3 ms·

Lately there are a lot of people who want to sell this story of out-of-control shoplifting, but as the article itself notes at the end, it might be bullshit: >

Lately there are a lot of people who want to sell this story of out-of-control shoplifting, but as the article itself notes at the end, it might be bullshit: > Yes, but: An analysis of crime statistics and other reporting by The Atlantic [1] cast doubt on what it called the "great shoplifting freak-out," citing "fuzzy data" and asserting that what's being lumped together as shoplifting is actually a variety of violent crimes. [1] https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/12/shoplifting-holiday-theft-panic/621108/ https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/12/shoplifti...

seanmcdirmid 5y ago
If you've seen the problem first hand, you wouldn't dismiss it as BS, but I get how people who live in more comfortable environs would find it hard to believe. If you ever visit the Target in downtown Seattle, you can see people just grabbing things off the shelf, the associates watch, follow, try to dissuade them, but 5/10 they get out the door with what they've stolen. It is very depressing to actually see it happen. The LEGO shelf in that store was cleared out long ago, much to my son's sadness. But I wouldn't really call this "shoplifting" like I knew it as a kid (when my friends would do it on a stupid dare, trying not to get caught). These people...they aren't worried about getting caught, they aren't subtle about it, they just know the system isn't going to punish them so why not? Like who the heck would try to shoplift a 70 inch TV and think they could do that without anyone noticing? And the judge let him go even though he had like 5 bench warrants: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10447987/Prolific-shoplifter-steals-70inch-TV-22nd-Target-theft-released-judge.html https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10447987/Prolific-s...

3 ms·

Lately there are a lot of people who want to sell this story of out-of-control shoplifting, but as the article itself notes at the end, it might be bullshit: >

by 0xcde4c3db 5y ago

seanmcdirmid 5y ago
If you've seen the problem first hand, you wouldn't dismiss it as BS, but I get how people who live in more comfortable environs would find it hard to believe. If you ever visit the Target in downtown Seattle, you can see people just grabbing things off the shelf, the associates watch, follow, try to dissuade them, but 5/10 they get out the door with what they've stolen. It is very depressing to actually see it happen. The LEGO shelf in that store was cleared out long ago, much to my son's sadness. But I wouldn't really call this "shoplifting" like I knew it as a kid (when my friends would do it on a stupid dare, trying not to get caught). These people...they aren't worried about getting caught, they aren't subtle about it, they just know the system isn't going to punish them so why not? Like who the heck would try to shoplift a 70 inch TV and think they could do that without anyone noticing? And the judge let him go even though he had like 5 bench warrants: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10447987/Prolific-shoplifter-steals-70inch-TV-22nd-Target-theft-released-judge.html https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10447987/Prolific-s...