Crime as a hobby: Taking an “involuntary discount” on expensive wines

Criminologists tend to associate themselves with one of several schools of thought concerning the etiology of crime: classical; pathological; or one of the several sociological perspectives such as strain/anomie, critical/conflict, structural functional ism, social disorganization, symbolic interaction/labeling, and social and cultural support. None of these schools appear to have a place in their domain for a crime hobbyist. Criminal typologies that address specific criminal behavior often identify a criminal type known as the occasional property offender and describe him/her as crude, unsophisticated, unknowledgeable, and involved with inexpensive items or, in more recent work, as a delighted scofflaw. This study examines a crime hobbyist who is serious about his pasttime, who carries it off with aplomb, sophistication, and at considerable cost to the victim. This study is intended to stimulate thought concerning the nature of typologies generally, as well as to provide a basis for possible future studies regarding the realm of specialized criminals who have rarely come to the attention of the police or the courts.