Shoplifters in NY creating resale economy with stolen goods on eBay, Facebook Marketplace: report

It has been revealed that the shoplifting epidemic in New York has led to the formation of a black market wherein networks of thieves are selling stolen goods to unsuspecting members of the public.

While ill-gotten merchandise is typically sold online via sites such as eBay and Facebook Marketplace, some criminals have engineered sophisticated schemes involving cross-border "returns" and other shady practices.

According to the New York Post, the process begins with those who do the shoplifting. Once the goods have been acquired, a middleman buys them for a fraction of the sticker price and sells them on eBay and Facebook Marketplace. Everybody gets paid, and the cycle continues.