Shoplifting

Shoplifting, also called shop theft or retail theft, is when someone takes goods from a retail store without paying for them. It usually happens during business hours and is considered a type of larceny. People often use the phrase "five-finger discount" as a humorous way to talk about shoplifting.

The first known cases of shoplifting happened in London in the 1500s. For a long time, it was thought to be something mostly women did. But in the 1960s, some began to see it as a political act. Shoplifters can be divided into two groups: professionals who resell what they steal, and amateurs who take items for their own use. Some people shoplift on impulse, while others make a living from it, sometimes using teams to distract staff and steal items.

Commonly stolen items include small, expensive things like razor blades, electronic devices, vitamins, alcohol, and cigarettes. Stores fight shoplifting in many ways, such as locking away small items, using security tags, installing mirrors and cameras, and hiring security guards. Employees are also trained to watch for possible shoplifters. Some stores even ask customers to leave bags at the front so they can be checked when the customer leaves.

Definition

Shoplifting is when someone takes items from a store without paying for them. This usually means hiding things on a person's body or asking a friend to help and then leaving the store without paying. Sometimes people also switch price tags to get cheaper items, use tricks to get refunds they don't deserve, or eat food from the store without paying.

Stores lose a lot of money because of shoplifting. For example, in 2022, Target lost $400 million because items went missing. The rules about punishing shoplifting can be a bit different from other kinds of theft, often because it's hard to tell if someone really meant to steal or just made a mistake. Most stores are very careful before stopping someone, making sure they are sure the person did something wrong.

History

Shoplifting, also called "lifting," has been around as long as shopping. The first records of shoplifting date back to the 1500s in London. Back then, groups of men known as lifters would steal from shops. Over time, shopkeepers changed how they displayed items to attract customers, which sometimes made it easier for people to take things without paying.

In the 1600s, the word "shoplift" appeared in books. Some famous shoplifters from that time were women like Mary Frith, known as Moll Cutpurse. Laws at the time were very strict; people caught stealing valuable items could face serious punishments. By the 1800s, doctors started to describe shoplifting as a behavior linked to certain emotions, especially among women. Later, in the 1960s and 1970s, some people began to see shoplifting as a way to stand up against big companies. Activists wrote books offering tips on how to shoplift and argued that it was a form of protest.

Common targets

People often take small items that are easy to hide, like groceries such as steak and instant coffee, razor blades and cartridges, and small tech gadgets like vapes, smartphones, USB flash drives, and earphones. Other common items include gift cards, cosmetics, jewelry, multivitamins, pregnancy tests, electric toothbrushes, and clothing. In the past, cigarettes were often taken, but now stores usually keep them behind the cash register.

Methods

Shoplifters might hide items in their pockets, under their clothes, in bags, or in things they carry like a box or stroller. Some stores ask people to leave bags at the counter to help stop this.

Others might fill a shopping cart with items and leave the store without paying, called a "walkout" or "pushout". Sometimes they wear store clothes when they leave. Employees are often told to only talk to someone they think is shoplifting, to avoid any problems or getting hurt.

Offenders

Offenders can be split into two main groups: those who shoplift for their own needs, and those who do it to sell the items later.

Some people shoplift just once or twice, taking things they need for themselves. These are often called "snitches." In some places, groups of young people, sometimes called flash mobs, go into stores together to take items while others distract the staff.

Other people make a living by shoplifting. These individuals are often very skilled and use clever methods to steal. They may sell what they take in secret markets. Sometimes, groups or even bigger crime organizations work together to plan and carry out thefts. These groups might include many people doing the stealing, others causing distractions, and sometimes even store employees helping them. Some of these groups focus on stealing specific items asked for by leaders, and in some cases, they may bring people from other countries to help with the thefts.

Motivation

People who take things from stores without paying might do it for different reasons. Some may need the items because they can't afford them, while others might feel pressured by friends or seek excitement. Others might act on a sudden impulse, especially if they feel stressed or troubled. Researchers say that people who take things often think they won't get caught and may feel that the store or situation justifies their actions. Young children might take things to see what they can get away with, while older kids and teens often do it for fun or because their friends are doing it too.

Economics

Shoplifting is a common act that many people do because it is easy to do and can fit into everyday life. People from all nations, races, ethnic groups, genders, and social classes have shoplifted. At one time, it seemed that more women than men shoplifted, but now it looks like men and women do it about the same amount. Most people start shoplifting around age ten, and it happens more often during teenage years before going down as people get older. Shoplifting happens equally among all races, and poorer people only slightly more than richer people.

The retail industry loses a lot of money to shoplifting. In 2017, shops around the world lost about $34 billion because of shoplifting. This is a big part of why shops sometimes close. For example, a market in Pittsburgh had to close because of shoplifters, and some stores in San Francisco also closed due to rising theft.

Differences by geography

People in many countries around the world, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Japan, and India, often take the same kinds of items from stores without paying. However, what people take can also depend on what is popular or liked in their country.

For example, in Milan, people often take expensive saffron, which is used in a special local dish called risotto alla Milanese. In Italy, parmigiano reggiano cheese is commonly taken from supermarkets. In Spain, jamón ibérico is often stolen. In France, a special anise-flavoured drink called ricard is frequently taken. In Japan, people often take manga comics, electronic games, and whisky. Some stores in Japan have also talked about "digital shoplifting," where people take pictures of books or magazines to read them later without paying. In Norway, packaged cheese is the most commonly taken item, and it is sometimes sold to pizza places or fast-food restaurants afterward.

Consequences

Main article: Shopkeeper's privilege

Shoplifting is a type of theft. Stores can choose to ban people who have taken things without paying from their shops.

In the United States, store staff may hold someone for a short time if they believe that person is taking items without paying. They can sometimes make an arrest, depending on local rules and what the store prefers.

In England and Wales, shoplifting can lead to fines or jail time, depending on the value of the items taken.

In some parts of the Middle East, like Saudi Arabia, there are very strict laws for theft. However, not all agree that shoplifting falls under these laws.

Prevention

Main article: Retail loss prevention

Shoplifting can be stopped and caught. Stores use Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to watch for people taking things without paying. Another way is Electronic article surveillance (EAS), where special tags on items set off an alarm if someone leaves the store with them. Big stores like Walmart also use Radio-frequency identification (RFID) to track items and know exactly what was taken.

Stores may have workers dressed like shoppers to watch for shoplifters, or they might use security personnel. Some stores have one-way doors or special gates to help prevent people from taking items the wrong way.