When we think of shoplifting, we often picture teens getting caught at the mall stealing lip gloss, or people bypassing the scanner at the grocery self-checkout. But in recent years, retail theft has gotten more serious, and much more organized.

Stores are facing an uptick in targeted, large-scale stealing, with a growing number becoming violent.

Globe retailing reporter, Susan Krashinsky Robertson, explains how much this increase is costing Canadian businesses, what police and retailers are doing about it, and why some people have complicated feelings around this kind of crime. 

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