Shoplifting Prevention

Kleptomania is a mental disorder.  Not as serious as a more severe case of schizophrenia for example, but a mental disorder nonetheless.  The inability of people suffering from this disorder to stop themselves from grabbing merchandise and stealing it is a problem mental health professionals try to understand and help these sufferers find a way to overcome.

The problems caused due to shoplifting are many. Police departments across the nation spend countless hours answering calls to retail shops where shoplifting incidents occur daily.  Society as a whole loses the taxable merchandise lost to shoplifting, and the owners of some of these retail shops see their business crumble due to the heavy shoplifting they experience. But, we must remember that in some cases, these people need help, not jail.

Read more about this and other stories.

Some retailers are bracing for the ‘Silver Tsunami’ by embracing senior shoppers

With the emerging “Silver Tsunami,” a metaphor for our aging population, retailers are preparing for the tidal wave of some 78 million Baby Boomers turning 65 and over in the next 10 to 20 years

With their growing numbers and vast purchasing power, senior shoppers present both an opportunity and challenge for retailers. For some of the biggest names in the industry, including Kohl’s, Best Buy and Boscov’s, the 60-and–over crowd represents an important customer base already, and they are doing even more to accommodate it.

“This demographic should be important to retailers as there is a gap between the scale of the senior consumer population’s purchasing power and the current offerings in the retail sector that are more geared toward younger shoppers,” said Deborah L. Weinswig, managing director at Fung Global Retail and Technology in New York.

Kleptomania: Understanding the mental disorder

Many people with kleptomania live lives of secret shame because they’re afraid to seek mental health treatment. 

Approximately 6 in 1000 people suffer from this mental disorder, translating to approximately 1.2 million people in the United States.

Understanding kleptomania and the constant desire to partake in the activities associated with the disorder will help an individual to seek an appropriate amount of treatment to help eliminate the behavior.

The majority of individuals who suffer from kleptomania begin exhibiting symptoms during their late adolescence and early adult years.

The most unfortunate aspect of kleptomania is that it prevents the sufferer from leading a productive lifestyle as they are constantly faced with the need to steal.

UCLA basketball players, reportedly accused of shoplifting, await their fate in scenic Chinese town

The young American athletes took a detour to this Chinese lakeside town on their way to play basketball. Now, in a bizarre situation that has entangled some of college sports’ most promising players, three may not be able to leave it.

UCLA freshmen LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill are holed up in Hangzhou, a tourist town in southeastern China about 100 miles from Shanghai and the opening game of the season — in which they will not appear. Police questioned the men this week on suspicion of shoplifting sunglasses from a Louis Vuitton store. They must remain here and await a decision by Chinese authorities on how to proceed.

For many, this former ancient capital is a breezy escape from the industrial grime of other Chinese cities. But for these college students, it’s likely a crushing symbol of how little they know about the country and its opaque judicial system.