Say Cheese

Instagram is great for selfies, catching shoplifters

Small businesses are finding very new ways to combat theft.

Say Cheese

Petty Theft

Say Cheese

Instagram is great for selfies, catching shoplifters

Small businesses are finding very new ways to combat theft.

Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. Estimates from The National Retail Federation put the amount of money lost from theft at $30 billion annually. For small businesses that can’t afford to build “shrink,” a term for losses in inventory, into their business models, the results of shoplifting can be devastating.

With limited resources, small stores can seldom afford security systems or guards, making them easy targets for thieves. Some stores are taking matters into their own hands, using social media to put shoplifters on blast and, sometimes, get justice.

American Two Shot, a small boutique in New York’s Soho neighborhood, recently had a run-in with a fancily dressed shoplifter. A woman wearing an, um, interesting coat came into the store and stole a pair of sunglasses. One of the owners of American Two Shot, Olivia Wolfe, noticed the thief while reviewing security camera footage and decided to do something about it. Using the hashtag #sohocrimestoppers, Wolfe posted the security footage to the store’s Instagram story and an internet-fueled manhunt ensued.

“There were a lot of people that DM’d and wanted to know who she was. And for us, it wasn’t like we needed to crucify her. If you knew who she was, I feel like that’s embarrassing enough,” Wolfe said.

An employee of a nearby store who follows American Two Shot on Instagram called a friend of Wolfe’s to tell her that she knew the thief because she came into her store and gave her “weird vibes.”

As it happened, this friend of a friend followed the thief on Instagram. “Sometimes you do that with customers,” Wolfe joked. The other store employee took screenshots of the woman’s account and sent them over to American Two Shot. Armed with this information, Wolfe wondered whether or not to alert the police. She eventually decided that, if only to send a message to the brazen thief, she would. The same day a detective came to the store and revealed that the culprit had a long rap sheet.

“If she doesn’t stop doing these types of things, at least this is a big speed bump,” Wolfe said.

The Instagram story surprised Wolfe, who says she ended up connecting with more local small business owners than she ever had before as a result. “People felt inspired I think,” she told me half-seriously.

Theft is a problem for many small business owners, and seeing justice get served was surely satisfying. A local vintage shop, Ritual Vintage, commented on American Two Shot's Instagram post in solidarity.

“I’m fed up as well. And I feel that at least in our neighborhood, if businesses our size agree that we all do this, post these turds to social media, maybe these girls will head elsewhere. Or stop all together. I’ve had several affluent looking young ladies rip my shop off in the past few months,” the comment said.

“I really wish people would stop stealing from small businesses,” Wolfe said. “It sucks so much.” She went on, “Stop stealing from us. We’re trying to make ends meet. It’s not that easy.”

“Stop stealing from us. We’re trying to make ends meet. It’s not that easy.”

Whether or not Instagram is the next Crime Stoppers remains to be seen. Wolfe explains that much of the success in this incident was due to the woman’s easily recognizable coat.

“There are plenty of thefts that happen here where somebody comes in and grabs something and hops on the train to a different island in a number of minutes,” Wolfe said.

But more than just catching thieves, it seems the whole ordeal served up some thrilling content for the store’s followers. I asked Wolfe if she’s considered putting #sohocrimestoppers on a t-shirt. “You know, we might,” she said, after surveying the store’s employees about the idea. As to whether or not she’d post another shoplifter on Instagram, Wolfe said she’s all for it.

“If we have the opportunity to do this again, I will gladly put someone else on blast.”