Introduction
Theft from retail establishments has ballooned into a massive problem that shows no signs of abating. Shoplifters who make it a habit to steal from stores do so, on average, roughly twice per week. The substantial earnings that are stealing gangs make also contribute to their rapid popularity (Neary et al., 2019). There is an issue regardless of the type of shoplifter who is committing the theft. There are laws and rules to try to curb shoplifters, but they are not proving effective because the number of shoplifting deficits continues to climb. Stealing products from an open retail facility is known as shoplifting (Zhuang, 2022). This type of theft is often committed by concealing an item from the store on one’s person, in pockets, undergarments, or a bag, and then leaving the store without paying for the item (Neary et al., 2019). Shoplifters can put on items from the store and walk out of the store while wearing the products if they have clothing. In most legal systems, the concepts of shoplifting and shoplifter are not defined in detail. Larceny is the legal term most commonly applied to the offense of shoplifting. Shoplifting is not the same as burglary, defined as the theft of property by breaking into a closed establishment, robbery, which is defined as the theft of property by threatening or participating in aggressive behavior, or armed robbery (Zhuang, 2022). However, the term can also refer to other losses, including waste, uninsured damage to products, and theft committed by store employees. This paper will discuss shoplifting in large stores, especially those with self-checkouts, with the help of case studies of different large stores in Canada.
Social theory understanding of shoplifting as a social issue
Because shoplifting takes money and goods away from all of us, it has developed into a social and economic problem that requires a response from the community (Nichols, 2020). Because shoplifting directly impacts the lives of so many people, providing an all-encompassing and active community response to the problem is crucial to the future well-being of our society (Nichols, 2020). Shoplifting is still considered a type of theft in Canada. Thus anyone caught doing it will be charged with a felony. You will still be held accountable for your actions if you are caught snatching a low-value item because shoplifting is a federal offense. Theft of an item with a value of $30 can result in a fine of up to $5,000, assuming that the offender is not sentenced to time served in jail (Brown, 2016). Theft is defined as taking something without paying for it, and shoplifting refers to the act of stealing from a store. According to the Criminal Code of Canada, stealing is a serious criminal offense (Brown, 2016). If you have been charged with a criminal offense, you should prioritize getting legal representation as quickly as possible from a seasoned criminal defense attorney.
The growth in property crime can be linked to several factors, including the rational choice theory considers the majority of crimes as the actions of reasoning and autonomous agents that make special assessments or computations in response to specific conditions or circumstances to Chances to steal consumer items growing in number and scope (Brown, 2016). The decision-making processes that may cause an offender to choose to become involved in retail theft are analyzed through the lens of rational choice theory (Zhuang, 2022). Its primary presumption is that criminal action is purposeful and carried out to benefit the perpetrator. Shoplifting affects society because of the increased rates that customers are required to pay to recoup the losses sustained as a result of theft. The aggravation and intrusion that the implementation of security measures causes for customers shopping inside establishments and The forced closure of local businesses, results in the elimination of jobs in the community. The reduction in money collected from local and state sales taxes will result in increased taxes for everyone. People who are already prone to theft are more likely to steal when self-checkout lanes are present because it allows them to explain their actions.
According to the labeling theory, acts of criminality and deviance are a direct outcome of the labeling done by the authorities. Those who lack power are more likely to be given a negative label. The labeling theory proposes that people’s actions are affected by the labels that society assigns to them (Zhuang, 2022). For people who are perhaps only experimenting with illegal behavior, this label can be a significant factor in a more persistent criminal life course. This is especially true for young people. Most shoplifters steal due to feelings of entitlement, anger, or loss, and many develop an addiction to their behavior (Neary et al., 2019). As a result, according to certain data, the majority of shoplifters who are caught will steal from the same store again. Shoplifting, which is defined as theft of goods worth less than $5,000, is considered a mixed criminal offense in Canada. This indicates that the prosecution has the ability to choose whether the criminal charge should be a summary or an indictable offence based on the circumstances of the case. Shoplifting is still considered a type of theft in Canada, thus anyone caught doing it will be charged with a felony. Even if you are caught snatching a low-value item, you will still be held accountable for your actions because shoplifting is a federal offense. According to Shopify (2016), interestingly, seventy-five percent of shoplifters claim they didn’t intend to steal anything when they entered the business. It is evident that most instances of shoplifting are accidental, or at least preventable. Only 3% of shoplifters fall into the “professional thief” category, meaning they steal with the intent to resell the item for money or drugs. I’m curious as to if there are any more motivations for shoplifting. Top among these causes are Problems with their bank account as a result of trying to buy the item. The probability of getting caught is low, hence the danger is minimal. Pressure from peers , because they are seeking a temporary thrill, due of a psychiatric illness and because of a psychological disorder According to the rules of our state, shoplifting is considered a form of larceny with the following three stores proving how serious the problem is:
Walmart store
Nearly three times a day, law enforcement officers make their way to the Ohio Walmart, which, out of all 4,500 Walmart locations in the United States, has the highest rate of shoplifting. for instance, A man from Florida was recently, on December 4th, 2022, taken into custody on suspicion of shoplifting at a Walmart store that was staffed by scores of law enforcement personnel (Hogg, 2022). The Ohio Walmart in the Westwood district of Cincinnati is the store that leads the Walmart chain in terms of stealing. Wal-Mart has implemented ways to reduce shoplifting because they make use of RFID tracking capabilities; Wal-Mart possesses one of the most sophisticated inventory management systems that are available today. A radio frequency identification tag, which specifies both the location of the goods within the warehouse as well as the type of product, is attached to each individual item. There are readers installed at the doors of the warehouses, and these readers recognize automatically which products are coming into and going out of the warehouse as soon as the product exits the warehouse (Fonrouge, 2022). The advantages of doing so are that it reduces the number of workers that may be put to greater use elsewhere and that it ensures perfect correctness. It is also considerably more accurate and quicker than if workers were to take inventory.
Real Canadian Superstore
Real Canadian Superstore in Milton has been experiencing several instances of shoplifting, with police having to intervene. like in a recent case, Halton police were investigating a Milton Real Canadian Superstore theft. Police said two men distracted the woman in the store on August 12, 2022, and seized her phone and credit cards. in yet another situation, According to the Halton Regional Police, a lady who is suspected of attempting to steal food and other items worth more than $600 from a Real Canadian Superstore located in Milton managed to get away. On Friday (April 22), the police department disseminated a photograph of the person they believe is responsible for the crime in the hopes that it would lead to an arrest (simplistics, 2022). The unfortunate event took place on April 7, when a woman entered the business, made a number of purchases, and then exited without “making any attempt” to pay for the items that totaled $640. Loss prevention (security) confronted the woman, who then threw down all of the stolen stuff and ran away on foot.
Costco store
The number of thefts that occur at Costco is really low. The company estimates that shoplifting accounts for a loss of approximately 0.12% of total sales, which is significantly lower than the percentages reported by competitors such as Walmart and Target. Anecdotal evidence suggests that shoplifting is rather rare at Costco. Despite the relatively safe environment of the company’s retail outlets, theft is nevertheless a problem. A “no-touch” policy is enforced at Costco, which ensures that products are handled as little as possible as they make their way through the supply chain. The products are transported from the distributors to the retailers on pallets and remain in the same condition throughout the distribution chain. This method increases efficiency while also lowering expenses associated with labor and logistics (np_123_aos, 2022). Theft from stores is not tolerated at all by Costco, which has a zero-tolerance policy. If you are detected shoplifting, you will be barred from entering this Costco facility as well as any other site in the world that sells Costco merchandise. Shoplifters, including corporate workers who are caught stealing products, will be subject to legal action from the corporation.
Shoplifters will have a difficult time stealing from Costco because of the store’s design, which makes it difficult for them to conceal products or leave the store without being seen after stealing something. Because of the vast size of their stores, there is plenty of space between each shelf, making it difficult to conceal anything from view (np_123_aos, 2022). In addition, the organization positions things in a thoughtful manner throughout its retail locations. For instance, you’ll discover that some of the items that are shoplifted the most are located near the exit, which allows personnel to monitor the customers’ movements and actions as they leave the store. Additionally, the membership card system is an efficient means through which Costco can monitor the purchases made by its customers. This information can be used by personnel of the store to assist in identifying shoplifters.
Self-checkouts in increasing shoplifting
The use of self-checkout lanes is becoming increasingly common even though there are a number of drawbacks associated with them for both customers and store owners. The retail giants Walmart (WMT),
(KR), and Dollar General (DG) are all testing out the implementation of self-checkout lanes in select locations. Both Costco and Albertsons have reinstated self-checkout after eliminating it from their locations several years ago. Amazon (AMZN) has taken the idea one step further by opening stores called Amazon (AMZN) Go that don’t have cashiers. It’s possible that stores cannot abandon self-checkout now without severely damaging their business (Taylor, 2018). In large stores with self-checkouts, Customers are required to wait for store workers to assist them with problems regarding bar codes, coupons, payment problems, and other issues that usually arise with a large number of transactions, which causes the lines for self-checkout to become backed up and congested (Taylor, 2018). Additionally, it is costly to install the machines, and they frequently experience breakdowns, which may result in customers purchasing fewer things. When compared to traditional checkout lines staffed by humans, stores with self-checkout lanes suffer greater financial losses and experience a higher incidence of stealing (Jie & Kamsin, 2021).
Recommendations
Installing security cameras is the most effective method for putting a stop to stealing. Keeping in mind that the amount of theft that has occurred at major shops so far this year has hit an all-time high, when you have security cameras set up, you are able to keep an eye on the whole store and take images of criminals while they are in the act of committing a crime against your business. This is the one strategy that is more effective than any other in preventing theft (Jie & Kamsin, 2021). Putting up anti-theft signage at your store’s doors, exits, and dressing rooms may be an effective deterrent for anybody who might steal from your business otherwise. You may also lessen the risk of accidents with blind spots by putting mirrors in key positions all throughout your store. You would be able to monitor activities in every department of your company with the use of this.
Conclusion
Due to the difficulties that come along with using a self-checkout system, such as an inability to use the machines, a delay at the exit, and clogged lines, shoplifting is a widespread problem in large retailers, particularly those that have self-checkout systems. In addition, the study illuminated for us how stealing affects society as a whole and how various social theories may be used to shed light on the topic of shoplifting as a social problem. Theft from stores is a widespread problem in Canada, with Walmart, the Real Canadian Superstore, and Costco being the retail establishments most frequently targeted. However, there are recommendations presented that may be followed in order to cut down on the incidence of shoplifting in Canada.
References
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Fonrouge, G. (2022). Rising thefts at Walmart could lead to price jumps, store closures, CEO says. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/06/walmart-ceo-says-shoplifting-could-lead-to-price-jumps-store-closures.html
Hogg, R. (2022, December 4). A Florida man was arrested for suspected shoplifting at a Walmart store filled with dozens of police officers. Business Insider Africa. https://africa.businessinsider.com/retail/a-florida-man-was-arrested-for-suspected-shoplifting-at-a-walmart-store-filled-with/r2hny20
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np_123_aos. (2022, June 1). What is Costco’s Policy on Shoplifting? AisleofShame.com. https://www.aisleofshame.com/what-is-costcos-policy-on-shoplifting/#:~:text=Costco%20has%20a%20zero%2Dtolerance
Shopify. (2016, October 4). Shoplifting: Why People Steal and How Retailers Can Prevent It. Shopify. https://www.shopify.com/retail/common-shoplifting-traits-and-how-to-curb-them
simplistics. (2022, August 30). Police investigating theft at Real Canadian Superstore in Milton | inHalton. Insauga | Local Online News. https://www.insauga.com/police-investigating-theft-at-real-canadian-superstore-in-milton/
Taylor, E. (2018). COPS and Robbers: Customer Operated Payment Systems, Self-Service Checkout and the Impact on Retail Crime. Retail Crime, 99–119. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73065-3_5
Zhuang, Y. (2022, July 11). Causes of Juvenile Shoplifting: Perspectives from Behavioral Economics and Psychology. Www.atlantis-Press.com; Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.220704.123
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