Shoplifting

Shoplifting is a category of theft or larceny. While the definition of shoplifting varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, the act of shoplifting involves knowingly obtaining goods from an establishment in which merchandise is displayed for sale without paying the purchase price. The offense may involve concealing the item on the person of the thief or another person or paying less than the purchase price of the goods by some trick or artifice, such as substituting the price tag for one with a lower price.

Shoplifting may be classified as a felony or a misdemeanor, depending upon the value of the merchandise taken or the past criminal history of the offender. Most jurisdictions classify shoplifting as a misdemeanor if the price of the goods taken falls below some arbitrary value. For example, a jurisdiction might classify the act as a misdemeanor if the value of the goods taken is $250 or less. If the value exceeds $250, the act would then be classified as a felony. Other jurisdictions might set the bar higher or lower. Most jurisdictions have statutory provisions that allow or require the offender to be charged with the more serious felony offense if he or she has been previously convicted of shoplifting or similar thefts or larceny offenses, even when the value of the goods taken falls below the level required for a felony charge. The use of instruments, containers, devices or other articles intended to facilitate shoplifting may, in some jurisdictions, allow or require the offender to be charged with the more serious felony offense.

Shoplifting may be the most commonly committed crime. The Better Business Bureau estimates that 90 percent of the population has, in their lifetime, shoplifted. Studies have shown that one in every ten to fifteen shoppers shoplifts. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reports that shoplifting accounts for approximately 15 percent of all larcenies. According to one national study, shoplifting is the most prevalent and most frequent crime among high school seniors over time, with over 30 percent of respondents reporting having taken something from a store without paying on one or more occasions. Losses attributable to shoplifting are difficult to estimate. A recent survey by researchers at the University of Florida estimated that United States retailers lost $9 billion from shoplifting. The Better Business Bureau estimates shoplifting losses at $16 billion per year and that shoplifting accounts for five to ten cents on each dollar spent in our retail economy.