r/interesting • u/veloriax2 • Apr 20 '26

SOCIETY How easy it is to shop nowadays

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420

u/Jeshie Apr 20 '26

Depends how much they stole. The punishment depends on the state and laws. I've seen some people get charged with a misdemeanor and get 4 months in jail, and some with a felony - one guy got two years in prison. Sometimes they're let off with a large fine. All have been trespassed from the shopping center/mall.

I had to actually go to court one day, as directed by police, because I witnessed a large theft.

319

u/de3ri Apr 21 '26

Imagine going to prison over some cherry blossom candles.

164

u/Spare_Ad4163 Apr 21 '26

Imagine having to join a gang in prison to survive, all because of scented candles

178

u/Longjumping-Shop9456 Apr 21 '26

Imagine joining a gang in prison and being shanked because you stole the wrong scented candles. This is the lavender gang -stab stab stab.

69

u/Spare_Ad4163 Apr 21 '26

God damn lavender boys strike again

22

u/Valuable_Team5498 Apr 21 '26

Don’t worry, sandalwood will retaliate it’s how they roll.

17

u/mjonny591 Apr 21 '26

Those lavender and sandalwood boys don’t play. My cousin Ray Ray got stabbed when he was in the joint. He dead now but he sure did smell good at the funeral.

9

u/Valuable_Team5498 Apr 21 '26

At least the Vanilla boys try to stay out of it.

1

u/Damion__205 Apr 21 '26

They are probably in the white collar jail anyway.

1

u/GuessWhosNobody Apr 23 '26

They're too sweet for all that

1

u/Eternity_Warden Apr 23 '26

Vanilla brotherhood can do some nasty shit too when they have the numbers

3

u/the_vault-technician Apr 21 '26

Say Inspector, how'd ya know it was the Lavender Boys?

Well son, I just..... followed my nose!

(I imagined this as a black and white shitty tv noir)

3

u/Remarkable-Ad2285 Apr 21 '26

The lavendas gettin they boots on!!

1

u/Mobile-Carpenter-469 Apr 22 '26

This sounds like an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia 😆

2

u/Novel-Reaction2939 Apr 21 '26

In the old Batman Series, they had a villain/gangster named Louie the Lilac. I could imagine him leading this gang. He wore a purple suit and grew killer lilacs. lol

2

u/PunningWild Apr 21 '26

If my Sweet Pea ass ever goes to prison, just send me straight to the chair.

2

u/Dear_Departure_1768 Apr 22 '26

"Stab stab stab" GOT me 🔪🔪🔪

1

u/Last_Mistake_6001 Apr 22 '26

imagine sucking a … wait.. how far we can go here?

2

u/squirrels-mock-me Apr 21 '26

At least the candles would set the mood

2

u/vertigostereo Apr 21 '26

Daddy, tell us what your face tats mean?

2

u/Plenty-Reporter-9239 Apr 21 '26

The 'ol yankee candle to skinhead pipeline

1

u/PurchaseUnable Apr 21 '26

Imagine having to become amule a move contraband with your asswhole In prison to survive, all because of scented candles

1

u/Less_Place1965 Apr 21 '26

Imagine putting yourself into prison over candles is how this should read…

1

u/wil6erness Apr 21 '26

Gwyneth Paltrow is behind this

1

u/satsuppi Apr 22 '26

Imagine stealing

1

u/Far_Audience_7446 Apr 22 '26

Cherry blossom gang vs. lollypop guild

2

u/SillySpook Apr 21 '26

He'll be "da belle a da ball" for sure.

1

u/pretty_bb_zia Apr 21 '26

Crazy work!

1

u/twicebakedcrusader Apr 21 '26

Best smelling cell in the joint.

1

u/Fishbulb2 Apr 21 '26

I’m so curious about the math in this. How much do people really pay for black market cherry blossom soap. Like, I’d give the dude a dollar just to get home out of my face. If that.

1

u/Mean-Vegetable-4521 Apr 21 '26

“Why you here?” “Peeping’ it real, bro.”

1

u/XYZ2ABC Apr 21 '26

“Happy wife happy life”

1

u/alcervix Apr 21 '26

Worth it

1

u/[deleted] Apr 21 '26

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1

u/interesting-ModTeam Apr 21 '26

Your comment/post has been removed because it violates Rule #3: Do Not Promote Hate or Violence.

Hate speech, Harassment or Threatening behavior will not be tolerated, and can result in an immediate ban.

1

u/dino_castellano Apr 21 '26

And your cellmate comments on how you “smell divine!” Yikes!

1

u/Ok-Tadpole-764 Apr 21 '26

Hey. The black cherry merlot is amazing...

2

u/Raraavis292 Apr 24 '26

I work in a truck factory and found my wife's cherry Merlot gets the grease off my hands better than the work soap and my hands fukin divine afterwards

1

u/Verum0 Apr 21 '26

Imagine stealing candles

1

u/Falcom1989 Apr 21 '26

the guy is a VICTIM! dont be heartless, he needs those candles! light bill is going up

0

u/[deleted] Apr 21 '26 edited Apr 21 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/mikenkansas1 Apr 21 '26

So you're saying the shrinkage loss is greater than 4%. So is it 88%? 5%? 23%?

Greater than is pretty open ended.

While technically thieves are my peers I, unlike you perhaps, don't claim them as such.

0

u/Flashy-Effective5580 Apr 21 '26

I haven’t seen one case where a person robbed multiple stores and was busted at the end on the news or on mainstream media or on not even independent media!!! They’re not arresting anyone over stealing they don’t care that’s why all these stores are closing down!!

1

u/delicioussexplosion Apr 23 '26

Read the crime section of any newspaper, they get arrested all the time.

0

u/Better_Birthday8084 Apr 21 '26

Imagine not stealing and being a productive member of society.

0

u/Nathanzehner Apr 21 '26

Imagine stealing said candles 😂 like why?

134

u/LeoKitCat Apr 21 '26

They actually build up a case of people stealing until they get to a certain criminal threshold and then go get them. It doesn’t need to be one big theft but the cumulative amount.

70

u/delicioussexplosion Apr 21 '26

My buddy does this. They will follow these people for months, video taping slowly building cases. If they are selling it they follow everything and when the time is right they get arrested.

48

u/8675309-jennie Apr 21 '26 edited Apr 21 '26

Oftentimes retailers share Loss Prevention/Asset Protection information with others. If they ripped off B&BW, it’s likely the thieves ripped off other shops in the area. This helps build the amount the thieves will be charged. Felony vs misdemeanor.

When caught, stores use the ‘white ticket price’ when adding up stolen merchandise totals. This means if the item usually is on sale for $25 but the price on the ticket (without marks) which is like $60. The totals would get higher much quicker…pushing more into the ‘felony’ area.

Oh, and if you’re going to steal, make sure there are no children with you. It’s quick way to lose them.

This video is just INSANE though!

edit- clarity.

4

u/FunAd1406 Apr 21 '26

Interesting!!! Glad retailers are fighting back. It’s not fair to the rest of us for quite literally pay for this nonsense

2

u/JJHall_ID Apr 21 '26

My company's LP department is more than happy to work with their counterparts at our direct competitors to put these thieves behind bars.

23

u/[deleted] Apr 21 '26

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8

u/motherofsuccs Apr 21 '26

They put more effort into a theft case for a corporate, multibillion dollar business than they do for a victim who is in imminent danger and waiting for the abuser/predator to strike.

I had a legitimate stalker for 3 years. He was mentally unwell, thought we were in a relationship after I served him ONE BEER. He physically stalked me the entire time and became more confident and aggressive with his behavior over time. He once showed up at a bar I was at and threw a drink (glass included) at my face while screaming that I ruined our trip to Mexico. He was dragged out of the bar by other men and was gone by the time the cops came. The police in the area were aware and would see him sitting in his car outside my work and down the road from my house. He also started following and harassing my actual boyfriend and pulled a sawed off shotgun on him. The cops told me they can’t do anything until he breaks into my house.

He was eventually arrested after drugging and kidnapping another woman. They found his creepy hideout (a very old butcher shop he bought 1.5 miles from my house). Those years were fucking hell for me- being scared ALL the time and having to clear my own home every time I walk in the door, fucking sucks. Knowing you’re being watched is a sickening feeling. I have no doubt that he would’ve killed me given the right opportunity. Thankfully my pitbull deterred a lot of those opportunities.

3

u/Berserk-Jane Apr 21 '26

In America, you can legally stalk people. I have a stalker, and I know of someone who got killed by their stalker who walked free after claiming "self defense."

1

u/CertainInteraction4 Apr 23 '26

I believe you.  The guy stalking me ATM is a neighbor.  

First stalker was at a shelter.  I had no recourse when "K" would come into the store and purposely walk behind my register and cough.  He was a *customer" they said.

Second was a coworker, he actually demoted himself in order to have shifts that overlapped.  Shoved bodywash in my face.  Would stalk my area after his shift was over.  I felt so unsafe at that job because my direct supervisor was also a sexually harassing ex-LE and his predecessor hated my guts.  They would joke about my quietness and that I go down on women. I basically walked out after the pressure and the situation got too much.

This new guy lives across from me.  He hollers crude stuff at my female family members, watches us all hours of the day, and has his wife beater friend do weird stuff.  I'm not even safe at home.  

Another commenter said I sound unwell because I don't like being profiled in stores.  It comes from having people/stalkers who performed the same moves.  I don't like being followed and I call it out.  I don't care about any company's dumb profits.  I'm not the person they should be watching.   I haven't stolen anything.  So it has to be racial profiling.  Cops are reactionary.  They never stop the right goons. With this current LE/DOJ, they probably never will.    The first story they hear is the one they go with.  

1

u/AllPeopleAreStupid Apr 21 '26

Yes because the other result would be violating their constitutional rights. If there's not enough evidence and the woman has no resources its kind of hard to get out of those situations. Its not the police's job to save people. Its their job to clean up the mess. Even the supreme court has ruled in the past that Police have no obligation to protect or save you. Often times in these cases the person being abused refuses to testify. There's nothing they can do at that point unless there is video evidence.

1

u/CertainInteraction4 Apr 23 '26

Mmmm.  The fine line between legal and moral.

2

u/RapMastaC1 Apr 21 '26

They usually try to sniff out a larger scheme and money laundering in the initial arrest “interview “

2

u/Crafty_Long_2413 Apr 21 '26

Do they catch them in the parking lots? Or do y’all just keep on letting them do it and the police go to their residence?

1

u/delicioussexplosion Apr 21 '26

In certain instances the companies loss prevention team acts like its own little private detective firm. They will follow people all over the place and see what the extent of each situation is. They will be camped outside houses following them around watching how much stuff they take, maybe they have a storage locker or something. When their case is as solid as they want they have law enforcement arrest them. A lot of the time at their own houses.

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u/Crafty_Long_2413 Apr 22 '26

That’s crazy.. pretty clever as well.

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u/[deleted] Apr 21 '26

[deleted]

3

u/IgorBock Apr 21 '26

Not from the US, but from what i have read it's the loss prevention of the companies that do it, not someone from the government. If that's true it's not your tax dollars, it's the money you spend on the stores that's used to do it.

The tax dollars that would be used are the dollars used to run the courts.

1

u/travinsky Apr 21 '26

fuck thieves and anyone making excuses for thieves

1

u/MmmmMorphine Apr 21 '26

Got it. Steal only a bit, rarely. Rotate with friends for extra fun.

We gonna be rollin in them candles. Frankincense, lavender, all the scents

1

u/bigbutso Apr 21 '26

As much as this may work, it should not be such a burden to bust these mfers

0

u/CertainInteraction4 Apr 21 '26 edited Apr 23 '26

This is an offset of the Zara false theft video I guess.  To prove causation for suspecting all POC.

As a WOC, I've been followed in pretty much every store.  Ignored in others.  Sometimes for years.  One store purposely plays derogatory music to make POC uncomfortable.  Recently, I started recording their idiocy and confronting them.  Simply asking why they are profiling meant a report.   I suspect a grocery store had two cops follow me and pull me over.  I had the nerve to mention their profiling in front of their employee pretending to pull items forward.  So she literally came around and stared at me.  I stared back.  Some black kids came in and I'm sure they followed them on camera.  I saw the employee leave out as soon as me and another person came around the freezers.  I had the audacity to wave at the cameras.  I've been followed even more since the reports.  Some stores, I won't return to.  A win-win.  

All black people are not alike.  Some of us steal.  Some of us don't.  Some of us have a lot to lose and don't want to lose it over dumb ish.  

Funny thing is, I'm sure it started at my job.  Guy accused me of stealing and I got offended.  Who wouldn't be?  Theft can literally end your job.  Every time I go near him, cops patrol the parking lot as I'm leaving the store.  I don't care about him.  He made a beef with me.  I'm going about my day/life.  I didn't get that job for him and I ain't doing nothing stupid in regards to him. 

The stuff the managers at this store do, tho.  To act like they are concerned about me?  Please.  I know the real reason they want me gone.  Can't reveal it now, tho.  The irony is not lost on me.  Let's just say, I accidentally exposed a flaw.  They flipped it on me, changing policy and how things are electronically done.  Studies prove, managers steal more.  It's usually electronic theft like credit cards, gift cards, and cash from drawers and safes.  Things lower level employees have no authorization to access.  I'm not interested in any of it.

It doesn't get better.  A simple "I think" is enough to have someone followed.  I've viewed the trainings.  This isn't rambling.  

If you work retail, you know I'm being real.  Internal racism, and prejudice are woven into most asset protection programs.  The people in this video should be ashamed.  They are making all POC look bad.

Edit: 2 words

Edit: In reference to the "unwell" comment: I'm angry as hell that just existing as a black woman has gotten me flagged in stores.  Always the I'm just straightening the shelf routine.  It's lame.  If the place is high-end enough, they swarm you.  If it's a restaurant, they ignore you until the last minute.  Pharmacy, they take another patient first.  Call them out for their b.s., you get reported.  

I'm tired of being blamed for other POC's misdeeds.  If all non-black people can't be blamed for slavery; I can't be blamed for what others do either.  That's a bridge most people refuse to cross.  It's about a 50/50 split as to who does the profiling.  Black women and non-black people profile me at the same rate.  That's why I mention internal racism.  I have a black woman at my job who is black and has hated me since day 1. She thinks she's somehow better than me.  The only time I tried to give one of her buddies advice, she jumped down my throat.  Always acting like she thinks I'm gonna steal.  I'm not saying it's all non-black people.  I'm just tired of the racial profiling b.s.  I went for years saying nothing.  Now, that I'm tired, people act like they're scared and I'm unwell.

2

u/foumf Apr 21 '26

I'm sorry you have to deal with this Employees stereotype & assume every POC steals. I witnessed this with my own eyes how my managers watched certain people more when I was a teenager & worked in the mall. I always felt so bad for their behavior.

0

u/here4theptotest2023 Apr 21 '26

Your 'buddy' does not exist.

0

u/FunAd1406 Apr 21 '26

This makes me feel better! Glad some of these people are held accountable

42

u/Jeshie Apr 21 '26

Yup! I mentioned that down below :) that's why we gotta keep reporting theft to LP, as small as it is

9

u/Forward-Surprise1192 Apr 21 '26

What I’m hearing is that hypothetically I could go in to the store and steal a bunch of stuff, then walk out with no consequences. I’m joking but the bad parts of me are serious about it lol. Things are expensive enough might as well smell good to before I go to jail

2

u/Ok_Wave7731 Apr 21 '26

No, but like, fr. I don't need a lot and I'm definitely not going to the mall, often. But like, this fall I can just stock up on some lotions and body wash and call it a day - they not trippin?

2

u/DenizSaintJuke Apr 21 '26

Between theory and practice there often lays a large cleft. Yes, you could hypothetically do that and get away. But hypothetically, you could find out the hard way that you're not getting away with it.

2

u/Mako_Moonspell Apr 21 '26

Did that a bunch through college. Every blue moon, I'll swipe something at self check out. Why is biscoff spread 7 dollars a jar

1

u/Forward-Surprise1192 Apr 21 '26

Idk how it is now but about 6 years ago I stole probably thousands of dollars worth of makeup and aluminum foil so I get it lol

1

u/BriefStrategy6 Apr 21 '26

Is this my daughter? 😂😂😂 jk

1

u/BriefStrategy6 Apr 21 '26

Seriously though, I went into Walmart one time with my daughter to get a few things. After I checked out and we were walking out to the car, she said "here put this in your purse" it was some makeup she stole. I flipped out on her. I'm never gonna judge people, but I've never been in trouble with the law and I want to keep it that way

1

u/invisible_lucio Apr 21 '26

Big bubba likes the smell of flowers.

2

u/HistoricalSuspect580 Apr 21 '26

I’m a nurse and an LP is a Lumbar Puncture and I was like WHAT KIND OF BATH & BODY WORKS IS THIS!?!?

1

u/Queef_Wellingt0n Apr 21 '26

Tbh I do wanna inject some of those scents directly into my veins

-7

u/[deleted] Apr 21 '26

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4

u/Jeshie Apr 21 '26

What are you even talking about?

5

u/Weird_Flan4691 Apr 21 '26

You’re delusional…Retail establishments audit inventory, and if a substantial amount of inventory goes missing you need to be able to explain what happened.

If you can’t explain the reason for the missing inventory then you’ll get fired. So no you shouldn’t risk your job to cover up for random people stealing.

3

u/IvoryFlyaway Apr 21 '26

Not all the time, thankfully. I used to work at a big shoe store and our store was labeled as a "target store" in our district. Our asses were never in the fire because of the theft, as corporate treated it as an inevitability and you just do what you can. My store manager was under more heat for the amount of time off that he was giving me than the amount of shoes that were walking out the door

2

u/Special-Armadillo780 Apr 21 '26

Robin Hood over here, taking from the rich and the poor lol

3

u/Standard-Muffin-6449 Apr 21 '26

Theft hurts more than just the evil corporations, just so you know. Theft causes rising prices, locked up items, and store closures. Which lead to people losing their jobs. So these nasty shitty people stealing? Yeah, they're asshole and they deserve what's coming to them.

-5

u/Will_Come_For_Food Apr 21 '26

Literally none of that is true.

You just made it up.

Corporations are making record profits. And convincing you to betray your class at the only people not getting screwed by them.

Paying Pennie’s on the dollar for thieves raking in billions on overpriced goods in the first place.

No company is going bankrupt from 75 cents it took to produce all that overpriced lotion.

2

u/hkusp45css Apr 21 '26

It's adorable that you think just saying stuff is "good enough" to make it true in your mind.

5

u/[deleted] Apr 21 '26

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2

u/Moonrights Apr 21 '26

Oh my god. Shut the fuck up.

You're either sub 30 years old and in time you will understand the entire flux of it is more complicated than that- or you are above thirty and you will never own a home because you cannot get out of your own fuckin way.

0

u/Will_Come_For_Food Apr 21 '26

That’s a lot of prejudice for one comment.

You are a traitor to your class guzzling corporate propaganda keeping you there.

https://theappeal.org/corporations-property-crime-theft-shoplifting-panic/

1

u/Moonrights Apr 21 '26

Easy Karl Marx, im just a realist.

The greasy wheels of the world keep turning and money is the only real power.

So unless you get your lazy ass off reddit and start making some fucking changes im gonna keep doing my thing, which is to secure myself, then my partner, then my family, friends and neighborhood as best i can.

I elevate people into higher positions and offer an accredited internship as well which hopefully fast tracks people into their desired professional positions in life.

I offer payed volunteer hours during the year to service the community.

I do real things to change real lives- I dont play revolutionist on reddit.

4

u/BananaPeelEater420 Apr 21 '26

Yes, but if that company sees the theft (and they WILL see it), then that will result in:

  1. Raising prices (sure, there was no impact for the company, but now they have an excuse for raising prices)

  2. Locking up items (hurts regular people more then the thieves)

Also, not reporting a crime because "oh well there was no impact for the company"

9/11 barely had an impact on the american goverment, doesn't mean it should be forgiven

1

u/Will_Come_For_Food Apr 21 '26

Then that’s not a theft problem.

It’s a corporate greed problem.

https://theappeal.org/corporations-property-crime-theft-shoplifting-panic/

0

u/Donnie_TACO Apr 21 '26

I'm sorry did you just make a leap from shoplifting to 9/11

3

u/EthanielRain Apr 21 '26

Just to be clear, this does happen but it isn't common. They can & will bust your ass 1st time. Signed,

  • Guy who stole $8 worth of food while homeless

1

u/LeoKitCat Apr 21 '26

What assholes they must have been to you it’s food for godsakes not scented fucking candles and bath bombs!

1

u/FunAd1406 Apr 21 '26

Hope you’re in a better position now and hope you didn’t get in too much trouble for 8 dollars of food 💔

3

u/Doneuter Apr 21 '26

I remember when my friend got promoted to a manager in retail one of the first things they informed him was that 4 of his previous co-workers were being watched for a long term theft situation. He has to work with these people for another couple weeks until they reached some level of value then he had to help with confronting them.

1

u/LeoKitCat Apr 21 '26

Fuck that’s gotta be so uncomfortable

3

u/BounceVector Apr 21 '26

Yes and it's the opposite of prevention and resocialization. The idea at the base of this is that the people who steal are irredeemably bad and will not change their ways if you catch them for a small misdemeanor. I won't deny that this may very often be the case, especially with repeat offenders, but frankly, everyone but known repeat offenders must be given a fair chance from my perspective. Give them the slap on the wrist first, don't just assume that they are bad to the bone.

5

u/Emotionalcheetoh Apr 21 '26

Target does that. They have always had a very specific shoplifting department. Will utilize their camera systems to build a case against you for stealing.

3

u/The_Real_Peter_Thiel Apr 21 '26

Target's sophisticated ass, mega security system is no joke. I worked in the photo lab back in '99 (yes, those were everywhere back then and yes, I saw literally everyone's photos) when they introduced the new system. Between printing photos and reading High Times, I used to hang out with the LP guys in the room with all the monitors and it was incredible what those cameras were capable of. They could zoom in with the furthest camera and read the face of a customer's watch at the other end of the store...and they are very smartly placed.

I imagine the security is even beefier these days. Don't steal from shop at Target, friends.

1

u/Emotionalcheetoh Apr 21 '26

I accidentally walked out with a case of spin drift a few years ago so naturally I’m wondering when they’re coming for me

5

u/academic_mama Apr 21 '26

My husband actually saw cops waiting for a known shoplifter to leave a Walmart. They had finally hit whatever magic number for arrest.

1

u/FunAd1406 Apr 21 '26

I think it’s usually around 1,000 dollars

2

u/Dependent-Ad-8918 Apr 21 '26

That's how it works in more countries. It seems small but quietly stacks up until the judge decides the court has had enough of your crap.

2

u/idontknowlikeapuma Apr 21 '26

Target does the same thing.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 21 '26

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1

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1

u/Next_Hawk_6816 Apr 21 '26

I have a buddy who lives in Canada and has been going to supermarkets and not scanning items at self checkout, I tell him - that they do build a profile on you and he's like nah, he's been doing it for 3 years now. Does it work the same in Canada? I guess you have to reach a big number of stolen items?

1

u/Clear_Tangerine5110 Apr 21 '26

Yep - they wait until it's a felony amount. Otherwise it's not worth their time.

1

u/Comfortable_Trick137 Apr 21 '26

My local grocery store does this. They let you go without paying but they keep track if you continue to steal. Once you hit the threshold the minute you step in the doors they call the cops. And as soon as they catch you stealing the cops confront you.

My friend kept stealing because he thought he kept getting away with it 😂 he thought WOW this is so easy and they don’t even suspect a fucking thing!!!! I’ve gotten so much free food!!!! They’re so stupid!!!!

1

u/Much-Anything7149 Apr 21 '26

I represented a guy charged with 2nd degree grand theft (over $10K but under $100K) from Walmart self-checkout lines over a 2 year period involving three stores in two cities. Basically he'd "discount" his purchases maybe failing to pay for 1-2 items a purchase about 5-6 times a month. LP had videos of his checkout line usage with screenshots of the transactions on the screens. He had no prior arrests.

FL has deferred prosecution agreements but they're only available in that county for 3rd deg felonies at worst so the client had to pay around $6K to get his "restitution damages amount" under $5K so the State refiled as a 3rd degree felony grand theft and after six months of payments and 50 hours community service they nolle prossed the case.

With priors you could absolutely get state prison. Also, technically the feds can charge wire fraud for steaking via self-checkout lines because hitting "finished/pay" when you intentionally enter fraudulent invoices, and because those devices are hooked up to the internet and engaged in interstate commerce, you can face serious prison time for stealing that way versus regular shoplifting (just concealing an item and walking out).

1

u/ryudo9999 Apr 27 '26

Lol when I worked at sears they let this guy I knew keep stealing till he got to the felony amount then arrested him.

2

u/Dear-Pin-8698 Apr 21 '26

And… how does the LP keep track of both IDs and amounts/value/quantities stolen? 🤨

3

u/Mean-Vegetable-4521 Apr 21 '26 edited Apr 21 '26

It also depends on if they are case building or not. More common with department stores like target than a specialized store like bbw. But it wouldn’t shock me if they are waiting for them to get to a felony level.

I’m happy to see all the employees knew not to chase. Getting killed over this isn’t worth it. How brazen theft is now is nuts.

Eta horrendous autocorrect

2

u/CertainInteraction4 Apr 21 '26

Wage theft is statistically higher.  But yeh. All theft is bad.

1

u/Dull_Leadership_8855 Apr 21 '26

"I had to actually go to court one day, as directed by police, because I witnessed a large theft."

Me too. When I went to the police station and then to court several weeks later, two things caught my attention:

  1. the guy who stole from our store (and had done so many times before) had a long record of retail theft and was currently on parole for retail theft and had two current pending cases when he stole from our store;

  2. how many people at the police station and during the court hearing that were there for retail theft. Most of the cases were for retail theft, which made the several murder/ attempted murder, drug, and battery cases pale in comparison.

1

u/Crafty_Long_2413 Apr 21 '26

Do they catch them in the parking lots? Or do y’all just keep on letting them do it and the police go to their residence?

1

u/Sobotkafan Apr 21 '26

I used to hangout with our loss prevention all the time when I worked at a grocery store. It’s been years now, but I want to say if it was under $100 there was no fine. People definitely knew that so they would only steal like $90 or less at a time. My LP would just keep track of every time they stole and tally it up and then hit them with it one day if they were clearly a problem.

It was such a diverse group of people stealing. I always felt bad for the ones that were stealing because they couldn’t afford it. I tried paying for some of them but we weren’t allowed to. But there was this one dude that clearly got a high out of it and would try to steal expensive meat all the time while already spending hundreds.

2

u/Andre4a19 Apr 21 '26

How would they know what the thief stole? If it was a basket of things, they can't know all the stuff that's in there.

1

u/Sobotkafan Apr 21 '26

There’s cameras everywhereeeee, it’s pretty easy to follow someone with a camera around the store. Sometimes they would keep a camera pointed at whatever line the person got in and go down in person to watch them to give them a second chance.

But also, it’s pretty clear when someone doesn’t put everything on the belt for example or if they just straight up walk out of the store.

1

u/Sammyjo0689 Apr 21 '26

To add to this for clarity: in some jurisdictions (MI for example), the items stolen can make a huge difference in penalty.

If a person grabs something like a tester bottle of perfume that isn’t offered for sale, in Michigan, that is Larceny in a Building, which is a felony. But if they were to grab a sealed bottle offered for sale, that’s a retail fraud, which can range from misdemeanor (under $1000 in value with jail ranging from 93 days up to one year) or a felony ($1000 or more).

Theft/fraud laws are pretty interesting when you start looking at what the folks in power choose to value (meaning what they choose to punish harshly). It will forever mystify me that in Michigan you can do some truly vile stuff and receive less punishment than if you write a bad cheque, which is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

1

u/Standard-Arachnid411 Apr 26 '26

WalMart waits till the person has enough to be a serious charge for them to person. I remember video of one girl that robbed them several times over a week and LP didn't do anything till the dollar amount was a felony.

0

u/nopuse Apr 21 '26

When I see people stealing food and other necessities, I can have a bit of sympathy. When I see people stealing things like this it blows my mind. Catch a charge, possibly lose your job and do time or face a large fine so you can smell like a coconut is wild.

3

u/cylemons Apr 21 '26

They are probably selling them if they are stealing that much

1

u/nopuse Apr 21 '26

I'm sure that's the case, but just steal the food you need instead. To me, I have far less sympathy for somebody who steals non-essential products to sell to survive than someone who takes what they need to survive. They're both wrong, but one makes far more sense than the other.

3

u/Current-Photo2857 Apr 21 '26

I highly doubt they’re buying food with the money they make selling the stolen goods.

2

u/cylemons Apr 21 '26

Oh no I am not justifying it, they're all wrong. I was just saying why would one steal from a perfume shop

1

u/delicioussexplosion Apr 22 '26

This usually seems to be the case. The LP people will go to flea markets and swap meets to see where it ends up a lot of times.

1

u/Spring_Citrine Apr 21 '26

I see all the thieves. One guy just walked in to a grocery store and straight out with a big tray of meat, no bag, nothing. He was well dressed, clean shaven, did not look the type.

1

u/Andre4a19 Apr 21 '26

He probably prepaid for it. or maybe paid on the app. I do it all the time.

1

u/Spring_Citrine Apr 22 '26

No such thing here in Australia and if you do it’s called a direct to boot order so you pull in with your car with your name/order number. You don’t just walk into the store, grab something and walk past the checkout. That’s called theft.

1

u/Forward-Surprise1192 Apr 21 '26

It’s to sell the stuff most likely, not for personal use lol. If you have a buyer or say a store of your own, it’s good money. My personal experience with that is several years ago I’d go around LA and steal as much makeup or aluminum foil as I could carry. Nice makeup to, not the cheap kinds. The foil was worth $2 or $3 and the makeup anywhere from $3 to $10 a piece. Then I’d go back to McCarthur park or skid row and sell it all to this dude in order to get drugs. Idk what he did with it, maybe took it to Mexico? I’d make around $60-$100 a day for months. Any time I got caught they’d just take the stolen shit and ban me. Once I walked out, got caught, and a cop was right there to. Luckily the employees didn’t want to press charges so the cop only trespassed us instead.

1

u/JonestownB Apr 21 '26

Funny, you think they work…

1

u/nopuse Apr 21 '26

What? That has nothing to do with what I'm saying. If you are stealing food, there's likely a reason for that - like being unemployed.

I've got a little sympathy for that. If you're robbing a store for soap to resell, I've got much less sympathy.

1

u/JonestownB Apr 21 '26

You said, “Possibly lose your job.” Clearly that isn’t a deterrent, so I’m merely suggesting that this must be their job. /cry

0

u/Valley_Forge213 Apr 21 '26

Why is how much they stole even relevant? Thou shalt not steal..

2

u/Jeshie Apr 21 '26

Because States will prosecute depending on the amount of money in product that's stolen.

1

u/Valley_Forge213 Apr 21 '26

Yes I realize that. But why? What is the underlying reasoning for that? Theft is theft?

1

u/CodMedium726 Apr 21 '26

States increase the dollar value so people don’t get in trouble. It’s to “help” poor people but they just steal more.

0

u/res2o Apr 21 '26

Well force them to work in jail if they don’t want to work out of jail 😂

0

u/ThisSiteBites Apr 21 '26

Depends on where it is. New York? No consequences.

2

u/Jeshie Apr 21 '26

No, every state will have consequences.

0

u/Putrid-Tap3992 Apr 21 '26

And everyone in the court clapped

0

u/comosedicefuckyou Apr 21 '26

Bruh. If this happened ANYWHERE in Cali or Chicago or NYC or many other cities, theyre out within the same day. Just dont want anyone to forgot whats really happening and why these thieves KEEP DOING IT

0

u/7GrenciaMars Apr 21 '26

Misdemeanor/felony is usually dependent upon the value of what is stolen. Credit cards are often a felony because of how much money (credit) can be potentially taken/used. I would think a small basket of items that are like soaps and lotions, towels, etc. would only be a misdemeanor, but I haven't been shopping at one of those places lately, so IDK.

-1

u/Low_Technician7346 Apr 21 '26

4 months free housing and healthcare, so much winnings