Way more shoplifting than old times. Bulky, heavy plastic container on a screwdriver is harder to hide than a tool wrapped in light weight paper.
Sorry if I seem cynical; but, the town I have lived in for 30+ years has changed so that people here shoplift right in front of you. I was in the grocery store a while back, and there was a tall black man with a large backpack emptying the shelves of canned stew and other items. Right in the backpack and out the door. That was when I realized why this particular store is so much more expensive. People seem to think that they are entitled to take what they want and, since no one actually stops them, they are right.
***people here shoplift right in front of you.***
I remember a similar case years ago. A store owner wanted cops to stop the shoplifting in his store, but he would never press charges when shoplifters were caught. He just wanted the police to stop the shoplifting.
The police left the store as they had more pressing things to do.