[jakelazaroff]

Shoplifting is actually one of the least harmful forms of theft, in terms of dollars stolen. Wage theft costs orders of magnitude more. A few years ago, money stolen by police via civil forfeiture surpassed the amount stolen by burglars.

Yet the form of theft I hear the most about, by far, is shoplifting. Why do you think that is?

[josephcsible]

Why don't we use the terms "rent theft" or "loan theft" when people don't pay their rent or loan payments, since we use the term "wage theft" when companies don't pay their wages? In all of those cases, isn't it just not giving someone what you owe, rather than taking something away from someone?

[jakelazaroff]

Shoplifting is also simply refusing to pay what you owe (the price of the merchandise).

[josephcsible]

No, that would be like if you bought something with "net 30" terms and then didn't pay. With shoplifting, you're just taking someone else's stuff.