Commentary: Could social media be to blame for the global uptick in shoplifting?

SINGAPORE: Shop theft has been rising in Singapore in recent years. There were 3,244 cases of shop theft in 2022. This figure jumped 21 per cent to 3,939 in 2023, and again by 7.6 per cent to 4,237 cases in 2024.

The first half of 2025 saw 2,097 cases, 4.2 per cent higher compared with the same period last year. Shop theft was the most common physical crime in the first half of the year, and remains one of the top offences committed by youths.

The uptick in shoplifting has been observed elsewhere in the world. England and Wales recently logged a peak level of offences since records began decades ago, while an American nonprofit found that shoplifting rose by 24 per cent across 23 US cities in the first half of 2024. Hong Kong saw a 6.6 per cent year-on-year increase in shop theft in 2024.

Experts posit that shoplifting became widespread in the post-pandemic era as shops reopened with more self-checkout counters installed, and cost-of-living pressures bore down on consumers.

Does the uptrend in Singapore’s shop theft data reflect deeper socio-economic trends? Or is it simply a result of better surveillance technology and reporting? The answer may be a bit of both.

BETTER DETECTION SYSTEMS

Singapore police explained that the increase could be due to better shop theft detection systems. The number of merchants who joined the police’s STAR (Shop Theft Awareness for Retailers) programme exceeded 1,000 in 2024.

Under STAR, retailers and the police collaborate on assessing risks and implementing crime-prevention measures in the shop premises. The programme aims to make it more difficult and risky for potential perpetrators to commit crimes, and to reduce the motivation and opportunities for them to do so.

Surveillance systems, store layout, lighting arrangement and tagging of goods are some measures that are considered. 

As awareness of the deployed measures is heightened, retailers may reap the benefits of lower numbers of shop theft as experienced by some participants, such as Tangs at VivoCity and Sheng Siong.

WHY PEOPLE STEAL FROM SHOPS

Criminology theory tells us that for shop theft to occur, three elements must come together: a motivated offender, a suitable target and the absence of a capable guardian, such as security staff.

What about motivation and attitudes behind shop theft, especially among youth? In Singapore, there does not appear to be a clear link between shop theft and growing economic hardship. Shopkeepers that spoke to CNA TODAY said items that get stolen sometimes include non-essential goods, and people who steal may do so out of habit.

It is undeniable that social media can influence attitudes of the young. Social media unfortunately has content that promotes offending.

"Borrowing hauls", where users show off what they stole, have been a TikTok trend since 2020. Members of the borrowing community feel they shouldn’t be paying big corporations inflated prices for everyday items. Some users even covertly share tips on how to steal from shops.

The term “borrowing” is used to play down the seriousness of the crime and make it acceptable. It trivialises the offence and lowers the barriers to offending.

While reports of this trend have largely been from Western media, we cannot discount the influence it can have on youths in Singapore. Online harm recognises no boundaries. 

In this light, crime is viewed as something that is not deviant and without negative connotation. This conforms with the neutralisation theory, which states that the distortion of facts, reduced perceived harm and minimised personal responsibility may lead to deviant behaviour.

The influence exerted by such videos and other peer communications reflects the power of social learning. When youths see their peers adopt such language and behaviour, they learn to associate with the group norm, seek peer recognition and imitate the same behaviour. 

Research has shown that past offending can be a gateway to more serious offences. If there is no intervention, shop theft presents a risk factor for future offending, and may impact employment and education outcomes. Therefore, while shoplifting may arise from thrill-seeking, we do not want to treat it lightly.

TACKLING SHOP THEFT

What matters is the balance of messages that youths receive online and offline.  Adverse social media and negative peer influence need to be countered with appropriate messages that can come from families, schools and social groups. It is a competition for the mindshare of youths. 

Messages carried by influencers or young role models can be put out to counter the downplaying of crime. Authorities, schools and parents can work together to inculcate critical thinking skills in youths, so they can consciously examine their choices instead of bending to peer pressure.

We need to be aware of the challenges youths are going through, how they feel and why they do certain things. Counter-balancing efforts must be sustained so that positive messaging can win in the competition for youths’ mindshare.

This combination of shop-centric and offence-centric analysis will illuminate our understanding of the causes and the ways to tackle shop theft.

Soh Kee Hean is Associate Professor and Head of the Criminal Investigation Minor and Applied Behavioural Sciences Minor at Singapore University of Social Sciences.