shoplifting

(Newser) - A system designed to compensate retailers for losses incurred by shoplifters has few controls to prevent the extortion or harassment, the Wall Street Journal reports. “Civil recovery” laws allow retailers to turn the names of suspected shoplifters over to collection agencies who demand fees of $200 or much more—...

(Newser) - A local Alabama judge has teamed with Wal-Mart to punish shoplifters with shame, making them don sandwich-boards reading “I am a thief; I stole from Wal-Mart” and parade in public, BusinessWeek reports. More than 20 culprits have received the sentence in recent months; the world’s largest retailer sees...