Ever notice how so many different shoplifters, from various backgrounds and demographics all share similar characteristics in the manner in which they steal, the product that they steal and the methods used to conduct their acts? Well, I did and it really got me thinking. Why was this so? Is there some large underground shoplifting network where this information is swapped amongst the thieving brethren? Kind of.
A while back, I did a piece on how shoplifters were brainstorming ideas on the blog site, Tumbler. A few searches here and you can find the easiest way to steal from just about any big name retailer, what product was the easiest to steal, and how to steal without being caught. Check it out if you have some time. That led into some research of my own. Shoplifters, especially the frequent flyers, we’re obviously communicating with one another, but I was curious as to where, and how. If you’ve been in the LP industry for a few years now, you agree that there are certain driving factors behind a rise in shoplifting. My two theories (and I have only my intuition to back this up) on the rise are the heroin epidemic that is sweeping through the country and the (almost) decriminalization of shoplifting in some states.
Heroin is a terrible drug. Most law enforcement sources attribute the rise in heroin use to the crack down on prescription opioids. When law enforcement began devoting resources to dry up “Doctor shopping”, it created a vacuum. Heroin filled that void. This highly addictive drug will get a user addicted on the first shot. It’s only a matter of time before the user will lose their job, house, vehicle and resorts to stealing on a full time basis to support their habit. What do all heroin addicts have in common, aside from the obvious? A dealer.
Every day, those addicts must find their dealer to score another hit. At some point, they run into the same faces day in and day out. No one has a job. No one has an honest income. I’ve interviewed several dozen shoplifters over the past few weeks; mostly those suffering from a heroin addiction. They all tell me the same things. When they go out and score their drug, they run into other addicts and they share what stores are the easiest targets, what merchandise most easily stolen, where to take the stolen goods to and even some pretty sophisticated return fraud schemes. Enter the decriminalization of shoplifting.
There’s a reason these people gravitate towards shoplifting and not armed robbery, or another form of criminal activity. It’s easy. There’s high reward and little risk. It also doesn’t help that legislatures across the country seem to be working against law enforcement agencies when new laws are adopted that lessen the penalties for shoplifting, or raise the threshold for felony cases. Several states have recently raised the dollar threshold for felony theft. Why? Too many people were being charged with felonies. Is that really the way to tackle the problem? What if we did away with punishment for murder because too many people are doing it?
I don’t see the rising shoplifting trend to start going down anytime soon. Not until we address some of the root causes of the behavior and start giving out more serious consequences to those who choose to shoplift. Until that day comes, we have to remain ever vigilant to the threat we are faced with each day. It is our jobs to be proactive and to constantly outsmart the criminal element before they have a chance to make off with our profits.
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