Why we can't have nice things...

[Titanium_Frost]

Disagree. Businesses lead this charge by tolerating shoplifting, largely on the advise of corporate lawyers, because it was cheaper than just replacing the merchandise. Home Depot and Lowes would not call in shoplifters, and if you happened to catch one while off duty, they would not assist in prosecution. My partner caught a guy running out with power tools under each arm and the store would not cooperate in the slightest, so the charges were dropped. Menard's used to let loss prevention carry handcuffs and use force to detain, but that's done with.

In short, retailers made an environment that encouraged theft because it was cheaper. They didn't see down the line to the damage they were doing to society at large or to themselves later. Then when it became more of a problem to the bottom line, they expect us to step in and save them from themselves. Now there's not enough criminal justice resources to really deal with the magnitude of the problem.

It's a multi-faceted problem, but if you want the prime mover, look no further than laywers and the reduce liability above all culture they created because we allowed them to make money doing so.

I'm old enough to remember a time when I worked at a local farm store, we would literally chase down thieves outside and beat the ever living crap out of them when we caught them. So much fun, ah the good old days. The manager would buy us a soda for a quarter when we got back with the guy to wait for the cops to haul them away for stealing a $2.99 fishing lure.

 

[Tombs]

Watching network news this morning and they were reporting on the crime rate in America today, specifically the shoplifting rates.
One high end fashion shop in San Francisco has had more than $10k worth of handbags stolen in the past year so the proprietor now locks the door DURING business hours, only allowing 2-3 customers at a time inside.
At a box store somewhere they showed a cordless DeWalt battery drill/driver and explained that this tool is dead. It will not function until an embedded microchip is activated at the time of purchase.
How long before the thieves figure out how to override the microchip, or activate it themselves?
I simply can't believe the state of decline in our society today.

This is what happens when you don't allow the citizens to protect their businesses and livelihoods. Police aren't going to take the matter seriously, prosecutors aren't going to charge these people, politicians are going to paint them out as completely innocent kids that have no idea what they are doing.

If stores were allowed to secure their property and defend it, this issue would end immediately.

People who say property isn't worth a life don't understand the time taken from your existence on this earth to secure that product. Nor the ability to survive, put food on your table, and keep a roof over you through selling that product. It's absolutely worth a life, and someone stealing is taking your life.