Personally, I would stay out of it if it was just store merchandise. People are so volatile these days that you never really know what could happen. Not worth the risk.

I would also worry I was wrong or misunderstood the situation and wouldn't want to embarrass someone.

I walked out of Best Buy last week with an $800 vacuum in my arms that wasn't marked in any way and also set off the alarm. It probably looked like I was stealing it but I wasn't, and the employee at the door knew cause he waved me through after the alarm went off. Customers wouldn't know that though and I would have been embarrassed if one accused me of shoplifting.

I would never confront a shoplifter for fear of violence. I would alert an employee but only if the thief could not see me. I would not risk my personal safety to protect their merchandise.

I’d tell the store clerk too.

If the item was signifigant, I'd report what I observed to management.

A friend once fostered a three-year-old boy whose mother had taught him to boost food in grocery stores. He was a pro, opening packages off lower shelves, pocketing contents, closing the packages and replacing the empty boxes on the shelves. It took her a long time to get him to stop trying to 'please' her with his skills! The mother was mentally ill; had a series of babies because she stabilized while pregnant. She gave each child up for adoption as it 'aged out' and before the next was due.

I saw a man putting a pack of pork chops in the back waist band of his jeans. He had on a jacket that covered it. He didn't look like someone I would want to tangle with. I said nothing. I saw a drug deal go down in the beverage section of a supermarket once, and I did tell the manage. He didn't do anything.

I believe local store personnel have orders not to confront shoplifters. Just too dangerous.

Seriously - what piece of merchandise is worth the risk of assault, injury, or maybe worse?

I worked in retail for years, from a small tourist gift shop to a big department store, and we were always advised not to chase down thieves. The cost of any merchandise will never equal the legal and liability costs to a business should anything go wrong.

And anyone stealing food might just be hungry.

If it was a young kid I might shake my head and say quietly, 'stealing is wrong put that back.' But how often do you see a young kid by themselves in a store -- basically never. So most likely I'd notify a store worker. And per carolb and others, I wouldn't blame them if they chose not to pursue the alleged thief.

I worked in retail in Pennsylvania. I was told that a store employee has to actually see the thief pocket the item themselves and see them leave the store with it. We couldn't act on a report from another customer

I was shopping in a fragrance shop and two ladies started running out the door. Clerks alerted mall security. Said it was automatic termination,if they ran after a thief.

I live a couple of blocks from a Lowes. It's common knowledge that people steal from that store all the time. I know several people who work there and they've been told to not confront or chase anyone. They will be disciplined if they do, up to termination. The people who steal from there know this too. I recently saw a guy hurriedly pushing a flatbed cart loaded with 4 portable air conditioners out the lawn and garden center exit. The cashier got on the overhead mic to alert store security, but nothing happened. The guy tossed the merchandise into the trunk of a waiting car and they drove off.

In my area where I live, this happens all the time. It's a systemic issue starting at the top of law enforcement. The county prosecutor isn't prosecuting crimes - the latest guideline is that if someone steals it's okay because they must need it to live. I'm summarizing this, but it's something to that effect.

Heck, even drug possession is now classified as a misdemeanor rather than a felony. Last time I checked possessing heroin or meth was a crime.

So come on to WA state, at least the west side of the state, where you can steal and openly possess drugs.

I worked in retail for about 2 years. As an employee I quickly came to the realization that I wasn’t getting paid anywhere near enough to confront a shoplifter. Towards the end of my time there I probably would have cheered for them. We had to sit through training videos and staff meetings and get instructions on how to detect and stop shoplifters. We would all nod and smile knowing full well none of us would do squat and didn’t.

If I witnessed someone in a large nationwide type store where I was a customer, same. After working for that time and seeing these companies make huge profits at the expense of the cheap labor force I have no need to help them out.

If I was at a mom and pop store I would probably alert management.

I would not mention it.

I would feel obligated to alert an employee or management if possible but I also realize that the odds of anything happening are slim. It wouldn't matter to me if it this was a large national chain or a mom and pop. In the end you as the customer end up paying for the shoplifting since the cost is added into your purchases. While in college I worked part time in a supermarket and shop lifting was all too common. Supermarkets operate on a slim profit margin (1 to 3%) - they need volume to make money.

I don't think that it's true the cost of such losses makes prices higher - not for large chains anyway...

The *only* person who can ask a suspected thief to return the product they pocketed is the loss prevention officer. The only thing employees can do is follow the suspected thief and make them uncomfortable enough to leave the store, which they usually do very loudly. Employees risk their job, their well being and a lawsuit if the person wasn't right, or if the person who pocketed the item put it back without anyone noticing. At my last job, two staff members were pepper sprayed when they ran out of the store to try to take back a basket full of product people ran out with. Our store owner said if he ever saw that happen again, the staff members will be terminated, no questions asked. And he has the legal right to do so. He has insurance on the items. If the staff members get hurt (as the two did) they can actually sue their employer! (Canadian law). So, to cover his butt: you take chase, touch a thief, accuse someone of theft: you're fired.

ETA: if anyone thinks those losses don't hit the honest customer in the pocket book, think again. The store I worked in averaged $8000 KNOWN loss per month! Who do you think pays for that?

The cost is passed on to the consumer, same as wages, food spoilage, fraud, employee theft , security etc. It's overhead, the cost of doing business.

This is an older article but it gives you an idea. Most retailers include a 'loss factor' into their retail prices.
https://money.cnn.com/2010/10/18/news/economy/store_theft_drain_on_your_wallet/index.htm

I spotted a nicely dresses 30 something wolfing down a sack of fried chicken she had got from the deli department. Deli things are paid for at the store cash registers. I saw the manager, who knows me as a longtime customer, and warned him. He sent a bag boy over to check out the area. As I left, I asked if they had found her, negative. I took a step, noticed her right in front of him browsing through some books, Pointed her out, and he wandered over to her area. By the time I had loaded my trunk, they were both standing outside the front door, both looking around enjoying the scenery, acting like it was a lovely day. But he had managed to motivate her to leave.

I did not see anything..................

I mind my own business............

I wouldn't say anything. I also try not to make hand gestures when driving anymore. It can get you killed.

Theft losses are an indirect cost of doing business just like other indirect costs and, just like all others, are factored into calculations and forecasts used to set prices.

I don't accept that theft losses are inevitable but I don't feel the need to get involved if I see someone stealing. Individual retail companies are welcome to do or not do as they wish - it's their problem, not mine.

very interesting social commentary here ... George carlin would have fun with it

It would totally depend on what was being thieved.

IF food or medications, I wouldn't say a word.

Otherwise....not sure what I would do, if anything

As a merchandiser in Wal Mart, I heard activity going on the other side and went to look

An empty box of

as customer was walking away. HOPE it would not "work" on her until she got out of store, lol!

I'm not surprised Glenda. As you know, a lot of people go with that product.

Hope you're feeling better.

The responsible and safe thing to do is report it to store personnel. After that it's none of your concern. Talking to students who work retail still they are told to not engage. Until the perp. is out of the store it is not a theft. They too report to someone above them.

Obviously, I am not going to confront the shoplifter! I would tell someone who worked there, preferably not just a stocker. I admit if it were food (not junk food), I probably would let it slide. I don't know someone else's starvation profile.

On the other hand, I recall a summer temp job in New York City, when I was 18 or 19, A permanent co-worker and I decided to forego the company cafeteria and go out to lunch. Afterwards we stopped into a pharmacy that sold cosmetics. She let me know not to draw attention to her. And if I wanted some, she'd do the same for me. I was scared. Shoplifting was simply not in my world. I didn't shoplift, but I didn't tell on her (I stayed near the front door the entire time). I also NEVER went out of the building we worked in at lunch time with her ever again.

I think you may find more active perusal of justice in electronics stores (where they often hire security themselves) and in small family-owned shops, where their bottom line can be severely affected by theft.

i, too have seen guys running out of Home Depot with arms full of small tools.

I worked retail for a several years and would never put myself to defend merchandise, ever.

I used to work in Borders and there were always thieves who would come in, make a hit, and run out.

I would let the store clerks know, but wouldn’t expect them to risk themselves to stop a thief.

Losses do get built into the prices you pay at the store ( just think of it as a ”thief tax” ) which isnt fair, but nobody said life was fair.

We do the same thing with our rental properties. Renters complain about high rent prices, but landlords build in the cost of damages and unpaid rent. I suspect these eviction moratoriums will have a negative effect on both landlords and tenants in the future.