NCJ Number
61469
Date Published
1977
Length
14 pages
Annotation
A 1966-77 REVIEW OF SHOPLIFTING SHOWS THAT THE PATTERNS OF METHOD, TIME, OPPORTUNITY, AND SEX REMAIN THE SAME, WITH AVERAGE VALUES STOLEN KEEPING PACE WITH INFLATION, AND WITH AMOUNT OF PROSECUTION VARYING.
Abstract
THE METHODS OF SHOPLIFTING INCLUDED HIDING STOLEN ITEMS IN POCKETS OR PURSES, WITH ONLY A MINORITY OF PERSONS USING PRICE SWITCHING, AT LEAST IN PART BECAUSE OF ADEQUATE PRECAUTIONS TAKEN BY RETAIL OUTLETS. MOST SHOPLIFTERS WERE ORDINARY CITIZENS WHO USED ORDINARY AND OBVIOUS METHODS TO STEAL. BECAUSE SHOPLIFTERS WERE ALWAYS PRESENT IN STORES, THE TOTAL VALUE STOLEN WAS GREAT, EVEN THOUGH THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF ITEMS STOLEN WAS ONLY 3.2. PROSECUTION OF ADULT SHOPLIFTERS ROSE AND THEN DECLINED TO ALMOST THE 1967 LEVEL BY 1977. THE NUMBER OF JUVENILE SHOPLIFTERS, HOWEVER, WAS ON THE INCREASE. THE AGE GROUP MOST LIKELY TO STEAL CHANGED FROM AGES 12-17 BETWEEN 1966 AND 1974 TO AGES 18-29 BETWEEN 1975 AND 1977. DISTRIBUTION BY MONTH RANGED FROM A LOW IN SEPTEMBER TO A HIGH IN MAY, BY WEEK FROM A LOW ON SUNDAY TO A HIGH ON BOTH MONDAY AND FRIDAY, AND BY TIME OF DAY. DISTRIBUTION WAS HIGHEST BETWEEN LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. SUGGESTIONS INCLUDE INCREASED SECURITY MEASURES IN THE STORES WITH BOTH PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT, AND MORE EXPLICITLY DISPLAYED INFORMATION ON SHOPLIFTING POLICIES. TABLES SUMMARIZE ALL SURVEY DATA AND COMPARE ACTIVITY BY SEX AND AGE, AND WITHIN THOSE CATEGORIES INDICATE THE NUMBER OF SHOPLIFTERS RELEASED, THE TIME THAT SHOPLIFTING OCCURRED, METHOD OF OPERATION, AND AVERAGE VALUE OF MERCHANDISE STOLEN.