Would you pay someone to rob you?

Economists say incentives matter. This explains why the answer to the question can sometimes be yes.

See Cross-border gunshot arbitrage markets in everything, Jean Baudrillard gone wrong edition from Tyler Cowen of Marginal Revolution. 

"Federal prosecutors on Friday announced charges against five people in connection with a Chicago-based scheme that staged armed robberies so the purported victims could apply for U.S. immigration visas reserved for legitimate crime victims…

Officials believe hundreds of people, including some who traveled from out of town, posed as customers in dozens of businesses across Chicago and elsewhere, all hoping to win favorable immigration status by becoming “victims” of pre-arranged “armed robberies.”

During a staged hold-up in Bucktown last year, one of the “robbers” accidentally fired their gun, severely injuring a liquor store clerk, according to one source. During that caper alone, five “customers” were “robbed.”

Here is the full story, via Ian."