I have read a bunch of posts on here from people who have been charged with “theft under 5,000” or “theft over 5,000” or some other type of theft related charge.

The common story seems to be. I stole a $10 item from the store and as I left the store, the store security came up to me and then took me into a backroom where I filled out forms and everything.

Doesn’t anyone just ever run off? That is a crime in itself I am sure, but wouldn’t it make your life easier if you get approach by security to just run?

If I ever stole some $10 item or something and then I get approach by store security, maybe I would give the item back, but I wouldn’t go to the back room, I would probably run off…maybe.

Something similar happened to me in Mexico with someone I was with. One of the items in the store broke, and they came after her and told her to pay for it, and we just took off running. But, that was also due to the fact we were in a foreign country and I haven’t heard the best of things about Mexican prisons and police.

What do you all think?

If there is one thing I dislike more than a liar, that would be a thief. How about if you walked outside and saw me coming out of your shed with your near new worm drive Skill saw. You scream, "Stop, give me that!" I say something to the effect of, "Kiss my Arse!" I out run you and get away and you never see your saw again.
Coupled with the fact that Loss Prevention Officers are now taking on more powers of arrest and use of force, it would almost be like trying to run from the cops.

Most do if they can, theft is so bad in some stores, for example our local Penny's store, people come in during morning hours at times with black trash bags and throw stuff in them for a few minutes then run out of the store. Or a group will come in and pass or hide which one is doing the stealing. But in most cases, the store security is not in uniform, and by the time they get to the person, they already have hold of them so they can't run off.

But the main difference is that the better kids stop when arrested, the really mean gang kids won't. Or the ones that do stop, know that normally nothing happens to them if they are stopped, esp if they are teens.

Where I last lived, a town of about 13,000 people, an 84 year old man was prosecuted by a local grocery store for stealing. A bar of soap! No lie. People were outraged that the store even went that far and even more furious for the city DA to prosecute. The bar of soap was valued at less than 60 cents. The Judge paid the store the 60 cents and dismissed the case.

In less than two years the grocery was out of business. Many people refused to shop there.

There are those than choose to run off with the merchandise. But with the increased use of security cameras, what would be the point?