University students, middle school kids, seniors, drunkards and business people do it. People do it for profit, for thrills, because of addiction or out of habit.
In reality, shoplifting can be committed by anyone at any time. But the managers of locally owned businesses say people who think the crime is “no big deal” and proceed to snatch low-value products don’t always know they are stealing from fellow community members. And while the Eugene Police Department and the municipal court encourage the report of every case for more accurate statistics, some managers say more effective prevention and sanctioning alternatives should be explored.
“Due to the scarce resources we are dealing with, I think we should always be looking at offering alternatives to fines for shoplifters,” Eugene City Prosecutor Liane Richardson said.
According to EPD preliminary statistics for 2002, shoplifting has decreased from 1,172 incidents citywide in 2001 to 1,107 in 2002. But community service officer Erik Humphrey said that shoplifting isn’t decreasing, but rather that larger businesses are absorbing the loss and aren’t filing reports. And while shoplifters cause smaller businesses to suffer financially, Humphrey said they also end up hurting honest shoppers by causing vendors to raise prices.
To help the businesses hardest hit by shoplifting, EPD offers the 3050 program — a partnership that allows businesses to apprehend suspects and file police reports without officer assistance. In allowing the business to take on more responsibility, EPD simplifies and quickens the procedure for merchants who are more active in loss prevention, like Hirons Drug Stores.
“Shoplifting is a huge problem,” manager Steve Hirons said of his family’s 185 East 18th Ave. store, one of two locations in Eugene. “It’s something that can put businesses out of business.”
Hirons sees between $20 to $100 worth of merchandise recovered in each case at the 18th Avenue location, and said $30,000 dollars is lost each year to the crime. Although Hirons has caught people with more than $200 in merchandise, he said small items, such as make-up products, remain the No. 1 theft targets. When actively watching for theft, Hirons said he apprehends one person every day. Currently, Hirons said traditional penalties for shoplifting are “adequate,” but not ideal.
“Every shoplifter should have to stand outside the store that they shoplifted in with a sandwich board that reads, ‘I am a convicted shoplifter,’” he said of a possible prevention method. “This would send a message to people that if they shoplift merchandise, they risk public embarrassment.”
In theory, if a defendant chose that option over a fine, the city prosecutor said the sandwich board alternative would be allowable. But such alternative punishments could not be considered until vendors approach the courts or the Legislature with their ideas, Richardson said.
To send an intolerant message to shoplifters, the University Bookstore prosecutes to the full extent of the law and uses a unique method of prevention besides camera surveillance — “plain clothes” loss-prevention officers.
“Potential shoplifters just don’t know who is and who isn’t watching them,” Humphrey said of the undercover tactic used by the bookstore staff.
As another prevention method, costume jewelry was removed from stock because it was almost “too attractive” for shoppers not to steal, bookstore manager James Williams said. An annual estimate of $150,000 to $200,000 in revenue is lost at the bookstore due to shoplifting and fraud cases — including bad checks — and more than 100 individuals are prosecuted every year, he said. Considering the store is partly-owned by University students and faculty, however, he said shoplifters are often stealing from themselves.
Locally-owned Little’s Market, located at 544 East 13th Ave., uses its “Wall of Shame” to deter and punish local thieves. After a shoplifter is captured on video surveillance, photo stills of the culprits are displayed on a post by the cash register.
“At least people know who their neighborhood petty thieves are,” manager Pete Enfield said, adding that the majority of cases involve small items people don’t really need.
Little’s also prosecutes shoplifters to the full extent to maintain a tough local reputation. But despite cameras, photos and word on the street, Enfield said shoplifting will continue to be a problem. “No matter what you do, people will always be stealing,” he said.