Lithuanian supermarkets are pondering novel ways to fight shoplifters who are becoming increasingly sophisticated and brazen.
Electronic tags and warning stickers can only go so far when it comes to preventing shoplifting. The Association of Retailers says that shoplifting cases have doubled over the last two years, particularly in supermarkets, bringing millions of euros of damage.
According to the Association of Convenience Stores, shoplifting from grocery stores has doubled in two years. And not groceries. The losses are in the millions.
“The pickpockets’ choices remain the same: coffee, cheese, expensive meat products, caviar, cosmetics, alcohol, toys too. And even lottery tickets,” says Raminta Gecevičiūtė, spokeswoman for the Maxima supermarket chain.
In many cases, shoplifters return to the shops where they have been caught before. One man has been caught 23 times stealing lottery tickets.
Shoplifters are often organised, they plan their operations and take what they can sell. They are also very well aware how much they can steal without risking criminal prosecution.
Rūta Vainienė, head of the Association of Retailers, insists most people don’t steal because they have nothing to eat. “The vast majority are professional shoplifters who do it as a job,” she says.
“We once had a case where a person failed to show up for a court hearing because he was supposedly ill, but in fact he was at the same time carrying out a routine theft in another shop,” says Maxima’s spokeswoman.
This June, however, shoplifting has abated somewhat. The reason, says Gecevičiūtė, is a recent ruling by the Supreme Court saying that repeated offenders can face criminal charges – as opposed to fines – even if the value of their spoils is under 150 euros.
“If they are systemic shoplifters, there should be some kind of systemic penalty,” argues Vainienė of the Association of Retailers. “This is certainly not about a granny from Žvėrynas.”
The Association has come up with a proposal for a unique measure to deter shoplifters.
“A new administrative sanction – for repeated offences, shops would ban these people from their premises for a certain period of time,” Vainienė explains.
The ban to enter the shop could last a month, a few months, or a year, she adds.
Consumer representatives say they do not see this as a violation of consumer rights.
“Everyone should take responsibility for their actions, and imposing such a sanction would not be seen as somehow violating consumer rights,” says Rytis Jokubauskas, vice-president of the Consumer Alliance.
However, he adds, it is important that the measure does not violate other people’s rights – for example, shops should not be summarily scanning everyone’s faces. Moreover, even former shoplifters should be allowed to buy food.
“These sanctions should be applied reasonably, which means that a person should not be banned from all supermarkets,” says Jokubauskas. “The sanction could be a ban on a particular store or a particular chain or something like that.”
There might even be some intermediate options, for example, the person would need the permission of the shop management to enter. “Which would basically mean that when you shop, you’re accompanied by a security guard,” says Jokubauskas.
The Ministry of Justice says it is assessing the proposal in detail. It promises to have an answer this month.
If adopted, the sanction could apply not only in supermarkets, but also in to shops but also in petrol stations and other shops.
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