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One of the most disturbing facts about shoplifting is millions of dollars of store goods get shoplifted every day. What's even more depressing is that not only does the store suffer, but we as tax payers suffer as well. Taxes increase due to inflation.

Thousands of teenage kids are getting arrested every day because of shoplifting. As a parent you need to make sure that if your troubled teen is caught shoplifting you should punish them so they know that what they did is a serious offense. It does not matter if it was a pack of gum from the store, they need to realize that it can lead to more costly things. Some teens cannot stop stealing once they start. The high and emotional feelings some people get is called kleptomania. The term is when someone is addicted to shoplifting. Now make sure you understand that most teens wouldn't fall into this category simply stealing one time. If your teen is constantly getting in troubled with the law when it comes to shoplifting they may have a problem.

Another reason some teens shoplift is due to peer pressure. Some high school of college groups will initiate another person if they do certain dangerous things. Sometimes they require the teen to go into a department store and steal a shirt or a pair of jeans. In this case, you as a parent may need to focus on what type of kids your child is hanging around with, other than figuring out how to stop them from stealing again.

Here are some things you can do if you catch or suspect your teen is shoplifting:

• Talk to them and let them know stealing is a serious crime
• Make your teen return the merchandise to the store
• Offer that your teen pay of the debt with money or free service
• Punish them by taking away certain items for a period of time
• Be serious, but make sure you let them know it was a mistake and you still love them

If your teen continues to steal and make wrong choices you may consider sending them to a residential behavior school that will help them change their behavior. Our specialized placement representatives are here to help. Give us a call today and we can discuss different options that will get your teen's life back on track.