Professionals: People who steal for resale
and profit, as a lifestyle.
Non-professionals: People who steal from
retail stores but are, for the most part, otherwise decent,
law-abiding citizens.
Non-professional shoplifters account for the majority of
shoplifters in our nation today. These people are consumers
who generally know right from wrong and often have the money
to pay for the items they steal. Most steal only occasionally
(casual shoplifters) but approximately 1/3 have formed a habit
or addiction (habitual shoplifters) which compels them to
steal daily or at least weekly. Their behavior is less related
to criminal intent but more the result of situational, emotional
or psychological problems in need of attention and the current
national culture which treats shoplifting as “no big
deal” leading people to rationalize that it is somehow
“okay”.
|
