I work in retail, so I know exactly how I could get away with shoplifting, but I've actually never shoplifted intentionally because it's just unethical. At the shoe store I work at, people walk out in our shoes and leave their old dirty ones in a box, or just dump shit into their bags and hide the empty boxes for us to find. Some assholes even get their little kids involved, or they come in groups, communicate with each other over the phone inside the store, and have one person leave the store ahead of time so they can get away more quickly. We try to sensor as many of the expensive shoes and accessories as possible, but there isn't always someone to stop shoplifters at the door, or they even go so far as to risk damaging the shoes by breaking the sensors. We have security cameras, but of course there are blind spots, and we can't afford to pay someone to monitor all day. At our store, we give store credit to customers without a receipt, given the merchandise is in new condition, so anyone could walk in, grab something, and try to return it. Yeah, shoplifting may be easy, but there are customers paying their hard earned money for the same products you're selfishly pocketing and walking out with, and you don't know if the employees may be held accountable for the store's shrink.
Edit: Fairly recently (within the last couple of years), I was shopping at a poster store that sold various novelty items, and I accidentally walked out with this huge tote bag that said something like, "Lookin' Good For Jesus," with silly religious imagery. I guess I'd put it on my arm to look at something behind it and forgotten that I was holding it. Nobody at the store seemed to notice, and I thought it was kind of ironic, so I decided not to return it. It was an accident, but I have to take responsibility for being dishonest. I also stole this generic Barbie-type doll in a dollar store in Boston when I was around 4 or 5, but we were already back on the road home when my parents realized. I do remember them mentioning an apology, though, so I guess I'm not too clear on the details.
Edited by Trichomes, 17 October 2010 - 03:57 PM.