The phenomenon is not new, but it seems to be gaining momentum. In recent weeks clear images have been posted on social networks of customers presented as thieves by some shoplifting victims. This practice, called doxingwhich consists of making public photos or videos of an individual you are trying to identify to harm them, is very common in the United States.
In France, more and more merchants now prefer to go through social networks “to do justice”. This is the case of Jennifer, a shopkeeper from Forbach (Moselle), who last month saw clothes worth 480 euros disappear in seconds. She declared the theft to the police, but with no news of the investigation, she decided to post the images of the alleged thief captured by her video surveillance system on her Facebook account.
“I have a photo of her license plate, as well as a photo of her husband and baby”
“When I picked up my son from daycare, my saleswoman was alone. The customer took the opportunity to steal four quilts from me. I invite this lady to bring them back to me because a complaint will be filed. I have a photo of her license plate, as well as a photo of her husband and baby. People disgust me,” she wrote on Facebook before deleting her post.
In September, another retailer released images of a theft from its consignment shop. Two days later, the thieves returned the stolen items under the pretext that they had forgotten to pay. “They were embarrassed, ashamed, that was the goal. Because they are rarely afraid of justice. We will not hesitate to do it again,” the trader justified himself.
Up to one year in prison and a 45,000 euro fine
Many small traders in the four corners of France have also opted for this approach. “We have decided, like our fellow merchants recently, to publish images of all the incivilities we experience. The pharmacy is equipped with several cameras. From now on we will show photos of all people who fly to our pharmacy. On good terms! “Warns a pharmacy in Petite Rosselle (Moselle) on its Facebook account.
Last April, a supermarket located in Verdun-sur-Garonne (Tarn-et-Garonne) decided to highlight the faces of alleged thieves on a large sign at the store entrance, accompanied by the inscription “Thieves of the month” (referring to the famous “employee of the month”).
“All of these initiatives are illegal,” the police regularly remind. According to the penal code, “invasion of privacy through the dissemination of images is punished with one year’s imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros”. “You do not have the right to broadcast these videos because the people who appear in these images benefit from the presumption of innocence”, some lawyers also indicate on social networks.
