Retail Policies Do Little To Curtail Shoplifters

Shoplifters drive up costs for law-abiding shoppers, and store policies tend to be stacked in favor of thieves, according to a UPI analysis that reports 92 percent of retailers were victimized in 2009.

Retailers discourage and often ban employees from stopping suspected shoplifters for fear of sullying the company image or putting employees in a position to be harmed and sue the company. Even when security guards catch shoplifters, companies often refuse to prosecute due to the cost.

From the story:

“Personally, I feel like the laws are made just to protect them,” said Jen [redacted], assistant manager of Arden B. in the Palm Beach Gardens Mall. “It’s not really for us.”

According to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention, shoplifting has become one of the most prevalent crimes in the U.S, averaging about 550,000 incidents per day, and more than $13 billion in merchandise stolen from retailers each year.

What most people don’t realize is the impact shoplifting has on honest consumers. Many retail companies do not want to pay for the cost of prosecution after an arrest. Instead, they raise their prices to compensate for losses.

If you’ve worked retail, did you ever try to stop a thief?

Retail stores’ policies benefit shoplifters [UPI]
(Thanks, Aram!)

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