Everyday the Dothan Police Department posts pictures of shoplifters or those arrested for theft of property on their Facebook page.

“With censors on them we put censors on so they don’t try to steal them from us,” said Jakia Mitchell.

 So they steal them with the censors on them? 

“Yes then they go off and they run or something like that,” said Chelsie Jinks.

In some cases each store has it’s own loss prevention to attempt to catch these thieves.

Now many are following the lead of DPD by posting pictures of shoplifters from surveillance video on their Facebook page to bring justice and hopefully detour others from stealing from their store.

“On the police department website we get a lot of information off of photographs,” said LT. Brian Smith.

“On our Facebook page or something like that or that a picture and post it against our store wall so whenever we see them come in we’ll know that’s them and we’ll call the police,” said Chelsie Jinks.

“There’s no law saying they cant,” said LT. Brian Smith.  “You know the pictures are actually made in public their in their store. So you subject yourself to being photographed and it possibly being displayed somewhere.”

One store owner, who decided not to go on camera, says the reason she doesn’t post pictures is due to a conversation she had with a former shoplifter in her store.

The then 16-year-old ended up going to law school has since called the store owner back thanking her for not pressing charges that day saying it likely would have impacted her career choices.

“You know shoplifting is a crime and it will follow you throughout your life if you go apply for a job later in life you do have to put down that you were arrested for shoplifting,” said LT. Brian Smith.

Businesses say they are seeing results from their posts just recently Eagle Eye Outfitters posted two different shoplifting reports and the individuals were immediately identified.