Shoplifting - Missouri Department of Public Safety

■■Teens who shoplift may also causeproblems for their friends and classmateswho want to shop or get jobs.Because some store owners see teens aspeople who are likely to steal, they maynot want teens in their stores.Teen shoplifting puts a strain on relationshipsbetween all other teens andstore owners. Some stores have policiesthat restrict the number of teenagerswho can enter the store at one time.■■For a class project, interview the securitymanagers of department stores ormalls to find out how much shopliftingcosts them. Ask about what they do toprevent it.Copy and pass out this brochure toteens at your local mall or downtownshopping district.Shoplifting■Some people in the community mayhold a negative opinion about teens ingeneral because incidents of teenshoplifting they hear about.What Happens inYour Community■■■■A neighborhood store closes becausethe owner loses too much money toshoplifting. (Thirty percent of businessfailures in the United States are due toshoplifting and employee theft.)A store victimized by shoplifting has tolay off employees because revenue isvery low.The neighborhood store’s customersmay have to travel farther to shop afterthe store closes.If the store stays in business, the ownermay raise prices to pay for extra securityequipment or guards.Take Action■If you see anybody in a store takesomething without paying, report it toa salesperson, security guards, or acashier. The person is really stealingfrom you.Crime Prevention Tips FromNational Crime Prevention Council1700 K Street, NW, Second FloorWashington, DC 20006-3817www.weprevent.organdThe National Citizens’ Crime Prevention Campaign, sponsoredby the Crime Prevention Coalition of America, is substantiallyfunded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of JusticePrograms, U.S. Department of Justice.Production made possible in partby a grant fromThe American LegionChild Welfare Foundation, Inc.National CrimePrevention Council

When you and your friendsare shopping, do youget irritated or angry because youcan only take three pairs of jeansinto the dressing room? The ringyou wanted to look at is locked ina case? You have to check all yourpackages at the door? Salesclerks watch you and your friendssuspiciously as you look around?Shoplifting is an expensiveproblem that everybody pays theprice for. It hurts you in severalways — prices keep going up asstore owners try to recover someof their losses. A big departmentstore can spend millions a year onsecurity, but it may lose as muchas $2,000 a day to shoplifters.And shoplifters give teenagersa bad name.Who shoplifts?■■■■■■■Teens—About 24 percent of apprehendedshoplifters are teens between13 and 17 years old.Amateurs make up the largest number,not professional thieves. These are“everyday” people who steal onimpulse, because they see an item theygreatly desire, or for a thrill. They tendto believe they won’t get caught or sentto jail.Most are customers who steal frequentlyfrom places where they regularlyshop.Some are professional thieves whomake their living by stealing and sellinggoods, but this is a much smaller groupthan the amateurs.Drug addicts to steal to support theirhabit.Desperate people steal because theyneed food—but they make up only avery small number of shoplifters.Kleptomaniacs, a tiny minority ofshoplifters who have a mental disorderthat makes it difficult to overcome theirurge to steal.Why Do People Shoplift?Many want to see if they can get awaywith it. Some use the excuses, “This isa big store, they can afford it,” “I don’thave enough money,” or “Stores justwrite it off as a business expense.”Many teens shoplift on a dare, thinkingtheir friends will call them “chicken” ifthey don’t go along with the dare.Other teens are just looking forexcitement.Costs for the IndividualTeen Who Shoplifts■■■■■When salespeople or security officerscatch shoplifters, they call the police,who then arrest the suspects and takethem to the police station.Children and teens may be released intotheir parents’ custody if it’s their firstoffense.The case may be referred to a juvenileoffice, which can recommend an appropriatepunishment, or sent directly tothe juvenile court where a judge decidesthe penalty.Everyone will find out about the arrestbecause police or court officers willinterview the shoplifter’s parents, neighbors,and school while they’re writingthe report on the crime.If teens are caught shoplifting, theirjuvenile police records are supposed tobe confidential and unavailable tofuture employers, but sometimes thatinformation does get out.Costs for Teenagers in General■■They are affected by the higher pricescaused by shoplifters. A store ownerloses money every time an item is stolenand has to raise prices to compensatefor that loss. Store owners also have tospend additional money for specialsecurity measures, such as securityguards and electronic monitoring.There may be fewer jobs available toteens if store owners lose money toshoplifters—owners won’t generateenough profit to pay employees.