San Francisco police fight the Sopranos of shoplifting

Police are battling a rise in retail thefts in Union Square committed by well-organized crime syndicates. The sophisticated groups employ shoplifting experts with intricate methods for nabbing loot from stores and reselling it on the street, police said. These groups, some with gang affiliations, can include "boosters," who steal the merchandise, and "fence operators," who find ways to sell it ...