PublicHouse
How
to Shoplift
Likea Pro
E veryone nabs something now and then— a pack of this smokes no one’ s minding at a house party, a beer from a bodega when you’ re already way too drunk, train fare by jumping a turnstile. But routinely going into stores with dedicated loss-prevention teams and stealing expensive things for years without being caught, that takes skill.
Apparently my friend— let’ s call her“ Jane”— has that skill. She’ s been seriously shoplifting for less than three years, but doing it so regularly that she’ s already amassed over $ 10,000 worth of stolen merchandise, and all without being stopped by security even once.
I sat down with Jane to find out how she does it and what advice she has for kids new to the game. Being a girl, she only lifts clothes, shoes, makeup and other useless shit, so won’ t help you get a brand new flat screen for free, but maybe you can get your girlfriend something nice for once.
-When did you first start stealing stuff?
It wasn’ t until I started working for Anthropologie, like maybe a year or so in. I just didn’ t get paid shit, and I was there all the time, and, I dunno, I spent way too much money there. I just started taking stuff slowly, and I got really good at it. It wasn’ t really until I moved here [ to New York City ] that I started stealing from other places.
-Do you think you’ re a klepto? Or do you take stuff you actually like?
I take stuff I actually like, and I’ ve also recently taken stuff
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