Theft is defined in the 1968 Theft Act as appropriation of goods with the intention of permanently depriving the owner of them. Unless the shoplifter is only borrowing the goods with the intention of returning them then it is theft.
Tony
-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 23 April 2004 07:57
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Wanted Poster
In a message dated 23/04/04 07:49:40 GMT Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
> For the legal minded, "Why isn't 'shoplifting' always 'theft'?"
--------
The Theft Act - somewhere around the late sixties, I believe - strictly
describes the act of theft. Shoplifting is in a separate piece of legislation (my
memory is not good enough to remember which) and allows the owner of the
property to take people to civil court for recovery or recompense. Most shops have
changed their signs from "shoplifters will be prosecuted" to either "thieves
will be prosecuted" or "legal action will be taken against shoplifters" - this
probably is due to the fact that shoplifters cannot be prosecuted. Pedantic,
I know, but we don't want the youths (or older miscreants) to get away with
it on a technicality, do we?
Ian
Ian Buckland
Managing Director
Keep IT Legal Ltd
Please Note: The information given above does not replace or negate the need
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