In 2015, criminologists at the University of Leicester reviewed one million self-checkout transactions over a year. The total value of sales was 21 million dollars. Of that amount, nearly 850,000 dollars worth of merchandise was never paid for, highlighting how costly these small acts of theft can be when they add up.
Why Are People Stealing?
According to the Leicester researchers, convenience plays a major role. People who would not normally steal may do so simply because the opportunity is there. “People who traditionally don’t intend to steal [might realize that] … when I buy 20, I can get five for free,” the authors explained [2]. In many cases, shoppers do not enter the store planning to steal, but once they reach the self-checkout, they realize how easy it is.
Another factor is reduced consequences. Some police departments have deprioritized small-scale retail theft. In Dallas, Texas, police no longer routinely respond to thefts under fifty dollars, a threshold that was raised to one hundred dollars in 2015.