emerged now, showing the agents working together to take money from wallets and purses that passed them on the way to the X-ray machine. In the footage, one of the officers is seen putting his hand inside a wallet and slipping the money inside his own pocket.

Watch the video here:

TSA Agents caught on surveillance video stealing hundreds of dollars in cash from passengers’ bags at Miami airport. pic.twitter.com/LhFW9yNRNV

— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) September 13, 2023

As per Fox News, the duo along with Elizabeth Fuster were arrested in July and initially charged with organized scheme to defraud, according to Miami-Dade County jail records. They were booked into Turner Guilford Knight Detention Center.

Fuster and Gonzalez confessed to ”numerous thefts” from travelers, admitting to stealing an average of $1,000 daily while working together. Both of them have pleaded not guilty to the third-degree felony grand theft charges they face, while charges against Fuster were dropped in August. 

The officers have been removed from screening duties pending the completion of the investigation and administrative actions, according to the TSA. 

The statement by TSA stated, ”The Transportation Security Administration holds its Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) to the highest professional and ethical standards and has no tolerance for misconduct in the workplace.”

”We actively and aggressively investigated these misconduct allegations and presented our findings to the Miami Dade Police Department, and are working closely with them. Any employee who fails to meet our fundamental ethical standards is held accountable,” the statement added.