Eye-opening facts about shoplifting that everyone should know

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Shoplifting on the surface may look nothing more like a minor offense that could land someone in jail for a few days at most.  However, statistics show that shoplifting is anything but trivial, with it being one of the most common crimes in the United States.

Image source: safesinternational.com
Reports show that the damage done by shoplifting has gone over $30 billion.  This is the entire loss experienced by businesses that have fallen victim to shoplifting.  In fact, on an average, stores have reported that an average of 2.5 percent of their products are stolen.  A few businesses have even closed down after experiencing rampant shoplifting.


Image source: pgsservices.ca
It has been estimated the act has been committed between 300 to 400 million times a year, which would mean nearly a million times a day all over the country.  While this number might seem too big to comprehend, it should be noted that this includes incidents of objects taken by employees from their offices.


Catching a shoplifter isn’t as simple as it sounds since they cannot be detained or restrained.  Detaining or physically restraining a shoplifter without proof of a crime committed can be considered a crime as well. 


What are your thoughts on this?  Please sound off in the comments section below. 

 Hello! Eric Wetlaufer here, a law student at the University of Illinois. If you want to familiarize yourself with basic laws and your rights, subscribe to my blog.

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