Have shoplifting incidents declined, or have stores simply reported fewer incidents? Note that a store can't report shoplifting incidents when they simply find shrinkage--there's no way of knowing how much shoplifting was involved (10 widgets are gone--10 shoplifters each took a widget, or 1 shoplifter took 10?) or if it was internal theft or even not a crime at all. (The item was broken and discarded by someone who didn't keep detailed enough records, or the clerk made a mistake in ringing it up.)
If stores are less willing to confront shoplifters, "shoplifting" will decline--whether it really did or not.
Support?
I’d be more inclined to think shoplifting increased in 2020 due to the acceptability of mask wearing.
It plays well on the local news to show the most brazen shoplifters, the shameless who do not care who sees them doing their illegal deeds. We’re it not for video and it was simply a writeup of police reports in the local newspaper sandwiched between a broken window and an abandoned car, we’d think nothing of it. But now we have the video and if it’s brown people, oh boy, that oughta gets folks’ dander up.
Men shoplift more than women. Hispanic women shoplift more than white women. Men generally shoplift things they can sell. Women generally shoplift household items. 35-54 is the most prevalent age group of shoplifters. I couldn’t get ahold of the actual numbers as I lack membership.
My ex worked loss prevention at a retail store on a military base. Her clients were mostly middle aged women. That would stand to reason given the merchandise sold and that there was family housing on base. But she has caught them all, from young guys in uniform to the base commander’s wife.
Watching juveniles and Blacks in the store isn’t going to pay. Watching people who are looking around without looking at the merchandise will.