Earlier in the month, Target claimed that “organized retail crime” led to $400 million in extra profit loss over the course of the past year.
This is an interesting claim given that Target has a notoriously intense loss prevention program, with customers and employees alike reportedly being monitored at all times to ensure that they do not steal from the store.
Now, a user on TikTok and an alleged former Target employee sparked discussion about the company’s loss prevention methods in a video with over 93,000 views.
In the video, TikTok user Hannah (@miss_getalife) claims that Target will wait for shoplifters to accumulate enough stolen goods for them to receive a felony charge rather than pursuing every individual shoplifter.
“They make it so easy [to shoplift], but just don’t!” Hannah advises.
@miss_getalife #stitch with @simplysimone #target #rant #fyp ♬ original sound – Lil_wastebin✨🧚🏼♀️🥰
This is not a recent accusation. In 2020, Insider documented similar claims from numerous Target employees around the country.
“Headquarters tracks the people who are impacting the stores the most,” a former Minnesota Target employee told authors Shoshy Ciment and Mary Meisenzahl. “Sometimes we are told to only collect information but do not apprehend. This is because a Target Investigator is working with law enforcement to press charges and get these people arrested for a long time.”
For their part, Target denies these claims, telling Insider, “We don’t have any policies in place to hold or bundle shoplifting charges until they reach a felony level.”
“At Target, we prioritize the safety and well-being of our guests, team members and the communities we serve,” the spokesperson continued. “Like most retailers, we have security practices, training, and technology in place to address shoplifting in our stores.”
That said, many users in the comment section insisted upon the veracity of Hannah’s claim, with some saying this was a common practice across multiple retailers.
“Sephora had a literal drawer of photos and Facebook account screenshots of people who stole from us,” one user wrote.
“Certain Walmarts do the samething,” another added. “They’ll wait until it reaches $2,000 worth of theft then they’ll call the police to come get you.”
“Nordstrom does the same and they prosecute to the fullest,” claimed a third.
“I also worked at Macy’s and this is what they do,” offered a fourth. “They wait until you take x amount and they call the cops on u.”
However, some contested Hannah’s idea.
“As someone who works at target, this isn’t true,” stated a commenter. “BUT they do have a sh!t ton of cameras and asset protection, so be careful!”
The Daily Dot reached out to Target via email and Hannah via TikTok comment.
