ATHENS, Ga. -- Shoplifters are stealing dozens of sticks of deodorant at a time - not to smell fresh, but to finance drug habits or sell them and other pilfered goods on the black market, officials said

Athens-Clarke police began noticing a spike in swiped sticks this summer, when they arrested a woman who snatched 27 packages from an Atlanta Highway discount store.

Just last month - and within a week of each other - another woman and a man stole a total of 24 deodorant sticks from the same Alps Road drug store.

"Deodorant is in big demand among people who live on the street or use crack," said Athens-Clarke police Lt. Mike Hunsinger, commanding officer of the Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force.

"They will steal it and trade it for dope at crack houses," he said. "We also find a lot of deodorant and other toiletries in shot houses."

Stores across the country have reported more shoplifters grabbing goods that are easily concealed - from the relatively inexpensive like deodorant, shampoo and over-the-counter medicine, to laptop computers and other pricier merchandise, according to the Retail Industry Leaders Association.

"A lot of it is from organized crime," said the Elizabeth Jennings, the retail group's spokeswoman.

"We deal with a lot of rings that go from store to store to steal tons of merchandise they sell to a fence, at flea markets and also online," Jennings said.

Organized retail thefts can be the lone drug dealer who gives customers lists of items to steal, or larger criminal enterprises such as gangs, she said.

Theft rings are responsible for tens of billions of dollars of stolen goods each year, Jennings said, and retailers spend $12 billion a year to fight it.

"It's been a rampant problem, but it just continues to get worse," she said.