Shoplifters just don't even care anymore

[Been There]

What's happened is the normalization of the abnormal. Drugs, shoplifting, gang violence, the border -- we accept things that we never would have accepted 60 years ago.

Have you seen the border crossings the past few days? Thousands are lined up coming across. They are coming through Juarez into El Paso. It’s being reported that since the immigration has started, hundreds of children have been raped, sold and some killed for organ harvesting. Also, drugs are coming in by the boatload and not all are of the drugs are the real deal. Some have been laced with poison. There is nothing good about what’s happening at the border. Absolutely nothing. A lot of these people are coming here with false hope.

I was told by a friend of mine still in the Pentagon that the DHS estimates that we have just reached the 5 million mark of illegals and the government has a goal of 10 million. They expect California to start inheriting more of them to take the stress off Texas and Arizona.

 

[JimBob1952]

This is why I mentioned on another thread that major chain stores like Walmart and TJ Maxx don't worry about profits, they focus on board members and investors. Once they start selling stocks, shoplifters are a minor concern.

Murmurr, all Walmart does is worry about profits. Shoplifters are a huge concern, but so are labor costs and the cost of surveillance and security. They try to hit a balance that allows them to keep their prices low. The crazy stuff that is starting to happen definitely has their attention.

This from Target:

Chief Financial Officer Michael Fiddelke, said inventory shrinkage – items that are stolen, lost, damaged or otherwise unaccounted for – has reduced Target's gross profit margin by more than $400 million so far in 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. He said that figure is expected to exceed $600 million for the full year.

 

[JaniceM]

What's happened is the normalization of the abnormal. Drugs, shoplifting, gang violence, the border -- we accept things that we never would have accepted 60 years ago.

That's a large part of the problem.. being MANIPULATED (and that's accurate word for it) into believing we 'MUST' accept such things... can't 'stigmatize,' can't 'judge,' can't say anything is bad or wrong, or you'll get "OH ARE YOU PERFECT?"

 

[Been There]

Murmurr, all Walmart does is worry about profits. Shoplifters are a huge concern, but so are labor costs and the cost of surveillance and security. They try to hit a balance that allows them to keep their prices low. The crazy stuff that is starting to happen definitely has their attention.

This from Target:

Chief Financial Officer Michael Fiddelke, said inventory shrinkage – items that are stolen, lost, damaged or otherwise unaccounted for – has reduced Target's gross profit margin by more than $400 million so far in 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. He said that figure is expected to exceed $600 million for the full year.

That’s correct. All of these big box stores allow ‘x’ amount of dollars for losses, but when the numbers exceed their budgeted costs, management becomes agitated to the point where they will reduce costs to make up the difference, even if it means reducing employees. These box box stores are in a struggle to stay afloat. Competition between Walmart, Target, Kohls and Amazon are always fighting for market share. Shoplifters have always been a huge concern, and is the reason why some if these stores that are being raped by crash and run thieves are closing in those areas. The consumers in those areas are the losers.

 

[Georgiagranny]

Walmart and the other stores with self-checkout can reduce the shoplifting by simply putting cashiers at the registers. I'd be williing to bet that the cost of having actual cashiers wouldn't be nearly as expensive as the cost of shoplifting.

 

[Indiana Joe]

Would you intervene?

One solution to this problem is for tens-of-thousands of major department stores and electronics stores to close their brick-n-mortars and switch to phone and online orders and deliveries. Another option is a huge increase in on-site security...armed security.

Would you intervene?

One solution to this problem is for tens-of-thousands of major department stores and electronics stores to close their brick-n-mortars and switch to phone and online orders and deliveries. Another option is a huge increase in on-site security...armed security.

 

[JimBob1952]

Walmart and the other stores with self-checkout can reduce the shoplifting by simply putting cashiers at the registers. I'd be williing to bet that the cost of having actual cashiers wouldn't be nearly as expensive as the cost of shoplifting.

The shoplifting gangs don't care about cashiers or self-checkout. They take what they want and walk out, secure in the knowledge that they won't be arrested or prosecuted.

My remedy of choice would be Doberman Pinschers. Lots of them. See how the shoplifters like that.

 

[Indiana Joe]

Walmart and the other stores with self-checkout can reduce the shoplifting by simply putting cashiers at the registers. I'd be williing to bet that the cost of having actual cashiers wouldn't be nearly as expensive as the cost of shoplifting.

Stores and businesses in Chicago are closing down and/or leaving that hell hole of crime and murder. We all know the real instigators who are truly responsible for this ongoing onslaught on society - but, hey, we ain't allowed to discuss politics here. Shhh...

 

[perChance]

That's a large part of the problem.. being MANIPULATED (and that's accurate word for it) into believing we 'MUST' accept such things... can't 'stigmatize,' can't 'judge,' can't say anything is bad or wrong, or you'll get "OH ARE YOU PERFECT?"

Or told it's a conspiracy theory and any website that has articles about it are run by white supremacists.

 

[Indiana Joe]

That's a large part of the problem.. being MANIPULATED (and that's accurate word for it) into believing we 'MUST' accept such things... can't 'stigmatize,' can't 'judge,' can't say anything is bad or wrong, or you'll get "OH ARE YOU PERFECT?"

Your neglectful mamma mustn't have told you - If You Have Nothing GOOD To Say, Say Nothing.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

About 200 hundred years, if you walked into a store, all the products would be behind glass cases. If you wanted to see an item, a clerk would have to show it to you. And he was checking you out to see what price you might be willing to pay- the was no one price. Well, when merchandise was laid out on open shelves, with just one price for all, sales went through the roof, so did shoplifting. Today, the only thing stopping a determined shoplifter is a sole minimum wage clerk. We haven't come up with the next stage of store evolution.

 

[jimintoronto]

Yep, intervening is dangerous. And it wouldn't matter anyway; while you could possibly be charged with assault or something, the thief might only get a slap on the wrist.

Not in Canada. Section 42 of the Canadian Criminal Code states " Any person may arrest without warrant, any other person who is committing an indictable offense, and turn that person over to a Police officer forthwith ". The section further states that "the person making the arrest may use as much physical force, as is necessary to bring the arrested party under control in order to detain them until Police arrive ". Theft and shoplifting in Canada are indictable offences, and after conviction at trial, the convicted person MAY be sentenced to up to 2 years in prison, depending on the value of the goods that were stolen. Source: Toronto Police Service Auxiliary training course. JImB.

 

[Tish]

That's a good idea. But do department stores even have fire alarms? Fire extinguishers are required, but I've never seen a fire alarm in a department store. If they do have them, I bet they're somewhere in the back, where no one can see what's going on out front.

Our mall has 2 security guards and 34 shops and stores.

Over here we have them, we have 4 security guards for 42 shops, that's not counting the 6 security guards in the three banks.

 

[Murrmurr]

Not in Canada. Section 42 of the Canadian Criminal Code states " Any person may arrest without warrant, any other person who is committing an indictable offense, and turn that person over to a Police officer forthwith ". The section further states that "the person making the arrest may use as much physical force, as is necessary to bring the arrested party under control in order to detain them until Police arrive ". Theft and shoplifting in Canada are indictable offences, and after conviction at trial, the convicted person MAY be sentenced to up to 2 years in prison, depending on the value of the goods that were stolen. Source: Toronto Police Service Auxiliary training course. JImB.

Decent Americans also may arrest/detain a criminal, but the criminal has a right to contest, counter-charge, and/or sue the person who detained him/her, even from jail, and that can lead to legal expenses and even criminal charges for decent Americans.

 

[Murrmurr]

About 200 hundred years, if you walked into a store, all the products would be behind glass cases. If you wanted to see an item, a clerk would have to show it to you. And he was checking you out to see what price you might be willing to pay- the was no one price. Well, when merchandise was laid out on open shelves, with just one price for all, sales went through the roof, so did shoplifting. Today, the only thing stopping a determined shoplifter is a sole minimum wage clerk. We haven't come up with the next stage of store evolution.

You're forgetting online shopping.

 

[Jules]

Not in Canada. Section 42 of the Canadian Criminal Code states " Any person may arrest without warrant, any other person who is committing an indictable offense, and turn that person over to a Police officer forthwith ". The section further states that "the person making the arrest may use as much physical force, as is necessary to bring the arrested party under control in order to detain them until Police arrive ". Theft and shoplifting in Canada are indictable offences, and after conviction at trial, the convicted person MAY be sentenced to up to 2 years in prison, depending on the value of the goods that were stolen. Source: Toronto Police Service Auxiliary training course. JImB.

Store owners tell their staff NOT to try to apprehend a thief. The staff are more valuable than some item. Also, if something happens to a thief when a staff person tries to apprehend them, the uproar isn’t worth it. There was a chain store where a thief was stopped and died because a clerk tried to stop him. It was a mess for everyone involved.

 

[Murrmurr]

Murmurr, all Walmart does is worry about profits. Shoplifters are a huge concern, but so are labor costs and the cost of surveillance and security. They try to hit a balance that allows them to keep their prices low. The crazy stuff that is starting to happen definitely has their attention.

This from Target:

Chief Financial Officer Michael Fiddelke, said inventory shrinkage – items that are stolen, lost, damaged or otherwise unaccounted for – has reduced Target's gross profit margin by more than $400 million so far in 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. He said that figure is expected to exceed $600 million for the full year.

Mr Fiddelke doesn't sound as worried as I would if I were in his shoes. Walmart and other major retailers #1 worry is paying their investors. The only time they worry about theft is when loss by theft effects the flow of money to their investors.

My son is a District Manager for Walmart Inc. According to him, there are several ways that major retailers like Walmart can actually benefit from significant levels of theft, at least temporarily. They can recoup a portion of the losses, get temporary tax breaks, a suspension or reduction of certain business costs, etc.

That said, in times of trouble, Walmart relies heavily on their online retail business.

 

[Jules]

@Murrmurr A bit off track. How much does WM lose because of people returning items that can’t be put back on the shelf. Eventually we all pay for those things too.

 

[Murrmurr]

@Murrmurr A bit off track. How much does WM lose because of people returning items that can’t be put back on the shelf. Eventually we all pay for those things too.

You know what? Major retailers don't always get their money back on some of that stuff, and it basically gets thrown in a dumpster. Walmart can return appliances and certain brands of apparel, outdoor gear, and electronics to the manufacturer, and the manufacturer gives them a credit. But they have this weird agreement with certain overseas manufacturers where they (Walmart) get credit for returns but the returns don't have to be shipped back to the manufacturer....so neither of them bears the expense of shipping.

 

[Nemo2]

But they have this weird agreement with certain overseas manufacturers where they (Walmart) get credit for returns but the returns don't have to be shipped back to the manufacturer....so neither of them bears the expense of shipping.

Indicates what the stuff costs to make, and what's made when selling it.