Here in SC, you also have to wait 15 days before you resell used/trade-in goods. Pawn Shops are strict about this. I was told by a pawn shop owner once that he recieves a list from the local P.D. every week that shows what goods have been reported stolen. According to him, if he doesn't report something that matches he can get in trouble.
Obviously in this case, it's hard to track "just" a PS2(except by serial). However, since the thief also sold the memory cards and games it would have been extremely easy to tag the theif if EB had followed the law by holding it 15 days. While it isn't directly EB's fault, I think they should eat the loss simply because they broke the law. Had EB held it for 15 days, then sold it, I could understand. In that case, the lady obviously would have waited too long to file the report, and it should be here responibility to make the theif recover the loss.
EB should cough it up. I assure you they will lose more than $87 in business because of the media attention. Tards...