So you’re at Walmart and see someone stealing sneakers. Would you call the police?
A poll from YouGov finds that just over half of Americans say they would call the police if they saw someone shoplifting, with big partisan variation in that response.
What the poll says
- Overall, 52% of Americans say they would call the police if someone were shoplifting in a store.
- By party, 67% of Republicans and 46% of Democrats say they would call the police.
- By race, 55% of white Americans and 44% of Black Americans say they would call the police.
- 32% of Americans say they would not call the police
Perhaps the question wasn’t specific enough. For example, I was once in a 7-Eleven and saw a fella steal a six-pack of beer. He ran out quickly and had a getaway car waiting for him. I also ran out, followed them in my car, and got their license plate number. But to my dismay, the store manager, who witnessed the incident, didn’t call the police. Moreover, he didn’t seem very interested in my giving him the license plate number when I returned to the store. In that case, I didn’t call the police but DID go out of my way to obtain a plate number.
In a second situation, at the same 7-Eleven, someone stole $5 or $6 worth of cigarettes or vapes. No one there called the police, but, ironically, a policeman walked in about a minute later, and a young lady and I told the cop what had happened. But the cashier, who has been working there forever, said it wasn’t worth getting the police involved for such a low-cost item, especially since it was a one-off incident.
So, perhaps it depends?
Does stealing a Slurpee warrant a customer calling the cops?
If I were at a jewelry store, I might call the police. And if I’m at Walmart and someone is stealing a laptop, I might call. In both cases, I would certainly alert management but assume calling the cops would be their job.
Incidentally, if management called the police, I would wait there to assist law enforcement and answer any questions they might have.
But enough about me… Republicans are significantly more likely to report that they would contact police under the same circumstances as Democrats — for example, when encountering someone who is seemingly experiencing mental health issues but is not posing a threat to others (77% vs. 58%), when witnessing shoplifting at a retail outlet (67% vs. 46%) or when they believe someone may be in this country illegally (33% vs. 11%).
Likewise, White Americans are more likely than Black Americans to report that they would contact police if they witness someone stealing from a retail establishment (55% vs. 44%).
Other Stats
- 19% of Americans would call the police for an illegally parked car – But what if it’s temporary? But what if someone is moving furniture and parks illegally in front of a building for an hour as a result?
- Only 95% would call the police if someone had been shot. To the 5% who wouldn’t, that’s borderline criminal.
- 18% would call the police if they suspected someone was in the country illegally. Would you?
- 41% of Americans rate their overall interactions with law enforcement as positive; 25 percent state that their encounters with law enforcement have been mixed; and 7 percent rate their interactions with law enforcement as negative, while 23 percent report having had no interaction with law enforcement.
