How do Stores Track Suspected Shoplifters

My question involves criminal law for the state of: California

Is anyone aware of cases where a shoplifter get identified, tracked and subsequently accused/noticed by a store
way after the fact? In particular, I know in theory, stores can review/monitor their security cameras and perhaps somehow find
the identify of a shoplifter weeks later and then track him down. But I wonder how often this happens in reality. Does anyone have experiences
like that? Any web links of such a case to share would be appreciated. I could imagine if this happens at all, this would be by large big stores such
as Banana Republic, and familiars where they have all the money to spend on such a thing but still I am having a hard time finding
any news or articles about this online.

PS: Please no lecturing or generic answer. I am really looking for specific cases of this nature. Because as I said I understand in theory this might happen.

thanks

Yes, it does happen. If you continue to frequent the local store where you were busted and might have been known or suspected as a thief for some time, they will almost always recognize you. If you are passing through, probably not. However, if caught again, or if your name is flagged in the company's internal system, you might be caught and then asked to leave or potentially subject to arrest.

I have been called to stores to arrest or escort out people who have been admonished from returning to that store or another in the same chain. So, it does happen. I suspect it's not very common at all for stores other than the one you frequent, but, it can. So, it's your gamble and your call to make.

The stores have up until the statute of limitations to press charges. Does it happen? Absolutely. I have done it myself. I will say that a very cold case can be a hard sell to law enforcement and prosecutors do have the option not to pursue charges if they so chose.

There are no "specific cases" that we can point you to. Unless something establishes new case law or is otherwise notable, there is not going to be any coverage of it.

I was thinking "trespassing," but as for prosecution based upon ongoing activity and video evidence, ABSOLUTELY! I have filed numerous cases based upon witness and video testimony - often with actions over a period of time. Unfortunately for the suspect, those repeated acts can constitute burglary in CA because it can be shown as intent to commit the theft prior to entry into the business - a felony here.

It's best not to steal in the first place. Much safer that way! If you don't steal, you won't have to concern yourself with what a store does or the consequences at all! It's really quite simple!

I also have filed on shoplifter that were apprehended after the fact. In California, one such case was a person who had shoplifted, we had the video and eye witness testimony, but they were not actually apprehended until they came in the store again. When they were apprehended they had yet to steal anything that time.

We saved eyes witness reports and video from the past thefts. This happened more than once, but this particular case comes to mind.

Keep stealing, they WILL catch. And yes, they were charged with separate offenses for each time.

I've worked retail much of my life.

- One store....aside from LP having the pictures in their office of suspects, they would also post pics next to employee timeclocks...'if you see this person, call LP immediately".

- Facial Recognition Software. Did you know store mannequins eyes can actually be LP cameras?

- Stores can share info. Let's say you shoplifting at XYZ Warehouse #3.They will have it in their system to every XYZ Warehouse store nationwide. You shoplift from say...Mack's in CityMall....Mack's may pass out your pic to not only mall security but have it shared with all stores in the mall....

Thank you all. To summarize, people are saying if a shoplifter returns to a store where he used to shoplift, chances of getting caught is high. Makes sense but what if he doesn't? Do big retailers have any way of tracking a shoplifter from his image on a security camera all the way down to find his identity and possibly home address? And if they do (which seems unlikely) do they have legal support to report him as a shoplifter only given a security camera video?! Another question: Could store run shoplifter's finger print (if he had left one) against national data base to identify him?

And still no one have provided a concrete news article or link for a shoplifter getting arrested after the fact. @free9man mentioned these won't get news coverage. Why is that? Shoplifting are handled in private courts or such? I'm very suprized there is absolutely no single online links or articles on such a case...

@cdwjava, I gather you' worked at a retailer. Do you have any way of tracking someone from his picture on security camera and finding his identity? How long do you keep security camera videos? How do you even review all videos to find shoplifting cases? It just seems a lot of work to even review 24/7 of many security cameras.

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Do big retailers have any way of tracking a shoplifter from his image on a security camera all the way down to find his identity and possibly home address?

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generally, no but they can watch for him to come back. Given the state of face recognition software, I wouldn't be surprised to hear some stores use it to identify people as they walk into the store, at least as far as them being a person they are watching for based on a prior picture.They may have also gotten a license plate number.

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And if they do (which seems unlikely) do they have legal support to report him as a shoplifter only given a security camera video?!

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in some states yes, in others, no. Many states criminalize concealing merchandise. If that is visible on the video, then he can be charged based on the video.

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Another question: Could store run shoplifter's finger print (if he had left one) against national data base to identify him?

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how does a store have access to a police database?

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And still no one have provided a concrete news article or link for a shoplifter getting arrested after the fact. @free9man mentioned these won't get news coverage. Why is that? Shoplifting are handled in private courts or such? I'm very suprized there is absolutely no single online links or articles on such a case...

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retailers don't want you to know what they have in their backroom. You might say they protect their trade secrets.

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@cdwjava, I gather you' worked at a retailer. Do you have any way of tracking someone from his picture on security camera and finding his identity? How long do you keep security camera videos? How do you even review all videos to find shoplifting cases? It just seems a lot of work to even review 24/7 of many security cameras

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carl's a real cop. If he works at at retailer, it would have to be as a second job.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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Thank you all. To summarize, people are saying if a shoplifter returns to a store where he used to shoplift, chances of getting caught is high. Makes sense but what if he doesn't?

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Then he has dodged a bullet. But if he continues in the behavior, he will eventually be caught.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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Do big retailers have any way of tracking a shoplifter from his image on a security camera all the way down to find his identity and possibly home address?

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With just a face shot? Not entirely likely but if someone had the time and the know-how I suppose it's doable. For a minor shoplifter, it would be too much of a hassle.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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And if they do (which seems unlikely) do they have legal support to report him as a shoplifter only given a security camera video?!

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If the video shows him stealing, absolutely.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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Another question: Could store run shoplifter's finger print (if he had left one) against national data base to identify him?

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Retailers cannot access AFIS last time I checked. But they do have the ability to hand over said fingerprints and any other evidence to law enforcement, who can run the prints. One retailer, Target, has multiple nationally recognized crime lab facilities which include top notch fingerprint equipment and techs.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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And still no one have provided a concrete news article or link for a shoplifter getting arrested after the fact. @free9man mentioned these won't get news coverage. Why is that?

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Ever heard the phrase, if it bleeds it leads? Well, shoplifters don't bleed. The only time I've seen shoplifting on the news was when the shoplifter was especially prolific in their stealing or did something to escalate the incident, such as using a weapon. 99.8% of criminal cases never receive any news coverage because they aren't really news.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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Shoplifting are handled in private courts or such?

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Nope, normal criminal court like all the other perps.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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I'm very suprized there is absolutely no single online links or articles on such a case...

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See above. It's not newsworthy. You are free to get a Westlaw subscribtion or dig through Google Scholar to see if you can find anything.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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@cdwjava, I gather you' worked at a retailer.

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Sweet Mary, did you look at his signature. He is a police officer.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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Do you have any way of tracking someone from his picture on security camera and finding his identity?

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Completely depends on the company.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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How long do you keep security camera videos?

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Depends on the company. Video of confirmed/suspected incidents is retained indefinitely.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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How do you even review all videos to find shoplifting cases?

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Trade secret.

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Quoting jk

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generally, no but they can watch for him to come back. Given the state of face recognition software, I wouldn't be surprised to hear some stores use it to identify people as they walk into the store, at least as far as them being a person they are watching for based on a prior picture.They may have also gotten a license plate number.

in some states yes, in others, no. Many states criminalize concealing merchandise. If that is visible on the video, then he can be charged based on the video.

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Any idea about California's position on this? What if someone had picked up an item and forgot to pay or what if he changed his mind? Seems like they at least need an end-to-end video?

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Quoting free9man

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Retailers cannot access AFIS last time I checked. But they do have the ability to hand over said fingerprints and any other evidence to law enforcement, who can run the prints

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Could you be clear on this, are they able to pass along a suspect shoplifter fingerprint and have it matched against nation wide data base to find identity of a possible shoplifter? Do they need explicit evidence of crime for such a privilege? Do we have a reference for this from law?

You don't need video at all to convict a thief. LP and/or store employee testimony is sufficient.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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What if someone had picked up an item and forgot to pay or what if he changed his mind?

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One time with a small item would probably be viewed as an oopsy. Multiple trips or high-dollar merchandise? That excuse ain't gonna fly.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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Seems like they at least need an end-to-end video?

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How do you know they don't have it? It's also pretty easy to tell for a seasoned investigator, even on video, when something is an honest mistake or intentional.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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Could you be clear on this, are they able to pass along a suspect shoplifter fingerprint and have it matched against nation wide data base to find identity of a possible shoplifter? Do they need explicit evidence of crime for such a privilege? Do we have a reference for this from law?

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Yes, they can pass it along to law enforcement to be run as part of an investigation into a reported crime. There is no law for it. It's called law enforcement investigating using the evidence they are given.

Now, is there anything else we can help you with on your How to be a successful shoplifter guide?

I know of a few retail stores that use facial recognition software. It alerts when there is a suspected or confirmed shoplifter that enters a store. Everyone is scanned when walking in the door.

Here's a video for you. This was made public a long time ago. It's Casey Anthony in Target while Caylee was still missing. The check she wrote was actually stolen from a friend of hers, hence why they had this tape. This was also used in her criminal trial for murdering Caylee, to show how she wasn't buying anything for a toddler and didn't have a care in the world that her kid was missing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62VAwKtkqMw

I guess you can see how amazingly detailed it is.

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Oh, here ya go. I'm planning my move back south so I read Bay New 9 everyday.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2014/4/11/no_theft_to_small_in.html

NO THEFT TOO SMALL IN LATEST POLK STING OPERATION STICKY HANDS:
POLK COUNTY --

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said he’s cracking down on retail theft and he’s starting with his latest sting dubbed Operation Sticky Hands.

The operation led to the arrest of more than 40 people.

Surveillance video of the thefts show a plastic bin filled with stolen meat and an empty baby carriage stuffed with stolen clothing.

“They walked right in on camera. They’re playing the odds and they’re getting arrested. But if you can’t fix stupid, we can arrest stupid,” Judd said.

The sheriff said the operation zeroed in on more than 40 people, with some stealing things worth next to nothing.

“We saw the smallest retail theft was a $1.50 for some Pringles. And when asked why in the world you steal Pringles, his response was well I’d been smoking marijuana and I had the munchies,” Judd said.

Small amount or not, the sheriff said he’s cracking down on even the smallest theft.

“Some people may go why in the world are you messing with misdemeanor shoplifters? They’re not just misdemeanor shoplifters. The people that are in the stores stealing are the same ones that were in your neighborhood stealing,” he said.

The sheriff said many of the people who they arrested gave various excuses about why they did or did not steal what they’re accused of. But he said he wants their arrest and the poster hanging in stores to serve as a reminder that if you steal from stores in Polk County, you’ll get a free ride to the county jail.

It’s a ride Linda Matherly said she shouldn’t have taken because she didn’t steal; she just made an honest mistake.

“I paid for my groceries and the dog food and cat food was underneath the bottom of the tray, I forgot totally about it being there,” she said.

But Matherly’s picture still made it to the list of suspects. It’s a list of arrests the sheriff said he hopes will send a clear message to anyone with sticky fingers.

“We have zero tolerance at the sheriff’s office if you steal you go to jail. Period,” Judd said.

The sheriff’s office partnered with big box retailers to crack down on retail theft. They recently hosted a class providing tips and tools.

The sheriff said from now on anyone who is caught stealing won’t be given a warning or a notice to appear. They’ll be taken to jail.

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So...now that you've seen a couple of links, would you like to know what the punishment is for shoplifting?

- A criminal record that will make finding a job very, very difficult for many years. And did you know you can even be refused a lease on a house or apartment for that record, because it's a "Crime of Moral Turpitude".

- Court Costs and Fines.

- Restitution.

- A Civil Demand. This is separate from the criminal case. It can start at $50 on a low end, and even start at $500, depending on the state the crime was committed in.

- Other possibilities: Community Service (the criminal gets to pay for this, too, as someone has to supervise them and keep track of their hours, sign the paperwork, etc). Anti-shoplifting class. Probation. Possible jail time.

- Attorney fees, or a few hundred for a Public Defender. Contrary to popular belief, a PD is not free.

See those signs in WalMart bathrooms/fitting rooms that shoplifting can cost you $2000+? They are not joking.

And I'm not kidding about how shoplifing can **** up your job opportunities for many years. I did it 5 years ago. One more week and I can file for expungment of my record, pay the costs to do that (the lawyer wanted $1000 plus costs to do this, and it's something I can do myself).

Here's what it cost me.
$1500 for a Criminal Defense Attorney
$250 Civil Demand.
$303 court costs/fines.

Plus five years of wages. Last year, I made $4654.00 total income. I used to make $21K a year. Do that math as to how much 1 shoplifting charge has cost me in wages. $21K times 5 = $105,000.

Even though my lawyer got me a plea deal to "Disorderly Conduct", the thing is...for $10, a potential employer can run my name and SSN through IChat, which is Michigan's criminal database, and they can see the original charge of Larceny, then Retail Fraud, then final deposition of Disorderly Conduct. And this has to go on employment applications as well.

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Quoting CourtClerk

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I know of a few retail stores that use facial recognition software. It alerts when there is a suspected or confirmed shoplifter that enters a store. Everyone is scanned when walking in the door.

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Do you know the name of this software? Which retail stores?

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Quoting jellyjelly

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Do you know the name of this software? Which retail stores?

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Do a Google search for the software. Nobody is going to tell you which stores.

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Quoting jellyjelly

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Do you know the name of this software?

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Yes

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Which retail stores?

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Yes

As Security Consultant said, no one is going to tell you. That defeats the purpose of stores having it. No one here is going to aid a criminal or a potential criminal.

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Quoting CourtClerk

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Yes

Yes

As Security Consultant said, no one is going to tell you. That defeats the purpose of stores having it. No one here is going to aid a criminal or a potential criminal.

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Not a criminal here for the record rather a security researcher interested in the topic . :)
Meanwhile it is understandable for people to give lectures on this forum to try to fix bad people out there, I think we should keep the focus of each thread on its specific topic. By in large this thread which is about ways and specific case studies store could potentially track and identify a shoplifter is not answered yet. The latest is store won't give such information out due to confidentiality.

thanks

You are confused about the purpose of this forum. This isn't a forum to discuss shoplifting techniques, shoplifting detection technology, and how people can potentially get away with shoplifting. This is a forum for legal questions.