8. Act Like You Own the Place, and No One Will Question

If you saunter out of a store, loot in hand, with the swagger of someone who believes they own the place, you’re less likely to attract suspicion. It’s a psychological gambit, playing on the assumption that those who do wrong skulk and scurry, rather than strut.

Knowledge of the store’s layout and blind spots is your map, but confidence is your compass. Observers are wired to see what they expect; a confident demeanor projects innocence. Remember, the line between a master thief and a paying customer can sometimes be as thin as the confidence with which one walks past the exit sensors.