I think the largest part of the problem are actually the 2nd and 3rd order effects of retail theft. The shrinkage itself is only a small part of the cost. Stor

I think the largest part of the problem are actually the 2nd and 3rd order effects of retail theft. The shrinkage itself is only a small part of the cost. Stores might attempt to address theft with preventative measures like locking things up, but this hurts the shopping experience for legitimate shoppers and encourages them to shop elsewhere, reducing sales at that store. And what of the morale of the employees who witness all this? What sorts of employees remain in an environment where they see shop lifting all day? Aside from the inconvenience of asking for the toothpaste cabinet to be unlocked, who wants to shop in a place where low-lifes are wandering around shoplifting in plain sight? Staff shortages lead to messier, less organized stores, with less help and longer lines. Overall this leads to a general degradation of the store, reduced sales, higher turnover, lower employee moral, and eventually closing the store outright in many cases. And it's not fair to focus entirely on what the stores can do - this should be a job for the police and justice system. That's what we pay them for. And we don't allow (and wouldn't want) stores meting out their own justice either. Edit: moral->morale