National retail establishments, worried about image and perception, will let you leave with a gift card if you create a large enough “scene”. I have witnessed this. These outfits are focused on employee theft (aka shrinkage) and the public is robbing them blind.
“These outfits are focused on employee theft (aka shrinkage) and the public is robbing them blind.”
Last time I saw any figures, it was the employees who were robbing the stores blind. The stores don’t want the employees getting into fights with customer/shoplifters because it’s not worth the legal downsides.