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Repetitive shoplifting in Stockholm, Sweden: a register study of 1802 cases
Author(s) -
Sarasalo Elina,
Bergman Bo,
Toth Janos
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
criminal behaviour and mental health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1471-2857
pISSN - 0957-9664
DOI - 10.1002/cbm.265
Subject(s) - thursday , suspect , register (sociolinguistics) , clothing , criminology , advertising , value (mathematics) , psychology , demography , history , sociology , law , political science , business , philosophy , linguistics , machine learning , computer science
Shoplifting is a major problem for the retail trade in western countries. However, knowledge about shoplifting and the intermediate stages between shoplifting and kleptomania is poor. The aim of the present study was to illuminate repetitive shoplifting, the crimes and the persons behind the crimes, some of whom may be kleptomaniacs. Kleptomania has strong compulsive features. Thus, we decided to base this study on suspects caught shoplifting three times or more in 1993 according to the Stockholm Police Department's register. During the study period 78 females and 299 males had been caught shoplifting three times or more, totalling 1802 occasions. The police register contained information about when and where the crime took place, the value and type of goods, the name, address and age of the suspect and if he or she denied the crime. Males stole more electronic items and the females more clothes, perfume and cosmetics. The value of the stolen items was about the same between the sexes, however. Monday to Thursday, as well as late afternoons were the most common times for being caught. In the majority of cases the shoplifters were unemployed. The shoplifting episodes were further divided into those which took place far from home and those which took place in the vicinity of the shoplifter's home. Housewives and old‐age pensioners shoplifted in the vicinity of their homes more often than others which tends to indicate transportation limitations. Copyright © 1998 Whurr Publishers Ltd.