Perhaps not surprisingly, a crime trends survey of 52 U.S. retailers conducted by the Retail Industry Leaders Association found that 84 percent of them experienced an increase in “amateur/opportunistic” shoplifting last fall compared to the same period a year earlier.
In this Gothamist interview, a self-proclaimed shoplifter, his/her identity obscured, details how he/she efficiently steals from Whole Foods on a weekly basis.
Perhaps Whole Foods, known for its socially conscious clientèle, should add Scuppies — Socially Conscious Upwardly Mobile Persons — to the top of its suspicious-shopper profile list.
Or maybe Whole Foods is too socially conscious for its own good; it fired an employee for attempting to stop a shoplifter.
If its employees can’t stop shoplifters, maybe posting signs like this would deter them.
and 
. You can also watch it on 
Interesting to see that ‘shoplifters’ aren’t just bums and degenerates (well, that’s to be decided…) but others you’d never suspect it – like ME. Ha, the article attracted me b/c I’ve been lifting randomly for about a decade now (I’m 26) and while I understand the legal ramifications and pricing changes that must EVENTUALLY be taken into consideration for written off theft, I still can’t help myself. I’ve never really thought of WHY I do it though – I know I will never get caught, it’s always small and controlled, but it makes me wonder if granny in the line in front of me has some expensive conditioner in her jacket pocket…
The comments left on one of those articles make a valid point…is a shoplifter a customer?
I’m one that has always been able to see moral grayness in the area of stealing for necessity. If someone is hungry bread and rice can go a long way.
After reading the linked article from gothamist I’m sure this gentlemen is delusional. The shoplifter claims to steal for need but he needs “three pounds of wild tuna, two pounds cod fish, one pound of walnuts, three pieces of brie cheese, four carry-on bags of pre-made sushi, one bottle of the best quality Italian olive oil.”
I’m not sure this shoplifter is representative of those that steal for need. This person steals for the thrill that follows.
TO RFK (#1): I can’t belive how you pride yourself for conrinuosly shoplifiting which, to me is an euphemism for THEFT.
Theft is morally wrong. Is unethical. Is illegal.
Your theft is a despicable action. You are a thief and, as such, I hope you get caught and sent to jail.
In addition to the this “gentleman being delusional”, he also seems to be showing a sense of self entitlement that likely got us into such a bad economy, I deserve this grandiose house, I deserve these possessions, I deserve this wlid tuna, and cod.
Except instead of thrusting the burden of these decisions on his future self via personal debt, he’s thrusting them upon the rest of society.
TO RFK (#1):
1. Would you feel guilty about stealing a $10 from me?
2. Would you feel guilty about stealing a penny from me, and a thousand other people?
This kind of theft isn’t driven by need.
As a university student saddled with massive tuition payments I felt exploited and disgruntled and would steal small things (e.g. notepads, toilet paper) not because I needed them for survival, but I felt I was owed something for my misery.
As a small number of rich and upper middle class people sequester more wealth you create a large group of disgruntled people who feel deprived (even if they aren’t poor and starving).
I expect as wealth disparity grows more middle class people will be inclined to try to redistribute some of that wealth and shoplifting is small and fairly passive aggressive way to do that.
That’s not necessity. From the article, that thief steels $100/week. For seven years.
That’s $400/month, $5200/year.
$36,000 over the last seven years.
I know food can be expensive but that’s more than my family of three spends on food.
$36,000. Wow.
Even if that’s overblow by a factor of 10, it’s still theft on a significant scale.