What do shoplifters steal the most?

Author: Rafael Lind  |  Last update: Monday, November 3, 2025

One of the most stolen items from any supermarket, baby formula and jarred foods are often among the largest losses for supermarkets, and the biggest target for thieves and shoplifters.

What item gets shoplifted the most?

According to a study of retailers around the world, cheese is the most stolen food in grocery stores, trumping other high-theft items like meat, chocolate, alcohol, seafood and baby formula.

What is the most common thing to get stolen?

Top 10 items stolen in home invasions
  • Wallets and cash. The amount of cash stolen in home burglaries far outweighs the value of other stolen goods, according to the FBI's findings. ...
  • Clothing and furs. ...
  • Prescription drugs. ...
  • Cars and parts. ...
  • Electronics. ...
  • Jewelry and precious metals. ...
  • Personal documents. ...
  • Firearms.

What is the most common type of shoplifter?

Shoplifting is a type of theft where products are taken from retail shops without payment. The most common type of shoplifters are young teens who often target items like clothing and tools.

Do stores track you down after shoplifting?

Some stores even have facial recognition software so they can easily identify people from the surveillance videos. Many locally-owned stores use social media to track down shoplifters. They post images from their security footage and ask the community for help identifying the suspect.

Five Things Shoplifters Steal Most

Can police track you down by camera for shoplifting?

When they find the clip of footage showing when the theft took place they will call it into the authorities. Then, the police may develop still images from the video and send out a mass announcement asking for help and “do you recognize this person?” Once sufficient evidence has been collected, police can take action.

How can stores tell if you stole something?

Most stores these days have surveillance cameras to track and record the behavior of shoplifters. Shoplifters don't know if someone is watching from a distance possibly using multiple cameras, high-powered binoculars, and recording their criminal acts.

Does every shoplifter get caught?

According to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention, statistics show that shoplifters are caught approximately once in every 49 incidents of theft. However, you may be curious to know more about how shoplifters are apprehended.

What time of day does most shoplifting occur?

Most shoplifting is committed in the afternoon, and Saturday is the peak day. Older shoplifters more frequently operate alone than do younger shoplifters; adults steal more at one time than do youths. Many motives are involved in shoplifting, such as thrill seeking, boredom, poverty, etc.

What are some signs of a shoplifter?

look like they're taking little notice of your products. seem a little nervous and possibly pick up random items with little interest. keep refusing your offer of help or assistance. frequently enter your store and never make a purchase.

What's the most stolen item from Walmart?

Most Stolen Items from Retail Store/Walmart
  • Meat.
  • Razors.
  • Baby formula.
  • Cosmetics.
  • Alcohol.
  • Laptops.
  • OTC medications.
  • Smartphones.

What is the most shoplifted book?

The Bible. Apparently, thieves missed the "Thou shalt not steal" part of the Ten Commandments. According to experts, the Bible is the most commonly stolen book. The Holy Bible is available for free at many places of worship, so perhaps there's less guilt associated with pilfering a copy.

What do thieves look for in a car?

If you leave valuable items visible in your car, your car is automatically a target. Thieves are targeting purses, laptops, GPS units and MP3 players, which are easily sold. Additionally, computers, purses and wallets are highly desired targets that are stolen, to commit identity theft.

Who commits the most shoplifting?

Shoplifting Demographics
  • 66.6% of all shoplifters caught were under 30. ...
  • 43% of women admitted to shoplifting before, compared to 37% of men.
  • The 18-24 age group has the highest chance of shoplifting in the next two years, while the 55+ age group has the lowest chance.

What expensive things are easy to steal?

Perfume and fragrance: costly products that are relatively easy to steal. Small electrical goods and accessories: electric toothbrushes, smart speakers, iPads, headphones, shavers, data sticks. Smartphones are slightly less likely to be stolen because of robust security devices.

What is the most common method of shoplifting?

Concealment. This is the most common and intuitive strategy. The shoplifter identifies which item he or she wishes to steal, removes it from a shelf or display, and places it inside a shopping bag, back-pack, pocket, or other similar place.

Does Walmart have a no chase policy?

Shoplifting at Walmart

They are also not allowed to chase you.

Will the police come to your house for shoplifting?

Can the police come after me for shoplifting after I went home and wasn't confronted by store security? Possibly, yes. If they think you were involved then you could be charged along with the person that actually took it — in a bank robbery, the getaway driver is just as guilty as the person with the gun.

Is shoplifting worse than petty theft?

And while they can carry a sentence of up to one year and a fine of $1,000, most first-time offenders will not see jail time. A common question I receive is: 'Is petty theft the same as shoplifting?,' My answer is that according to current law, yes — as long as the value of the theft is under $950.

Do stores know if you shoplift?

Key signs of shoplifting include nervous body language, taking unusual paths, and wearing overly baggy or heavy clothing, especially if it doesn't match the season. Commercial-grade CCTV systems provide crisp, detailed images that help staff identify suspicious behaviors that often indicate shoplifting.

Can Walmart come after you later for shoplifting?

Can Walmart loss prevention arrest you the next day if you flee the store after shoplifting? - Quora. No, WalMart cannot arrest you. They can detain you and wait for the real police to come arrest you. If one of the loss prevention employees happens to be an off duty police officer, that person can arrest you.

How often do cops track down shoplifters?

Shoplifters are caught once out of every 48 times they steal — and, when they are caught, they are arrested 50% of the time. “Professionals” make up only 3% of shoplifters — but this group is responsible for 10% (or more) of all profit loss from theft.

What does a typical shoplifter look like?

Unusual Clothing or Bag Choices: Shoplifters might wear oversized, bulky coats regardless of the season, or they might carry large, seemingly empty bags or backpacks. Wandering and Loitering: Pay close attention to customers who seem to loiter in your store for an abnormal amount of time without making a purchase.

Should I return something I accidentally stole?

What Should I Do if I Accidentally Shoplift? If you accidentally shoplift, taking responsibility for your actions is crucial. The best thing to do is to return to the store and explain what happened. Offer to pay for the item and apologize for your mistake.

Does Walmart show up to court for shoplifting?

If you hadn't, the repercussions would have been worse the next time they caught you, saw you, or identified you. Does Walmart show up to court for shoplifting cases? YES — they do have a store representative show up in municipal court to show that they are serious about stopping shoplifters.

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