From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

California has a shoplifting crisis. Their genius legislators passed a
law saying that stealing an item worth $950 or less can only be charged
as a misdemeanour, leading to masses of masked people entering stores to
steal items that they can resell, knowing the consequences are minimal
if someone actually tries to stop them. The stores have taken every
possible step to let these people steal without interference, fearing
that if an employee tries to stop them and the employee is injured, they
will be liable for those costs.

I just discovered a solution that at least one store owner has found: he prices EVERY item that costs less than $950 at $951 and then applies
discounts when people bring the item to the cash register to pay!

I don't know what store is doing this but whoever came up with this idea
is brilliant. That is some serious ingenuity to overcome this ludicrous
law! I don't know if this approach actually works but I don't see any
obvious grounds on which it could be challenged in court. Paying
customers still just pay the regular price but shoplifters are liable
for felony charges if they take things without paying for them.

I'm sure the genius legislators who effectively legalized shoplifting
will be angry that this solution was developed but that's just too bad:
this law should never have been passed in the first place.

I hope all jurisdictions that have issues with shoplifting (and swarms
of shoplifters) use this method and any other creative measures they can invent to stop this nonsense.
--
Rhino

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From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

On 5/22/2026 5:31 PM, Rhino wrote:

California has a shoplifting crisis. Their genius legislators passed a
law saying that stealing an item worth $950 or less can only be charged
as a misdemeanour, leading to masses of masked people entering stores to steal items that they can resell, knowing the consequences are minimal
if someone actually tries to stop them. The stores have taken every
possible step to let these people steal without interference, fearing
that if an employee tries to stop them and the employee is injured, they will be liable for those costs.

I just discovered a solution that at least one store owner has found: he prices EVERY item that costs less than $950 at $951 and then applies discounts when people bring the item to the cash register to pay!

I don't know what store is doing this but whoever came up with this idea
is brilliant. That is some serious ingenuity to overcome this ludicrous
law! I don't know if this approach actually works but I don't see any obvious grounds on which it could be challenged in court. Paying
customers still just pay the regular price but shoplifters are liable
for felony charges if they take things without paying for them.

I'm sure the genius legislators who effectively legalized shoplifting
will be angry that this solution was developed but that's just too bad:
this law should never have been passed in the first place.

I hope all jurisdictions that have issues with shoplifting (and swarms
of shoplifters) use this method and any other creative measures they can invent to stop this nonsense.

If this silliness ever got to court, I'd expect the shoplifter to
prevail, e.g., for "stealing an item *worth* $950 or less".


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From Newsgroup: rec.arts.tv

On 2026-05-22 22:00:00 +0000, moviePig said:

On 5/22/2026 5:31 PM, Rhino wrote:

California has a shoplifting crisis. Their genius legislators passed a
law saying that stealing an item worth $950 or less can only be charged
as a misdemeanour, leading to masses of masked people entering stores
to steal items that they can resell, knowing the consequences are
minimal if someone actually tries to stop them. The stores have taken
every possible step to let these people steal without interference,
fearing that if an employee tries to stop them and the employee is
injured, they will be liable for those costs.

I just discovered a solution that at least one store owner has found:
he prices EVERY item that costs less than $950 at $951 and then applies
discounts when people bring the item to the cash register to pay!

I don't know what store is doing this but whoever came up with this
idea is brilliant. That is some serious ingenuity to overcome this
ludicrous law! I don't know if this approach actually works but I don't
see any obvious grounds on which it could be challenged in court.
Paying customers still just pay the regular price but shoplifters are
liable for felony charges if they take things without paying for them.

I'm sure the genius legislators who effectively legalized shoplifting
will be angry that this solution was developed but that's just too bad:
this law should never have been passed in the first place.

I hope all jurisdictions that have issues with shoplifting (and swarms
of shoplifters) use this method and any other creative measures they
can invent to stop this nonsense.

If this silliness ever got to court, I'd expect the shoplifter to
prevail, e.g., for "stealing an item *worth* $950 or less".

I caught part of an old episode of rteh British quiz show "Qi" a couple
of days ago, where Alan Davies suggested that online stores should have
a special section where if you can outwit various security systems, you
get to "shoplift" the item(s) for free. :-)


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