As predicted the draconian tax that Doyle put on cigarettes has already promoted criminal behavior. This is only the beginning.
Cigarettes have suddenly become a hot item for burglars.
More than 100 cartons of smokes valued at up to $7,500 have been stolen from businesses on Madison’s east side since Aug. 20, police reported. The thieves reportedly are shattering glass doors, grabbing cartons of cigarettes and fleeing before police arrive.Madison police spokesman Joel DeSpain said this cigarette crime wave is part of a national trend. The state’s cigarette tax went up by 75 cents a pack on Sept. 1, which also is playing a role in the cigarette heists.
Filed under: Big, Bad Government, Governor Doyle, Nannied to Death, anti insanity, economic impact, reality check | Tagged: black market, cigarette tax, crime, Governer, Governer Doyle, reality, reality check
Cool! Those thieves are smart! They know if you gonna steal cartons, you gotta stash those babies in bags as fast as possible. It ain’t a surprise to me this “crime wave” on cigs is a nationwide trend. Carrying a pack of cigs around is like a smoker pulling out loose cash in some areas.
CIgs have always been a hot item to me. LOL At least this is proof dat I was neva playing when I said many times people will do what the F it takes to get cigs instead of quit smoking.
I’m sure some of those thieves intend on reselling those stolen packs so they can make moolah in the cig black market!
Is it just me, or after I read that article, that I find it hilarious that 3 of the 5 places the burglar targeted were Walgreens stores? And the other 2 being convenience stores! And Jay, I completely agree with you about cigarettes being equivalent to pulling out loose change in high crime areas, and suddenly becoming a target for robbers!
I can only imagine that the exact same trend would start occurring around Illinois(and not just in Chicago and Cook County), if the current proposal to raise the state cigarette tax $1 were to ever pass. Thankfully, it appears to be dead in the Illinois House, although the Senate sadly passed this bill earlier this year. Just crossing my fingers that this bill isn’t resurrected in the October IL Legislature veto session, that’s for sure!
I have a feeling there are more crime robberies happening than what we all hear from the media. Me juz read the actual page assosciated with these robberies. A “black male” was the robber of all of those stores? No surprise to me.
Dat bro who kept grabbing cartons from Walgreens stores is one of the betta “cig thieves” I heard about since April, when the fed tobacco tax went up.
I’m surprised he didn’t use a motorcycle instead of a bicycle on one getaway. LOL
I wouldn’t be surprised if he stole Newport cartons in particular out of all of those Walgreens stores. Maybe he targeted those stores cause he did his “homework” on the stores’ security cams so to speak. I’m sure if dat was a bank he broke into, the cops’ response would’ve been quicker. Although he was darn fast to flee away with maybe Newport cartons in less than 2 mins.
Sure beats hearing about anotha (non-bro) cig thief who got easily caught and he attempted to stuff the packs in his pants. He should’ve used bags at least. LOL!!!
It ain’t hilarious to me on stealing cigs from small, convience stores. Unlike some smoke shops, a Walgreens or a conv store ain’t gonna have bullet-proof glass in front of the cartons.
Sounds like he only targeted stores dat were actually closed. This is smart on the bro’s part too. Cause if he robbed a 24-hr conv store, the chances of him getting aught would be hgha. Especially if he had a loaded gun on him.
Since nobody’s in the stores at the time of the robberies, of course it’ll be hard to catch him. And from the pic I saw of him, he hid his face very well.
It’s late and I oughta stop talking with the mindset of being in the hood. But hey, crime is one topic of interest I have as an urban bro.. Since there is violence assosciated with these cig crimes as well.
Using a bicycle is smart. No noise, and it’s most likely stolen. The next move will now be license plates for bicycles.
If we are subjected to a lie, no matter how ridiculous, 24/7 it won’t be long before the general public will take that lie for the truth. Edwin Bernays used that fact back in the 40’s to become the highest paid Advertising Agent in history. It is still being used today. As long as we have people willing to subjugate others for profit it will never end. All they need are groups of people who are easily fooled to do their dirty work for them.
Grants (Money) have been used to buy so-called Experts to spread this Fraud of SHS to our Councils/Legislators who are ignorant of the facts. Many know the facts but the Grant money is too good to refuse. After over 10 years of research I have at least 280 studies and 600 in depth reports to attest to the fraud that SHS/ETS kills. If this is true, and it is, there is no reason for business killing Smoking Bans or targeted taxes against smokers.
California has the longest smoking ban and has 16% Asthma rate. Ky. has the largest % of smokers and has a 6% Asthma rate. Clearly Smoking is not the problem and Smokers do not deserve to be taxed because of this fraud.
Any doubt, Google RWJF Ellen Hahn. Grants.
Just a thought.
At $6 per pack, cigarettes cost $136 per pound and about $70 of that $136 are taxes.
At that tax rate per ounce, an ordinary can of beer would cost about $53!!!!
Imagine having to pay over $300 for a six-pack !!
Quiet! The governor may be listening and like your beer tax. Cigars got taxed up plenty too.
This is what Legislative Crooks do best. Create crime. Here in Kentucky, revenue has dropped since the new tax has taken effect. They never seem to learn. They will probably raise taxes again to get more revenue.:) There is no cure for stupid.
How did you come up with that calculation Gary K, if you don’t mind me asking? I always knew cigarettes were excessively overtaxed to death, but damn, just seeing that makes me angry and almost wanna wish I lived much closer to Missouri!
· Kentucky
· More than half of the current cost of a pack of cigarettes in KY goes to the govt
· Average price: $4.78
Kentucky Tobacco Revenue
· State Excise Tax on Cigarettes: $0.60
· State Excise Tax on Smokeless Tobacco: $0.19/1.5 oz Banded
· State Excise Tax on Little Cigars: 15% Wholesale Price
· State Excise Tax on Large Cigars: 15%
· Sales Tax on Cigarette Sales: $0.25
Kentucky Revenue from Cigarettes
· Excise Tax Collected (2008): $179,456,098
· Master Settlement Agreement (MSA Payments 2008): $115,100,000
· Cigarette Sales Tax Revenue (2008): $125,099,103.80
· Total Revenue Collected (2008): $419,655,201.80
Would anyone care to takeover these tax payments for Smokers?
A cigarette weighs about 1 gram.
My 14 ounce package of MYO tobacco will make about 400 cigarettes.
14(ounces) x 28.4(grams per ounce) = 398 grams.
Soo, about 400 grams will make about 400 cigarettes.
I remember when a gallon of gas cost the same as a pack of cigarettes when going to high school. The cost of cigarettes tells me the state has to raise gasoline taxes at least a couple of bucks to keep it even. I wonder if cigarettes are cheaper in Canada?
IIRC, cigarettes are more heavily taxed in Canada. Of course, the way some states are going when it comes to cigarette taxes, I bet it won’t be long before some states have cigarette taxation rates that aren’t below levels seen in some Canadian provinces!