Are fears of a shoplifting surge running away from the facts?

No, fears of a shoplifting surge are based largely on verifiable facts. There is no denying that there has been an increase in shoplifting in many parts of the world, including in the United States. According to statistics from the National Retail Federation, more than 28 million shoplifting incidents were reported in 2019, which is a 2 percent increase from the previous year. Additionally, the average value of stolen goods has risen, with some individual incidents involving losses in excess of $10,000. These facts indicate that there has been an increase in shoplifting that needs to be addressed.