Shoplifting is the crime of stealing merchandise from a store while pretending to be a customer. Shoplifting costs store owners money and thus results in higher prices for customers.
Most shoplifters have enough money to pay for the items they steal. Some shoplifters do not feel guilty about shoplifting because they believe that stores overcharge and can easily afford such small losses.
Before the mid-1900’s, various laws made it difficult to convict shoplifters. For example, salespeople had to let a shoplifter leave the store to prove the person had intended to steal. In many cases, the defense attorney convinced the jury that a shoplifter had merely forgotten to pay for the merchandise. Between the 1930’s and the 1960’s, most states enacted special laws to deal with shoplifting. Many of these laws provide that any person who conceals store merchandise will be assumed to be stealing it. The laws also allow salespeople to detain a suspect long enough to investigate the situation.
Despite tougher laws, few shoplifters are caught or punished. Most stores, in an effort to stimulate sales, display merchandise openly and encourage shoppers to examine it. These policies hamper the detection of shoplifters. Even if the thieves are caught, many merchants hesitate to prosecute them because of the expense and time involved in legal action.
To curb shoplifting, some merchants have installed closed-circuit television, electronic scanners, and other security devices. However, such devices reduce shoplifting only slightly.
