Theft is a costly headache for retailers large and small. Every year, millions and millions of dollars worth of items are pilfered from shelves and trucks across the country. To minimize losses, businesses are always looking for new ways to combat theft. Major international retailer Target may have hit upon one that has a criminal defense attorney issuing a dire warning.
According to California-based public defender Vee (@legallyveee), Target doesn’t simply nab you the moment they suspect shoplifting. She says that instead, it lets the alleged thief continue swiping items—up to a point.
“They don’t just get you on the freaking one dollar that you think you got away with one time,” Vee says in a viral TikTok. “They get you, they ID you, and they aggregate every time that you steal until the amount goes over to be a felony charge.”
Vee claims that her public defender’s office has seen an “insane” increase in cases brought by Target this year. She also notes that her video isn’t meant to be taken as legal advice and is simply her opinion.
According to Vee, people mistakenly believe they’re getting away with stealing. But Target is watching.
“You’re not getting away with it. They are waiting on you. They are looking at you,” she says. And how are they tracking you? With “very expensive cameras.”
Her TikTok has 2.2 million views as of this writing. Vee did not respond to an emailed inquiry sent Tuesday morning.
Bullseye on Target shoplifters
Every year, thieves pocket more than $100 billion from U.S. retailers. As one of the largest retail companies in the country, Target alone loses hundreds of millions annually to shoplifting.
After 2023’s $500 million increase in what’s known as “shrink,” which includes losses due to theft, poor recordkeeping, and damage, Target implemented a multipronged strategy to combat the issue. It closed nine stores hardest hit by shrink, placed oft-pilfered items in locked cases, and partnered with government agencies.
Vees suggests that part of this strategy entails letting people steal until it becomes a felony.
This allegation against Target has been circulating for years. In 2020, seven current and former Target employees around the country told Business Insider that it does have a policy of aggregating incidents into felony charges.
The company denied it. “We don’t have any policies in place to hold or bundle shoplifting charges until they reach a felony level,” it told the outlet.
One former employee reportedly said that the retail giant singles out the ones who steal the most.
“The people that Target waits to build a case on are not your run of the mill shoplifter; these are professional thieves,” they told Business Insider.
By waiting for someone to cross the monetary threshold into felony theft, which differs in each state, Target is making it more likely that the person will face stricter penalties, potentially including prison time.
If what Vee says is true, Target may be trying to build these cases against more repeat shoplifters. The company didn’t respond to an email sent Tuesday morning.
Last year, a California woman was convicted of stealing a cumulative $60,000 of merchandise from Target in 120 separate incidents over a year, per USA Today.
It’s not clear whether the incidents were aggregated, however. The jury found her guilty of one felony and 52 misdemeanors.
Comment confessions
For reasons unknown, many people decided to use the comments section on Vee’s video as a sort of confessional. Many admitted to stealing from Target and other stores in the past.
“I haven’t stole from target in about 3 years but I used to steal really bad back then and I’m just glad God convicted me and I’ve moved past stealing it was like a literal addiction,” one person said.
One copped to a legal, if ethically questionable, way to save. “I hide clearance items till they go 70% off, then I pay that price,” they wrote.
In a comment on one of Vee’s follow-up videos, another joked, “Target running to the comment section to screenshot all the confessions before they hit y’all with that felony charge.”
Vee’s message for would-be shoplifters looking to avoid catching a charge is simple: don’t.
“Please stop stealing from Target. And from everywhere else!” she says.
@legallyveee ♬ original sound – Vee?
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