Shoplifters Nonchalant Reactions Insights from Security Personnel on Recent Arrests

Increase in first-time offenders due to economic downturn

“Stop! It’s not what you think!”

A woman’s voice echoed through the store. The location was a large supermarket in Saitama Prefecture. The woman, who had filled her basket with unpaid items and was about to leave the store, began to raise her voice and cause a commotion when a man, suspecting her of shoplifting, spoke to her.

The man who spoke to her was Yū Itō, a shoplifting security officer who has apprehended over 6,000 thieves over 25 years. He recalls the incident (the following comments are from Itō):

“She was a woman in her early 60s (as seen in the photo above). She had a history of repeated shoplifting. Her method of stealing was a bold basket slip, where she placed two baskets on a cart and stole more items without going through the register. She caused a scene for 2 to 3 minutes, but when we took her to the store office, she calmed down. She kept apologizing and almost knelt in front of me, saying, ‘Please don’t call the police.’ She tried to justify herself, saying, ‘My husband has a severe illness and dementia…’ But when I called him, he was perfectly fine. It seems she wanted to steal luxuries like beer and meat, rather than struggling with her life.”

In recent years, shoplifting incidents have drastically increased. According to the National Police Agency, the number of reported cases in 2022 was 83,598, but by 2024, it had risen to 98,292, a jump of about 15,000 incidents in two years, showing an increase of nearly 17%.

“The economic downturn caused by the pandemic and rising prices has had a major impact. In the past, there were many habitual shoplifters like the woman I mentioned at the start, but recently, first-time offenders have become more common. It feels like the bottom is widening. There are cases where truck drivers struggling with rising fuel prices and ordinary couples in financial difficulty steal things like bento boxes. What stands out, especially, is the increase in shoplifting by foreigners.”

7 to 8 Minutes of Escape

Last August, Mr. Ito apprehended a man, A, a 20-something Sri Lankan, at a supermarket in Tochigi Prefecture.

He put on sunglasses and a hat from the store’s second floor, then moved to the first floor’s food section, filling a bag with unscanned bananas and snacks before attempting to leave the store without paying. When Mr. Ito confronted him, A fled for about 7-8 minutes before being caught outside the store after collapsing.

“A was an illegal immigrant, so he was handed over to the police who arrived on the scene. Shoplifting by foreigners is more common in rural prefectures like Tochigi and Gunma, where many factories are located. Lately, there has been an increase in crimes committed by people from South America, such as Brazil and Peru, or Southeast Asia, like Vietnam, who work in factories. Drug Stores that stock everyday items are often targeted. Some groups even organize into roles such as thieves, lookouts, and drivers, with 3-4 people involved.”

There has also been an increase in shoplifting by minors. In the fourth photo, two 16-year-old boys stole energy drinks and snacks at a supermarket in Chiba Prefecture.

“They were well-known delinquents in their neighborhood and had repeatedly ridden motorcycles without a license. When asked why they stole, they answered in an irritated tone, ‘We had money, but it felt like a waste to spend it.’ Most minors commit crimes for the purpose of reselling items. Among young female shoplifters, skincare products such as face masks and serums are popular. They sell them online to make pocket money.”

Shoplifting reflects the state of society. A man in his 60s tried to steal 5kg of rice from a supermarket in Saitama Prefecture. The sharp rise in rice prices likely influenced this. When caught, the man nonchalantly said, “Guess I got caught.”

“The increase in shoplifting may also be due to the automation of stores and the introduction of self-checkout systems in supermarkets and convenience stores. With fewer people monitoring, committing crimes has become easier. The decline in the quality of store employees, due to an increase in part-time workers working during gaps between other jobs, is also a problem. Some employees even collaborate with shoplifters, turning a blind eye, or steal items themselves.”

The struggling economy and the trend of automation in stores with lax monitoring. Shoplifting is an individual crime but also a societal issue.

From the April 4/11, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”