You’re a security guard at a mall Boscov’s, and you probably bust one shoplifter every two days. Though your store publicly claims that its policy is to prosecute shoplifters to the fullest extent of the law, the real policy is that shoplifters are to be caught, taken to the security office where they are photographed and warned to never return to the store or risk prosecution. You’ve turned a total of two shoplifters over to the police, and in both cases the perp got violent when you caught him. Otherwise, they get their picture taken and sent on their way. That’s it.
Not good enough, sez you.
Today you’re going to enact a new policy. From now on, every shoplifter who gets caught and then let go is going to be paid a visit by you. They won’t know it of course. Not until they discover that one of their very valuable possessions has been stolen. You can start with the college student whom you’ll catch trying to walk off with a pair of fur ear muffs in her bag this afternoon.
You’ll let her go, as usual. But not before you get her photo and address. Tomorrow, call in sick and drive over to her dorm while she’s at class. Then break in and steal something you know she’ll miss (the mini-fridge). Leave a note in its place that reads, “It’s not so fun when shrinkage happens to you is it?” When she asks around to find out that the word shrinkage doesn’t just refer to that Seinfeld episode but is also the term used for lost retail revenue due to shoplifting, she’ll know what just happened.
“Justice,” she’ll whisper to herself while crinkling the edges of the note in her hands. “It hurts so good.”
She'll look at the six pack of diet cokes she just brought home from the store. No mini-fridge to keep them cold, not anymore. "A shoplifter like me doesn't deserve cold soda," she'll say. She'll get into bed and spend the next three semesters in a deep depression. Your work is done, security guard.
Happy You’re Like The Dexter Of Shoplifters Day!
