INSIDER_Jun_Jul10 Iss3_52pp
12/6/10
4:13 PM
Page 24
SHOPLIFTING
about how other types of offenders behave, and how, therefore, they can be encouraged to be stopped.
Key decisions thieves make The decisions offenders make can be grouped into six conceptual phases, which are shown in Figure 1, starting with choosing the store, and finishing with the disposal of goods. Like most models, it is not the case that all offenders make decisions at each of these stages. Often stages will be missed. If for example, the offender makes the decision to steal while locating the product, there will probably have been less opportunity to influence the thief at the first two decision points because at those points the theft had not been
Another point needs to be made about the model.That
contemplated.This is not always the case of course,
concerns the decision making capabilities of offenders. Not
sometimes thieves can be influenced by what they perceive
all offenders will consider all the pros and cons at each
to be the ease of opportunity and that impression can be
stage, they, like many people making all types of decisions
built up at various points.
have ‘limited’ or ‘bounded’ rationality. It is perhaps helpful to look at each of these decision points in turn.
Figure 1: Shop thieves’ decision circle
Choosing the store Sometimes shoplifters chose stores according to what they aimed to steal. Geography played a part, being local was more convenient, but there was a greater danger of being recognised. Stores where security was known to be weak were attractive, this was not just a case of traditional security measures being installed or not, but also staff awareness and levels of organisation which gave the impression staff were on the ball; reputations count. Familiarity was also relevant; choice was often influenced by a sense of ‘better the devil you know than the one you don’t’ and this feeling could be
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