I witnessed the same event at a Dunham's Sport Store in Ann Arbor Mich.. A man of African descent walked out of the store with an arm full of clothes, buzzers buzzing and nothing was done. I tried to get his license plate number but he parked so that it was impossible to get it and he sped off in his car. The store manager mumbled something at went on about his business.

Inflation. Worse than we have been told.

There was a story a couple of weeks ago on the news about a guy in San Francisco that raised all his prices to $1,000 each. Then he gave you a coupon for a rebate down to the original price when you paid for it. This allows him to file charges against people taking stuff over the $950 limit.

Well, it certainly is not how capitaiism is supposed to work. It is illegal, but we have judges who no longer stand by laws. I do agree, Austin is actually more Calif.! Not the Texas where I grew up. We were still in the get a possee and ride down rapists and hand horse theves.Becoming part of the "I and entitled to it." crowd is not teh answer. We are responsible for our actions and if we fail to remember that, we are not individuals, we are sheep.

All you have to tell them is I have him on the ground and I am armed. Usually they'll get there in no time. And if it was my business and the cops said it was just stuff, I'd tell them, "Yah, but it's my stuff". Personally I appreciate people like this good lady (note how YouTube must have blocked the criminals face to protect him): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKlj7... The original video with some explicit sound seems to have been deleted. I was surprised at the language that came out both of them.

Perhaps the way to stop this is to have two departure doors you must pass to get OUT of the store. Between the two doors is a scanner to detect if something has been NOT paid for. If something is detected, the outer door wont open until a security person checks out the situation.

Something has to change, or stores will just close as all the customers will just not pay eventually.

I knew about this in California, but Texas??? That state needs to purge some of its city officials if that's going on.

I think its up to the store to protect itself. Forget the police. Prevent the taking of items without paying. Maybe the future is closer to the old SEARS setup, where you pay and THEN get your product. Fast food places do it, why not stores.

Here in Alabama the police will investigate a theft period. Elsewhere me dino go the moniker, "RedState."

I made a point at my local police department yesterday. Two handsome young officers were complaining about their shortage of personnel. I suggested their joining the state's Civil Service and Collective Bargaining might have something to do with the fact no one wants to work at our Police Department. Never happened in previous years!

How would the police know if it's under $1K?

I would have thought there would be plenty of weapons AND ammo in a sporting goods store

New Rules: It's okay to shoot&kill looters no matter how little they are stealing.

That would end it pretty quick!

When in Rome....
You know the best way to do such a thing? Walk into the store maskless. And when the manager comes and tells you to put a mask on or he’s calling the cops, comply.
Then pull out a pillow case and fill it with $999.99 worth of merchandise and walk out without paying.
If I lived in SoCal I’d make that my new career.