shoplifter

[ shop-lif-ter ]

noun

1. a person who steals goods from the shelves or displays of a retail store while posing as a customer.

shoplifter

/ ˈʃɒpˌlɪftə /

noun

1. a person who steals goods from a shop during shopping hours

Word History and Origins

Origin of shoplifter¹

1670–80; obsolete shoplift shoplifter ( shop + lift ) + -er ¹

Example Sentences

A prolific former shoplifter who stole "tens of thousands" of pounds' worth of goods has said he regularly sold stolen items to other shops.

From BBC

A shoplifter who stole 798 Cadbury's Creme Eggs has been jailed for eight months.

From BBC

A prolific shoplifter has been jailed for 10 years after stealing from more than 1,000 shops across the country.

From BBC

The serial shoplifter travelled all over the country, robbing stores in Solihull, Worcester, Cheltenham, Malvern, Shrewsbury, Cardiff, Trowbridge, Reading and Yeovil, among other locations.

From BBC

Before the general election, the Labour Party pledged to reverse what it described as the "shoplifter's charter" - a piece of 2014 legislation that reduced the criminal punishment for "low-value shoplifting".

From BBC

Related Words

• bandit
• burglar
• con artist
• crook
• looter
• marauder
• mugger
• pickpocket
• pirate
• raider
• rustler
• swindler
• thief
• thug