A dystopian solution to the problem: lock the shoplifters in the freezers until they freeze to death. Then leave them there as a warning. Or something. Or just close the stores and abandon the markets. Leave it as a truly food/convenience/medicine desert. Normal people will continue to move out and it will die a slow and ugly death, as it deserves to. Lastly, seal off city hall sooner than later so all the a$$holes who caused this problem can’t leave, and they to succumb to their madness. Its only fair, isn’t it? Just sayin’.
Actually, if the criminal predators aren’t dealt with, they just move to the next closest target.
A 90% solution would be to pass a state law and hang signs at stores declaring it, that anybody caught shoplifting will be forced to take swimming lessons.
“A dystopian solution to the problem: lock the shoplifters in the freezers until they freeze to death.”
Too unsanitary. How about this: haul the ones you catch out to the public square and force feed them pizza and ice cream until they expire. Repeat as necessary.
You want free food? You got it!