I've been here 11 years. Happens to me all the time. I notice it especially when there aren't many people in the store. As soon as I move to the next isle, the guy moves over to that isle to watch. Move to the next isle, there he is again. A lot of my friends have commented on it. It doesn't matter if you're white, black, American, Dominican - whatever. They watch everyone like hawks here. Shoplifting must be a huge problem.
I always had the impression shoplifting is not so much a problem here as for example in Europe. In Europe I have seen people caught many times, or seen people behaving suspiciously and then put something in their pocket. Here I haven't seen anyone stealing in a store. Maybe because of the security present?
Myself I was stopped recently at the door of a supermarket and they didn't want to let me go because I didn't have the invoice. Whole other story though, I had paid with my credit card, the crappy verifone reinitiated when I took the plastic pencil to sign on the screen. When it came back on after about 3 minutes, it didn't acknowledge my payment. I took out my phone and showed on my email that my card was charged (good for Banco Popular to send consumption notifications right on the spot). The cashier said I was correct but that I had to talk to customer service.
This I did, but they wanted again my card, and follow some procedure. I was in a hurry and said: Im not giving my card, I paid, I showed you and that your systems aren't working well and you have half broken verifones in this store is not my fault. I'm leaving. They said: no way. I took my bags and left. At the door a security guy stopped me, show me your invoice. I told him what had happened (what he knew of course because that's why he stopped me. I said: I'm leaving. He called another security guy. Two security guys stopping the skinny gringo on the exit of the store. I wonder what people thought. The lady that had been behind me at the cash register passed by and told them: he is right, he paid.
End of story: they started becoming physical, so I got angry, said: no me toques. Me voy, adios, and went to my car. I vowed not to come back at that store.
Yeah I know I could have just cooperated and go through the process of probably manually charging my card and having it on file in case the payment didn't come through, but sometimes I'm fed up with this stuff and act like an idiot.