'The Steal' Probes the Psychology of Shoplifting
A decade later, the videotapes remain just as compelling: A slight woman wanders through the floors of the Saks Fifth Avenue department store in Beverly Hills, California. She looks sloppy—an ill-fitted trench coat over a black dress—and she is encumbered with shopping bags and garment carriers. She definitely does not match the elegant surroundings. Built in 1938, this particular store has a history of catering to a privileged crowd in a wealthy neighborhood. To many of the customers, the individual designer boutiques may seem like exploding personal closets.Perhaps that’s what confused actress Winona Ryder back in 2001, causing her to shoplift $5,560 worth of items, including a Gucci dress ($1,600), an Yves Saint Laurent blouse ($755), and seven pairs of socks. Or maybe she just didn’t believe in paying retail.
“Watching the tapes, I felt that it was more exciting for her to steal the objects than to buy them,” says Rachel Shteir, an associate professor at the Theatre School at DePaul University. That exhilaration is one of the dichotomies that Shteir explores in her new book, The Steal: A Cultural History of Shoplifting In her new book, Shteir crafts a detailed history of shoplifting, from its modern roots in Elizabethan England to today’s pop culture—and, indeed, much of the book’s pulse comes from the intrigue surrounding celebrities who feel compelled to lift anything from a lipstick to expensive jewelry. The range of celebs who have been caught stealing is wide: former Disney star Lindsay Lohan (who walked out of a jewelry store wearing a $2,500 necklace), ex–Bush adviser Claude Allen (who claimed that the stress of Hurricane Katrina made him take items from several Target stores, including a printer and a mop), former Miss America Bess Myerson, singer Dean Martin, 1940s actress Hedy Lamarr. And after the book went to press, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mike Leake was arrested for the theft of six T-shirts from Macy’s (his charges were later reduced to unauthorized use of property). “We’re fascinated by the idea of someone who doesn’t need to do it, but still does it,” says Shteir.
Psychologists don’t agree on why people shoplift, and Shteir notes that the common thought about stealing can change with the times. For example, in the 1970s, shoplifting became a symbol of political resistance, thanks to Abbie Hoffman’s Steal This Book. But according to Shteir, our society is currently most comfortable thinking of shoplifting as an addiction, the same kind of risk/reward ride that comes with gambling. Interviews she conducted with active shoplifters confirm a thrill-of-the-steal sensation, as well as pride in the ability to beat “the man.” “Some view it as a game, some as an entitlement, and others are drawn to the secret excitement,” Shteir says.
Saks Fith Ave - News
Fashion designer Tory Burch, left, talks about her new collection of resort wear, after being introduced by Mindy Curtis-Horvitz, vice president/general manager of Saks Fifth Avenue in The Gardens Mall. Attending the elegant Tory Burch Luncheon at Saks
From left: Hedy Lamarr, Bess Myerson, Mike Leake, Lindsay Lohan, and Winona Ryder A decade later, the videotapes remain just as compelling: A slight woman wanders through the floors of the Saks Fifth Avenue department store in Beverly Hills,
Store security and Beverly Hills police were were able to nab two suspected shoplifters at the landmark Saks Fifth Avenue department store in Beverly Hills, a police lieutenant said. The attempted shoplifting was at 9600 Wilshire Blvd. at about 12:55
Saks Fifth Avenue is having its holiday sale with men's and women's fashions and accessories discounted up to 55 percent off through Sunday. However, come in on Monday the Fourth and get up to 70 percent off select, original priced items (sale starts
Police got a description of the vehicle from an employee at Saks Fifth Avenue after they reportedly stole items from the store. The vehicle later was stopped by state police on the Parkway West. Inside the vehicle, state police found bags from several
La Mer and Saks Fifth Avenue partner to save our oceans
To celebrate World Oceans Day — a global occasion that honors our oceans and takes action to protect them — Saks Fifth Avenue and luxury cosmetic brand La Mer came together for the third consecutive year to host a string of events that encouraged conservation and raised funds for Oceana , the world’s largest international ocean advocacy organization.
Held throughout May and June in Saks stores in New York, Los Angeles, Orange County and Miami, these four special occasions offered La Mer devotees, Oceana supporters and Saks customers the opportunity to snag La Mer products while benefiting our oceans. Fifteen percent of all purchases made during the events went to fund Oceana’s important work. Particularly popular was the limited edition World Oceans Day Crème de la Mer, specially created by La Mer to honor our seas. The Crème de la Mer will be sold at Saks Fifth Avenue and select luxury stores throughout June, as well as online at www.lamer.com .
“We are immensely grateful for La Mer’s long-standing support of Oceana’s work,” said Oceana Executive Vice President Jim Simon. “Our partnership with La Mer has a natural and poetic aspect, because La Mer’s product comes from the sea, and Oceana gives back by achieving measurable results to protect life in the sea.”
Top Oceana supporters — including Simon, Oceana Council Chair Susan Cohn Rockefeller and Oceana Board Chair Keith Addis — turned out to share the nonprofit’s recent successes, such as Congress’s passage of the Shark Conservation Act, which ends shark finning in U.S. waters, and the Belize government’s decision to ban trawling in its waters.
“Collaborations like these give Oceana a chance to discuss with people all over the world how we can overcome threats to a healthy and abundant ocean,” Simon explained.
A proud supporter of Oceana since 2005, La Mer also shows its commitment to preserving our oceans through its sustainable harvesting of kelp, which it uses to make its signature Crème de La Mer’s Miracle Broth.
An oceans advocacy nonprofit founded in 2001, Oceana fights to preserve fisheries, fish habitats and marine sanctuaries, aiming to restore our oceans to their former abundance. Boasting more than 300,000 members across 150 countries, the organization has made important strides in ocean conservation, protecting more than 1.2 million square miles of ocean and countless sea creatures through its strategic, science-based campaigns.
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Saks Fifth Avenue is a luxury American specialty store owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises (SFAE), a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. ...
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Operates luxury, specialty, and traditional department stores nationwide, including Saks Fifth Avenue, offering fashion apparel, accessories, cosmetics, and decorative home items.
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