Teen Shoplifting: A Right of Passage?

"I walk into Safeway and scan the employees“ they seem distracted. I discreetly place a sandwich in my jacket and my heart rate starts to race immediately. "Act casual," I tell myself. As I see the exit, my pace quickens. Almost there! then, as I walk out of the store, it feels as though a weight is lifted momentarily. Then I feel a hand on my shoulder: "Hey, you, come with me!"
Being a teenager includes a number of milestones: driving, your first date, shoplifting? Ask your friends if they've shoplifted and you'll be surprised at how many answer "yes." Despite heightened security measures in stores everywhere, thousands of Canadian teens continue to shoplift. According to Stats Can figures, there were 4,514 Canadian youth charged with shoplifting in 2006 –and those are only the thousands who were caught and prosecuted. So what explanation could there be for this ubiquitous phenomenon?

"There are a number of reasons why a young person would shoplift," explains Vancouver Police Constable Romi Mattu. Here are some of the key reasons she points out:
-Peer pressure
-Low self-esteem
-To obtain funds for other habits such as drugs
-Stealing things like alcohol and cigarettes because they have no legal means of acquiring them
-Lacking much-needed attention from their parents or guardians
-In some instances, the youth may be a kleptomaniac who requires psychological intervention to deal with the constant urge to steal along with the associated thrill or excitement
This analysis seems consistent with that of young people themselves. One grade 9 student, who has shoplifted in the past, attributed his actions mostly to a lack of money, and because his friends were doing it."Your brain gets addicted to the adrenaline rush," he adds.

The problem is widespread enough that retailers have been forced to develop sophisticated security systems to prevent shoplifting. At Aritzia, a clothing store popular with teenage girls, the problem is taken very seriously. "We use a combination of security systems as well as training and awareness programs for the management and staff," says Kristen Goldsmith, Aritzia's loss prevention department manager. But despite these precautions, teens are still shoplifting. "Last fiscal year we lost approximately 7,500 units of merchandise in total and I would estimate that about 50 per cent of that was due to shoplifting," states Kristen.

So although teens sometimes get away with the crime, what happens if they get caught? The consequences can vary considerably explains Constable Mattu, "If it is the first offense for the youth, an official verbal warning may be given and his/her parents or guardian are notified about the incident. If the youth has a previous record or incidents, charges can be laid resulting in either measures or sanctions being granted. Finally, a youth could be criminally charged for Theft Under/Over $5,000 depending on the value of the items stolen. If found guilty, the youth would have a permanent criminal record and be subject to possible jail time."

In addition to having to combat shoplifting from customers, many retailers have the added burden of their own employees stealing from them. Most of Aritzia's staff are youth and the company admits that employee theft is an issue they face. "I would like to think that we don't have issues with employee theft but I know that we unfortunately do," says Kristen.
Since employee theft is considered a more serious crime than shoplifting, it comes with more serious consequences. "In this circumstance, the youth's employment status is at risk and victim cooperation is more likely, thus increasing the chances of charges being recommended," explains Constable Mattu. In fact, this is the policy at Aritzia. "If someone is caught stealing from the company, they will be terminated immediately and the company will file charges with the police," confirms Kristen.

While the consequences of getting caught shoplifting may seem harsh, it is clear that a more proactive approach is needed to truly mitigate the phenomenon. "Simply punishing such behaviour with a slap on the wrist is clearly insufficient," says Constable Mattu, "It seems that until the root of this issue is addressed –that is low self-esteem, peer pressure and inconsistent value systems– teen shoplifting is here to stay."

While endowing a sense of self-esteem and consistent values in your friends may seem daunting, there are ways to combat the problem that don't require a degree in psychology. "If possible, provide good advice and discourage the behaviour," advises Constable Mattu, "Try to avoid the situation by encouraging participation in other activities, such as sports, hobbies and being a good role model. Should the situation continue, it is best to tell a trusted adult, such as a teacher, counsellor, pastor or coach. Your friend may need more help than you can provide but you can still steer them in the right direction. Most importantly, do not feel pressure to become an active participant."

So, ultimately, it's up to us. Although it seems as though shoplifting is a rite of passage for many teenagers, it doesn't have to be that way. Solving the problem of shoplifting means a fundamental shift in the way teenagers self-identify, but it can, and must, start on the individual level.