Shoplifting

Lore & Background

The first documented shoplifting occurred in 16th-century London, carried out by groups of men called lifters. By the late 17th century, London shopkeepers began displaying goods in windows and glass cases, which historians say accelerated shoplifting. The word 'shoplift' first appeared at the end of the 17th century in books like The Ladies Dictionary. Notorious female shoplifters included Mary Frith, Moll King, Sarah McCabe, and Maria Carlston, whose life was documented by diarist Samuel Pepys.

Reader's Guide

In the 19th century, it was redefined as kleptomania, primarily attributed to wealthy and middle-class women, a diagnosis criticized by anarchist Emma Goldman as class-biased. In the 1960s, shoplifting was reframed as a political act by activists like Jerry Rubin and Abbie Hoffman. Today, retailers combat it with strategies such as locked displays, sensors, security guards, and employee training. Researchers divide shoplifters into boosters (professionals who resell) and snitches (amateurs who steal for personal use). Commonly stolen items include disposable razor blades, electronic devices, vitamins, alcoholic beverages, and cigarettes. The term 'five-finger discount' is a euphemism for shoplifting.

Did You Know?

• The first documented shoplifting took place in 16th-century London.
• Shoplifting peaks between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. and is lowest from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.