Shoplifting, Larceny, Robbery, Theft shoplifting in a washroom

[sarahbaby]

What are the chances of someone being stopped and charged (or later on down the road tracked down and charged) for shoplifting in a washroom in a grocery store? I work at a grocery store and I needed to use the washroom. There was a line up and in front of me was a woman with a child in a stroller. She went into the washroom with a full bag of items and when she came out her bag was noticeably less full. I suspected she stole certain items and hid them in the stroller. She then paid for the remaining items with a credit card and left without a problem. I mentioned what I observed to the LP working the door and he said he couldn't do anything about it because he didn't see it happen. So, did she just get away with it? I'm sure the cameras would have caught her placing the items in her bag and noticed when she paid there were items excluded... so what gives? Why didn't the LP stop her? Can the store find her and press charges?

 

[thelawjournal]

Loss Prevention Officers follow a set of "must" in order to make a stop. In most retailers they call them "steps". I cannot recite this stores steps but they are basically the same everywhere. That being said if the LP did not see the person select the item, conceal it and then attempt to leave store hes right he cannot do a thing. Since a CCTV could not follow her into constant oberservation (another step) could not be maintained. Now if a Lp or other approved staff member had followed her into restroom to monitor situation then a stop could be made.