“The obvious drawback is that the criminal may be trapped, but he is trapped in the store with the employees and legitimate customers.”
That’s right; the only way to combat this is to have a code go out over the PA when certain groups known for thievery reach a critical mass (like three or four) in the store. All employees then encircle them (non-confrontationalyy, as salesmen, after calling 911 - saying they heard one refer to a “bomb on a plane”) and simply wait for the cops to usher them out. The cops may be looking for them already for a similar crime nearby...
point is, we DO profile...all the time...why is it so bad to profile against these black people....they don't ride the train or bus into the suburbs for nothing.....they're going there for a reason....