Shop customers pay the price for shoplifters - Kildare judge
‘These are not victimless crimes’
Shoplifters need to be aware that their offences are not victimless crimes.
This was the comment made by Judge Desmond Zaidan at Naas District Court.
He was dealing with the case of a woman who was prosecuted for a number of shoplifting offences and on one occasion she was accompanied by a 10 year old child.
“Behind every shop there are people who work there,” commented the judge, adding that the high tech security systems deployed by stores to combat these crimes cost money as does the use of security staff on the ground who try to prevent theft.
“It is not a victimless crime,” he said because these costs are passed on to the consumer.
Judge Zaidan imposed two consecutive 11 months custody terms and other matters were taken into consideration.
He also granted the woman free legal aid.