Retail establishments, such as Walmart, frequently encounter incidents involving the unauthorized removal of merchandise valued at less than $100. This form of petty larceny typically involves items of low monetary value and often results in legal consequences that vary depending on jurisdictional laws. An example includes the shoplifting of groceries or small household goods without paying for them.
The impact of these incidents, while seemingly minor individually, cumulatively affects retail profitability and security protocols. Historically, strategies to mitigate such losses have evolved from simple surveillance to sophisticated electronic article surveillance and data analytics to identify patterns and potential perpetrators. The financial losses associated with these incidents can lead to price increases for consumers to offset the cost of stolen merchandise.
