Gotcha: More shoplifters caught in 2013

Shoplifters and dishonest employees were apprehended in record numbers by U.S. retailers in 2013, according to a recent survey of theft. 

The "26th Annual Retail Theft Survey" by Jack L. Hayes International shed plenty of light on the dark practice of stealing. Perhaps most worrisome, according to the survey organizer, is that theft seems to be on the rise.

For shoplifting, the apprehensions were up 2.5% and the recovery dollars 4.5%; and for dishonest employees the apprehensions were up 6.5% and 2.5% for recovery dollars. 

Of those apprehensions, 78,085 were dishonest employees, and 1,102,635 were shoplifters. 

"What is also of importance is these increases follow similar increases reported the previous two years,” said Mark R. Doyle, president of Jack L. Hayes International.

Twenty-three large retail companies with 23,204 stores and more than $660 billion in retail sales were represented in the survey. These participants apprehended 1,180,720 shoplifters and dishonest employees in 2013, up 2.8% from 2012.

While dishonest employees were far fewer in number than shoplifters, the amount recovered was much closer. Recoveries amounted to $80.7 million for shoplifters, and $53.8 million for dishonest employees. 

Mr. Doyle added, "Retail theft is a serious problem, which is stealing retailers' profits and causing consumers to pay higher prices to help offset these losses."