Trends in Shoplifting Have Impacts Outside the Grocery Store

Steak, syrup, and razors among the items most targeted by thieves

Tools

By Matthew F. Smith

Story Created: Feb 28, 2013 at 7:26 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Feb 28, 2013 at 7:34 PM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - Meat, maple syrup, and laundry detergent: all products you probably pick up at the grocery store on a regular basis.

But shoplifters are also busy among store shelves too, causing and estimated annual loss of nearly $13 billion dollars.

According to the National Association of Shoplifting Prevention, razors and electronic tools like automatic toothbrushes are other hot items.

Anchorage police said they make the perfect products to pocket, because they are small and expensive. And they said most shoplifters act as a result of drug or other substance abuse problems.

But this kind of theft isn’t contained to grocery stores. At local restaurants like Orso, they often have to replace cloth napkins and glassware customers have take off with, either by accident or on purpose. But they’re not immune to other forms of thefts.

“We have to large wine displays that we keep in the back room, and those disappeared this week,” Orso General Manager Martin Perry said. “They're large magnums of wine… and so we could have had guests back there that decided to take those home.”

Not all businesses feeling the loss, however. Emily Fussner, the manager of two Kaladi Brothers coffee shops in Anchorage, said she thinks it comes down to the customers.

“Most people who come to Kaladi’s come because its local, and they appreciate that. So I think that most of our customers are pretty honest.”

The National Shoplifting Prevention Association reports that honesty pays off for everyone's bottom line in the end.
 

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