Dollar stores are usually very understaffed, yet because they are small, the management and cashier see just about everything. There is little to stop anyone from taking whatever they want. Bigger stores, like walmart and major grocery stores, are very easy to steal from especially if there are “self-check” checkouts.If you want two of something, buy one and save your receipt and go back and pick up another and show your receipt.
it is also easy to put unscanned items in your cart or carry them out with a receipt without scanning everything. If you do this and are poor, your meager check will last much longer. Many shoplifters are trying to preserve their money rather than steal something classy, so it makes more sense that they would steal meager stuff and cosmetics and whatever they need to feed the baby because those really eat at the budget of the poor.
I’m a little bit of an idealist, but necessities ought to be available to the poor somehow. In my town, the Church Health Center provides a lot of hygiene items, diapers (adults and babies), some cosmetics, baby items, health needs, etc etc. I am a capitalist but am poor and I know that check won’t stretch from one end of the month to the next. Unless help is given, even relatively honest people will justify shoplifting and petty thefts. Other people are just plain nasty and will take whatever they damn please and may even jab you if you try to confront them.