Comment by DanBC

You think a crack addict is a rational actor?

From the article:

>While the driver kept the car idling, a heavily tattooed, spiky-haired detective named Alexander Mallari jumped out holding a laundry bag filled with a few bottles of Tide and lots of bonus items—a dozen pairs of Philips earphones, a dozen or so bottles of Victoria’s Secret perfume. Mallari’s mission was simple: He’d enter the shop, disclose that the items were stolen, and try to unload them.

>Ten minutes later, Mallari emerged with an empty bag and a small wad of money in his pocket. He was offered just $30—a pittance by the standards of the Tide trade. “That’s a true crackhead price right there,” Thompson said.

This is the drug that brought us "smurfing" - addicts would earn drugs by taking very many blister packs of OTC medication and popping the pills out of the blister packs to be used in making drugs.

Bob fences stolen goods from drug addicts because the margins are so good - and the margins are good because drug addicts just want enough money to get more drugs.