Shoplifting on the rise, vote in Clark's poll on clarkhoward.com

Have you noticed store employees watching you more intently than usual when you leave a store? That should really come as no surprise; shoplifting is skyrocketing around the country.

From a psychological perspective, people feel more entitled to steal at a time when it seems like our nation is enduring a bailout a day.

There's an active market in fencing stolen goods on sites like Craigslist and eBay. For example, the theft of baby formula has been just one problem area for retailers. The product is later fenced online or even at "legitimate" mom-and-pop operations.

The president of the Georgia Retail Association has another reason why he thinks shoplifting may be on the rise. To paraphrase his thoughts from a recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution piece, people who didn't once have the idle time to steal have it now that they're out of work!

What would you do if you saw shoplifting in progress? That's the subject of our poll question this week. Be sure to vote and make your voice heard.

What others are saying

Crotch Walking is Physically Impossible by anyone!
I am so tired of the "urban legend " of women (always implied as gypsie ) wearing long, full, skirts and being able to steal from stores by putting items between their thighs and walking out the store.

Try it at home. It is impossible.

But it is used "repeatedly" by inferior store security and employees to racially profile women of a Middle Eastern appearance.

Below is listed a "cut and paste" from an individual who makes "his living" “advising” people about shoplifters on the internet/web. I didn't list his name or web site, buy I am sure you can figure him out. He got a couple of spots on national talk shows.

HIS POSTING FROM HIS SITE:
"Crotch-walking" is a technique used by women wearing full skirts and dresses. They simply place the merchandise between their thighs and walk away. Thieves who are good at this have been known to steal hams, typewriters, and other large objects
By Private Eye @ 09/15/09 01:13:38 PMreport abuse
Omar's comment
Omar, you have been profiled by the store security. Wrong yes, does that stop the stores from doing it...no. Like at their loss in luggage as the law of attraction working in your favor.

Profiling is wrong, and what gets me is every does it. If I dress a certain way, and bring my husband I get store stalked. If I dress the same way and leave him home, the stores don't bother me. If my daughter wears her hair down, she gets store stalked, if she wears her hair up, they don't bother her. It is all about looks.
By Gypsy @ 05/19/09 01:23:41 PMreport abuse
Comment on Lindy's Comment
I saw the same thing too once, it was prom dresses. Turned out, it was a representative for a local charity who was collecting the dresses for low income high-school students. Who otherwise would not be able to attend prom.

A couple of years later, I saw a similiar thing with jewerly on a turnabout located by a entrance door, that too was a representative for some local charity collecting jewerly donated by the store for a rummage sale.

The point is, stores have staff and guests we the shoppers no nothing about.
No everyone taking something is a thief. When I worked retail for a large department store, my department was authorized to enter other departments and take what every we wanted. Many times I walked behind the counter, took something, and departed to my department--the beauty salon.
By Free.99 former employee @ 05/19/09 01:17:40 PMreport abuse
Shoplifting
I witnessed a shoplifter going out the door of a big Mall store, with a huge armful of clothing & purses. No one even tried to stop her. I wrote the Company and there policy was that nothing could be done, unless the act was seen by a Loss Prevention person.
Oh come on, they had her on their video. If Police arrest people from video evidence, why can't Dept Stores?
By LIndy @ 04/18/09 11:15:25 AMreport abuse
Shoplifting
No matter the circumstances, shoplifting is a crime. The real problem is the profiles that security people use to "catch" shoplifters. Everytime I go to a certain store, I have a personal "escort" as i peruse the aisles. While I'm being hawked every 50 years, the professionals are on the other side picking at their hearts content.
What was really frustrating was the time I did catch someone brazenly stealing luggage from a big box retailer. When I alerted a manager and gave them the lic plate number, I was informed that there was nothing they could do because the theives already left the parking lot.
By Omar @ 04/14/09 04:37:08 PMreport abuse
Shoplifting on the rise
I voted to turn the "other way", due to my own personal experience of dealing with shoplifters.

1. I got into trouble at a job, because I alerted "the boss" that the new employee he hired was stealing from the till. I found out later, "that boss" knowingly hired this guy, who had been fired from his previous job for stealing, "boss" was looking for a patsy to take the blame for his stealing.

2. Being a "witness" in court. Remember, when "you accuse someone" of shoplifting, you may end up being a "witness" in court. This can go on for a very long time(months or years) taking you away from your regular life. Not to mention, if "the accused" is wealthy enough. The first thing they do is hire an attorney and Private Eye, to "dis-credit you" in court. You may start having your "personal life" invaded and shadowed by the person who has been accused of shoplifting.

3. Opening "yourself up to a lawsuit" if you are wrong about the person. When a store accuses someone, they better have it "etched in stone". The person who is "accused can turn tables" and sue the store and you "the witness" for defamation of character,while they sue the store for false imprisonment and a forced confession.

I say tough Kitty Twitty, I worked for many department stores over many years. Most of the stealing happens before the merchandise ever gets to the store. Employees steal more than any outsider could ever haul away. The real theft is usually upper management embezzlement.
By Free.99 @ 04/14/09 02:07:04 PMreport abuse
Surprised by the poll
A few weeks ago, a young man (looked about 18 yo) came up to my husband while we shopping for groceries & asked for money to buy food. My husband didn't have any cash on him so the kid moved on. It was late at night so there were few people in the store. I was digging through my purse for a few dollars to give him when we saw the kid several yards away stick some steaks in his backpack. I felt sorry for the kid--either the boy was genuinely hungry or he has a family that needs food. Either way, I gave my husband a few dollars and had him walk over & give the money to the boy (DH protested this but did it anyway). As we did our shopping, we kept running into the boy & saw him put some milk and bread into his bag as well. It never occurred to me to tell an employee about it.
By Diane E @ 04/14/09 12:13:56 PMreport abuse
Shoplifting
I've actually worked in retail stores before and what would upset me is the reaction I would get from management when we would alert them to shoplifters. I was told on many occasions that unless their crime prevention people witnessed it, they could do nothing. We had a few "regular" that came through on a weekly basis to do their dirt and they (management) were actually complacent about it, which made me furious!
By Oneal Jones @ 04/14/09 10:01:02 AMreport abuse
Stolen Property
Pawn shops... need I say anything else! These places thrive in an economy where lots of retail thefts occur. Does anyone really believe someone would sell a product still in the box new for a tenth to a third of it's retail value and it really be "theirs to sell"?? There was a local pawn shop in our area busted a few years back for buying packaged meat (yes, packaged meat) as well as gift cards that were gotten through illegal means. For anyone who doesn't know, if you return an item to, for example Lowes, ect., and you have no receipt, they issue you a gift card... Put two and two together... Shut these places down! If someone wants to buy a used piece of merchandise, go to the Goodwill!
By OpenEyes @ 04/14/09 08:23:43 AMreport abuse

Crotch Walking is Physically Impossible by anyone!

I am so tired of the "urban legend " of women (always implied as gypsie ) wearing long, full, skirts and being able to steal from stores by putting items between their thighs and walking out the store.

Try it at home. It is impossible.

But it is used "repeatedly" by inferior store security and employees to racially profile women of a Middle Eastern appearance.

Below is listed a "cut and paste" from an individual who makes "his living" “advising” people about shoplifters on the internet/web. I didn't list his name or web site, buy I am sure you can figure him out. He got a couple of spots on national talk shows.

HIS POSTING FROM HIS SITE:
"Crotch-walking" is a technique used by women wearing full skirts and dresses. They simply place the merchandise between their thighs and walk away. Thieves who are good at this have been known to steal hams, typewriters, and other large objects

By Private Eye @ 09/15/09 01:13:38 PMreport abuse

Omar's comment

Omar, you have been profiled by the store security. Wrong yes, does that stop the stores from doing it...no. Like at their loss in luggage as the law of attraction working in your favor.

Profiling is wrong, and what gets me is every does it. If I dress a certain way, and bring my husband I get store stalked. If I dress the same way and leave him home, the stores don't bother me. If my daughter wears her hair down, she gets store stalked, if she wears her hair up, they don't bother her. It is all about looks.

By Gypsy @ 05/19/09 01:23:41 PMreport abuse

Comment on Lindy's Comment

I saw the same thing too once, it was prom dresses. Turned out, it was a representative for a local charity who was collecting the dresses for low income high-school students. Who otherwise would not be able to attend prom.

A couple of years later, I saw a similiar thing with jewerly on a turnabout located by a entrance door, that too was a representative for some local charity collecting jewerly donated by the store for a rummage sale.

The point is, stores have staff and guests we the shoppers no nothing about.
No everyone taking something is a thief. When I worked retail for a large department store, my department was authorized to enter other departments and take what every we wanted. Many times I walked behind the counter, took something, and departed to my department--the beauty salon.

By Free.99 former employee @ 05/19/09 01:17:40 PMreport abuse

Shoplifting

I witnessed a shoplifter going out the door of a big Mall store, with a huge armful of clothing & purses. No one even tried to stop her. I wrote the Company and there policy was that nothing could be done, unless the act was seen by a Loss Prevention person.
Oh come on, they had her on their video. If Police arrest people from video evidence, why can't Dept Stores?

By LIndy @ 04/18/09 11:15:25 AMreport abuse

No matter the circumstances, shoplifting is a crime. The real problem is the profiles that security people use to "catch" shoplifters. Everytime I go to a certain store, I have a personal "escort" as i peruse the aisles. While I'm being hawked every 50 years, the professionals are on the other side picking at their hearts content.
What was really frustrating was the time I did catch someone brazenly stealing luggage from a big box retailer. When I alerted a manager and gave them the lic plate number, I was informed that there was nothing they could do because the theives already left the parking lot.

By Omar @ 04/14/09 04:37:08 PMreport abuse

Shoplifting on the rise

I voted to turn the "other way", due to my own personal experience of dealing with shoplifters.

1. I got into trouble at a job, because I alerted "the boss" that the new employee he hired was stealing from the till. I found out later, "that boss" knowingly hired this guy, who had been fired from his previous job for stealing, "boss" was looking for a patsy to take the blame for his stealing.

2. Being a "witness" in court. Remember, when "you accuse someone" of shoplifting, you may end up being a "witness" in court. This can go on for a very long time(months or years) taking you away from your regular life. Not to mention, if "the accused" is wealthy enough. The first thing they do is hire an attorney and Private Eye, to "dis-credit you" in court. You may start having your "personal life" invaded and shadowed by the person who has been accused of shoplifting.

3. Opening "yourself up to a lawsuit" if you are wrong about the person. When a store accuses someone, they better have it "etched in stone". The person who is "accused can turn tables" and sue the store and you "the witness" for defamation of character,while they sue the store for false imprisonment and a forced confession.

I say tough Kitty Twitty, I worked for many department stores over many years. Most of the stealing happens before the merchandise ever gets to the store. Employees steal more than any outsider could ever haul away. The real theft is usually upper management embezzlement.

By Free.99 @ 04/14/09 02:07:04 PMreport abuse

Surprised by the poll

A few weeks ago, a young man (looked about 18 yo) came up to my husband while we shopping for groceries & asked for money to buy food. My husband didn't have any cash on him so the kid moved on. It was late at night so there were few people in the store. I was digging through my purse for a few dollars to give him when we saw the kid several yards away stick some steaks in his backpack. I felt sorry for the kid--either the boy was genuinely hungry or he has a family that needs food. Either way, I gave my husband a few dollars and had him walk over & give the money to the boy (DH protested this but did it anyway). As we did our shopping, we kept running into the boy & saw him put some milk and bread into his bag as well. It never occurred to me to tell an employee about it.

By Diane E @ 04/14/09 12:13:56 PMreport abuse

I've actually worked in retail stores before and what would upset me is the reaction I would get from management when we would alert them to shoplifters. I was told on many occasions that unless their crime prevention people witnessed it, they could do nothing. We had a few "regular" that came through on a weekly basis to do their dirt and they (management) were actually complacent about it, which made me furious!

By Oneal Jones @ 04/14/09 10:01:02 AMreport abuse

Stolen Property

Pawn shops... need I say anything else! These places thrive in an economy where lots of retail thefts occur. Does anyone really believe someone would sell a product still in the box new for a tenth to a third of it's retail value and it really be "theirs to sell"?? There was a local pawn shop in our area busted a few years back for buying packaged meat (yes, packaged meat) as well as gift cards that were gotten through illegal means. For anyone who doesn't know, if you return an item to, for example Lowes, ect., and you have no receipt, they issue you a gift card... Put two and two together... Shut these places down! If someone wants to buy a used piece of merchandise, go to the Goodwill!

By OpenEyes @ 04/14/09 08:23:43 AMreport abuse

Listen Live:

Clark On Demand:

Clark's Advice:

Consumer Action Center:

Quick Links:

Clark Media:

Call The Show:

Apr 13, 2009 -- Shoplifting on the rise, vote in Clark's poll

What others are saying