© 2016 Macmillan Publishers Ltd. 0955-1662 Security Journal Vol. 30, 3, 772–792 www.palgrave.com/journals Original Article ‘Thinking thief’ in the crime prevention arms race: Lessons learned from shoplifters Nicole V. Lasky a, *, Bonnie S. Fisher a and Scott Jacques b a School of Criminal Justice, University of Cincinnati, PO Box 210389, Cincinnati OH 45221, USA. E-mails: laskynv@mail.uc.edu; fisherbs@ucmail.uc.edu b Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University, PO Box 4018, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA. E-mail: sjacques1@gsu.edu. *Corresponding author. Abstract Retailers invest considerable sums of money in security measures designed to prevent shoplifting. However, little is known about shoplifters’ perceptions of anti-shoplifting security measures or shoplifters’ techniques for outmaneuvering them. Building on Ekblom’s recommen- dation to ‘think thief’ to disengage from the crime prevention arms race, our data consist of in-depth interviews with active shoplifters who simulated shoplifting at two national retail stores while wearing an eye-tracking device. Shoplifters in the present study describe their perceptions of the deterrence potential of specific security measures and the various counter-moves employed to suc- cessfully steal merchandise. Implications for ‘thinking thief’ in the retail environment are discussed. Keywords: shoplifting; eye-tracking device; offenders’ perspectives; retail security; arms race; thinking thief Shoplifting is one of the most common crimes, yet it is among the least likely to be detected or reported (Clarke, 2002). An estimated 27 million persons shoplift annually in the United States, resulting in at least US$13 billion worth of goods shoplifted each year and more than $100 billion annually worldwide (NASP, 2006). Because shoplifting is harmful to retail establishments, to individual consumers, and to the economy at large, retailers have invested considerable sums of money in security techniques aimed at reducing shoplifting (Schultz, 2011). These techniques include closed circuit television (CCTV), electronic article surveillance (EAS), and specially designed packaging, among others. The effectiveness of such measures in reducing shoplifting is questionable, however, as shoplifters continually develop counter-techniques to successfully steal merchandise. This article considers anti-shoplifting security measures from shoplifters’ perspectives. We begin by describing Ekblom’s (1997) concept of the arms race between offenders and crime preventers, followed by a review of prior research on the employment and effectiveness of anti-shoplifting security devices. We then describe our methods and data, which consist of qualitative interviews with active shoplifters who simulated shoplifting at national retail stores while wearing an eye-tracking device. Next, we present our analysis of Security Journal (2017) 30, 772–792. doi:10.1057/sj.2015.21; published online 31 August 2015