Should you chase a shoplifter?

Never try to physically stop a shoplifter. Never lock the door to keep a shoplifter from leaving. Never chase a shoplifter out of your place of business. Remain at least an arm's length away from the shoplifter.

Can you chase a shoplifter?

If you've witnessed someone doing this, approach them calmly outside of the store, identify yourself, and explain that you know they shoplifted. Then, escort the person back into the store and call the police. However, if the shoplifter runs, never chase them as you could pose a safety risk to others around you.

Can you get fired for chasing shoplifter?

You may think you are doing a good deed for the community and your employer, but chasing a shoplifter could get you fired even when if you're successful. Companies have rightly concluded it's not worthwhile to put the safety of their employees and customers at risk just to save a few dollars in stolen merchandise.

Should you confront a shoplifter?

Confront them – If you decide to confront the suspected shoplifter, approach them when they have exited the premises. According to security expert Chris E McGoey, it's best to have additional personnel with you when you approach the shoplifter. “A good rule is to outnumber the suspected shoplifter by a least one.

What would you do if you saw a person shoplifting?

What to do if you see a shoplifter in action. If you see them take something then ask them politely to put the item back but be careful to keep your tone neutral and back off if you feel threatened. Always be sure they've taken something before you speak to them – and only if you feel it's safe to do so.

VIDEO: people try to shoplift from Target before taking BCSO on chase

Why can't stores stop shoplifters?

Because state law holds that stealing merchandise worth $950 or less is just a misdemeanor, which means that law enforcement probably won't bother to investigate, and if they do, prosecutors will let it go.

What are the 5 elements of shoplifting?

What are three signs of a potential shoplifter?

Wearing large coats or baggy clothes. Avoiding eye contact. Watching the staff, not the merchandise. Seeking shelter in dressing rooms to stash smuggled merchandise.

What do shoplifters steal the most?

Perfume and fragrance: costly products that are relatively easy to steal. Small electrical goods and accessories: electric toothbrushes, smart speakers, iPads, headphones, shavers, data sticks. Smartphones are slightly less likely to be stolen because of robust security devices.

How do you respond to a shoplifter?

What should you not do when shoplifting?

Who can stop a shoplifter?

A security guard can make a citizen's arrest if someone is caught in the act of shoplifting and it is not reasonably practical for a police officer to make the arrest instead, for example if the person shoplifting were to run away before a police officer could arrive.

Does Walmart have a no chase policy?

While Walmart has a strict "no chase" policy, they will follow you around and call the police if they feel it's necessary, Business Insider reported. When the store decides to take action against a shoplifter, the shopper can be charged with petty theft, Interview Area reported.

Are shoplifters usually caught?

A good moment to stop shoplifters is as they leave the department or the store. However, only 5 to 10 percent of shoplifters are caught. Of those caught, only some are reported to the police and fewer are sentenced (usually to a fine).

When should you restrain a shoplifter?

The shop owner or manager can detain the person when there are reasonable belief and proof that the suspect did engage in shoplifting. While someone over the age of majority can face a full arrest and possible conviction, the shop owner may become lenient with someone under the age and contact parents instead.

What are the four types of shoplifters?

What is the #1 shoplifted item?

It would probably surprise you to learn that the No. 1 shoplifted food item in the world is not a pocket-sized sweet or high-end liquor but rather everyone's favorite burger topping: cheese.

What is the number 1 stolen item in America?

#1. Cash. Cash is always on the top of burglars' wish list. Unlike other most commonly stolen items that need to be resold in pawn shops or on the street, cash can be used directly and quickly without any conspicuous.

Who is the typical shoplifter?

More than 10 million people have been caught shoplifting in the past five years. There is no profile of the “typical shoplifter.” Approximately 25 percent of shoplifters are kids. Fifty-five percent of shoplifters say they started shoplifting in their teens.

What is the number 1 way to prevent shoplifting?

Install Security Cameras

Surveillance cameras are the single best way to prevent theft, allowing you to keep an eye on the whole store and capture images of thieves in the act of committing a crime.

What is the psychological reason for shoplifting?

Stealing may cause the release of dopamine — another neurotransmitter. Dopamine causes pleasurable feelings, and some people seek this rewarding feeling again and again. The brain's opioid system. Urges are regulated by the brain's opioid system.

What are common shoplifting tactics?

Techniques of shoplifting include (1) hiding merchandise in loose clothing, (2) palming expensive objects and substituting for them, (3) using box devices that can be placed over items that are trapped by a spring device, or (4) using a 'booster' belt with a series of hooks on which stolen objects are placed.

What are the two types of shoplifters?

Shoplifters come from all walks of life. Basically, however, they fall into two broad categories: ordinary customers and professionals who steal for a living. The amateur steals on impulse. His most important motive is a simple desire for the item itself.

What are the 7 groups of people who shoplift?

What states have the highest shoplifting?

Number of larceny thefts reported in the U.S. 2021, by state

In 2021, the federal state of Texas recorded the most larceny-thefts in the United States, with a total of 452,357 reported cases. It was followed by Washington, with 164,309 reported cases of larceny-thefts.