ABOUT
Criminologist | Consultant | Nationally Recognized Expert on Package Theft, Metal Theft, and Policing
I am a Professor of Criminal Justice at Middle Tennessee State University, former police officer, and the owner of Stickle Consulting, LLC. My work blends more than two decades of law enforcement experience with cutting-edge research to address some of the most pressing challenges in criminal justice today.
I am widely recognized as the leading expert on package theft and a pioneering voice in metal theft research, with my work featured in The New York Times, Good Morning America, NBC News, Business Insider, and dozens of other outlets worldwide. My publications, testimony, and consulting have influenced policy, guided industry, and provided actionable solutions to law enforcement, delivery companies, and community organizations.
Beyond emerging crime, I am an experienced grant writer and evaluator, with more than $14 million in awarded funding secured for agencies across the U.S. My consulting work helps sheriffs, police departments, and organizations expand capacity, manage complex projects, and implement evidence-based strategies.
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Selected Awards & Honors
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Global Thought Leaders & Influencers (#1 for Health & Safety, #5 for COVID Business Impact, #10 for Risk Management, #21 in Supply Chain Management), Thinkers 360 (2021)
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Distinguished Research Award, Middle Tennessee State University (2021)
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McGraw Hill Distinguished Scholar Award, Ethnographic & Qualitative Research Conference (2020)
- Stanford M. Lyman Distinguished Book Award for Metal Scrappers and Thieves: Scavenging for Survival and Profit, Mid-South Sociological Association (2019)
PACKAGE THEFT
Commerce around the world is shifting rapidly as online consumers have products delivered directly to their front door. As a result, a new form of crime has emerged and is gaining popularity—porch piracy. To learn more about package theft and porch pirates, review the scholarly publications, practitioner articles, and related media appearances.
METAL THEFT
In Metal Scrappers and Thieves: Scavenging for Survival and Profit, Dr. Stickle explores the little-known world of scrappers and metal thieves, traversing this criminal subculture in the thieves’ and scrappers’ own underground communities. Dive into the underground scrapper community with Ben and learn about metal theft motivations, thievery techniques, and more.
