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Many moons ago, after school, I worked in a grocery store.

Our manager advised that customers could place food or merchandise anywhere on their body or purse or where ever without the act being considered actual shoplifting. Not until they LEFT THE STORE without paying could anything be done about it.

We were told by the manager, if we saw what appeared to be shoplifting to discreetly notify him. He would wait until the shoplifter got outside before doing anything.

Our manager would follow the shoplifter and once outside use words to the effect that he (the shoplifter) needed to come back inside and pay for the merchandise. No scolding, no laying on of hands, just a simple statement of fact - in essence, you Mr. Shoplifter - you are caught.

Perhaps because it was in the early sixties, his system never failed. Shoplifters didn't overreact with loud denial or profanity. They shamefacedly came back in the store, paid for the item or items and left never to return.

(If I recall correctly, the policy of waiting until the shoplifter left the store was to prevent customer lawsuits brought about by false accusation)