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For the 2021/22 period, there has roughly 274,999 shoplifting offences occur in England and Wales according to Statista, but exactly why do people shoplift and what are some of the signs a typical shoplifter might show?
We’ll explore that and more in today’s article.
There are a variety of reasons why people steal according to an article by Shopify, we list some below.
Financial Difficulty
Unfortunately, many people who steal are often facing financial difficulties, this often means they’ll steal essentials such as clothes and food essentials to look after themselves or their families.
With Bloomberg UK reporting that shoplifting rose by 18% in the year through June 2022 as recent cost-of-living crisis costs soar throughout the country, people are becoming more and more desperate, and this may lead to them stealing petty items for themselves and their loved ones in a bid to keep costs down.
Low Risk
Another reason why people shoplift may be the perceived low risk of a certain retailer or store.
Typically, if a store is unguarded by the likes of security guards, and CCTV, and lacks any security tags on items or unsecured valuable items this may make that particular store a bigger target for thieves who may see the theft as an easy picking.
Peer Pressure
Another reason why people may decide to shoplift may be through peer pressure. Young people may be more susceptible against peer pressure as they may partake in petty theft to impress friends or more insidiously may be involved in gang activity and may steal from stores as a show of loyalty and bravery to be inducted into a gang or organised crime.
Emotional Problems And Kleptomania
Many shoplifters may also steal for the simple thrill of stealing, perhaps due to a lack of excitement in somebody’s life and needing to steal on an impulse, certain factors such as low serotonin and obsessive-compulsive disorder may lead to regular stealing and is also a contributor to people developing Kleptomania.
Healthline recognises the condition of Kleptomania as “a recurrent failure to resist the urge to steal” and often involves people stealing objects that they don’t particularly need or even possess much selling value to make money from and many kleptomaniacs would also feel guilty or remorseful after they’ve actually stolen an item.
Criminal Enterprise
On the other end of the spectrum are professional criminals and thieves who solely steal for financial gain and profit. Professional shoplifters would often target items that are both small and have a particularly large resale value with little risk, for example, the likes of clothing accessories and fragrances make a particularly profitable theft – especially if they’re unguarded as they make easy pickings for career criminals.
What Are The Signs Of A Typical Shoplifter?
There are a variety of signs to keep an eye out for to identify shoplifters in a store or retail environment such as –
Working In Groups
One key factor to look out for is groups, although many may portray shoplifters as typically in lone groups, many shoplifters actually work in organised groups, gangs or pairs – more often than not, one or more people will try to distract staff or even security whilst another member of the group or pair will commit the crime whilst all staff are distracted.
Another tactic even involves sending staff to a separate section of the store so the section being stolen from remains unwatched and is more vulnerable to theft.
Carrying Bags Or Coats
Many thieves may include heavy bags or coats on their persons in a way to conceal items easier – this may be a particularly suspicious thing to look out for during winter months when there is no need for thick and warm clothing.
Switching Price Labels
Particularly enterprising fraudsters may even swap price labels on items so that items may ring at a lower price, this may be a particular problem for smaller stores with no standardised barcode system.
Refund Fraud
In a similar vein of fraud, many shoplifters may try to defraud a store by trying to refund an item that wasn’t previously purchased at that store for cash.
How Can You Protect Yourself Against Shoplifters?
After learning about why people shoplift and what signs to look out for, how can you protect your own store better against shoplifters?
Train Staff
It may be beneficial to train staff to keep an eye out for some of the factors listed below as well as being sure that everyone is keeping a vigilant eye on the storefront wherever possible, keeping an eye on particularly suspicious activity
Fit Security Measures
Many practical security measures can be taken to secure a retail or store environment including –
Installing security tags on high-value items
Purchase visible CCTV to deter theft
Utilising a store layout that puts item security first, with the entrance and exit always visible to the till.
Hire Security
Better yet, it may even be a good idea to hire a professional retail security service to protect your store from theft. Professional security guards serve as an excellent visual deterrent for shoplifters and may stop many potential thieves in their tracks.
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