Greentext

I like shoplifting laws in the common law system because they're, like all theft laws, based on intent. They need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you intended to take and deprive them of whatever they're accusing you of stealing. If someone conceals something in an elaborate or strange way, you can nail them without them leaving the store. If they put it in their hoodie pocket or shopping bag and have a good excuse for doing so (this is all I had, I wanted to carry more), to "hold" it however, and "forgot" to scan it, you need to actually show that it's a pattern of several times if you want any hope of actually prosecuting them. At least with this policy I guess the stores can ban you even if they can't legally do anything against you. Don't take this comment as encouraging the policy though, you can steal whatever you like from corporations as far as I'm concerned.