-you would be surprised how much not looking nervous will do to avoid you getting sussed. stay calm and cool, no nervous staring at SAs.

-that being said, there are certain populations and configurations of people who will be sussed from the get-go. this includes most people who do not look white, people who have unaturally coloured hair, people who have obvious piercings/obvious tattoos, people who are not dressed 'well' and people who look to be teenagers, especially if they are in a large group. if you fit these descriptions that doesn't ouright mean 'don't shoplift' but that you will likely get away with less and will have to be a lot more careful than lifters who have privilege you're lacking. it is what it is.

-i'm not going to narrow down specific stores in specific locations, but be warned that some stores are definitely not worth lifting from due to high security measures or harsh punishments. 

-start small. one-object-haul small, it would probably be wise to remain small when it comes to quantity, stealing things you need here and there rather than attempting to lift everything you need.

-shoplifting comes with a risk of addiction, and lots of of people who shoplift frequently would be predisposed to it.

-ideally you should be concealing your loot on body, via spanx and pockets, inside your pants or inside your bra. my reasoning behind this being if you refuse a bag check by a security guard or lp this will make you look very suspicious. however if you refuse to remove clothing, be pat down, or empty your pockets (i dont doubt some lp would try the first two) that would be more of a clear indicator you're not comfortable whether you stole anything or not.

-the most important part of any lift is making sure you are not seen concealing! this is at least 60% of getting away with itbeing nice and joking with SAs, in my experience, has done a lot to alleviate suspicion. this comes back to the bit about not looking nervous.

-i'd say it's generally a good idea to set a maximum total saved for a set period of time eg. (10k for a year). this is so you remain in control of your shoplifting.

-don't shoplift on impulse if you can possibly avoid it.learn the laws on shoplifting for your local area, especially around citizen's arrest and under what circumstances you can be detained under. security and lp can and will lie to you about what the law is and what your rights are.

-it would be a wise idea to either stop completely or significantly taper off your shoplifting when you become a legal adult, as the consequences become very suddenly a lot worse.

-i honestly would not say buying a hook and/or magnet would be worth it if you are not planning to boost items, since the consequences get so much steeper if you are caught with a tool.

-shoplifting while drunk or high is almost as bad an idea as driving while drunk or high. you need full awareness of your surroundings to lift.

-a tip often given to newbies is to use disguises and change up your look drastically when you go lifting. while this is good advice to an extent, if you are very clearly in disguise (wearing a very synthetic wig, overdone makeup) this willl bring suspicion to you instantly! either make your disguises subtle or skip them all together

-instead of the disguises tip i would advise newbies to travel as far as they reasonably can for their lifts. it's important you dont get caught at stores near you, as you actually need to visit those. you may find a difference in security at some places further from you.

-that being said i wouldn't recommend shoplifting a foreign country under ANY circumstances. the laws in some countries can be much harsher, especially on foreigners.

-it's incredibly important to avoid becoming too competitive with oher lifters and getting cocky. if you dont know your way around a sephora yet dont go for a naked palette, let alone ten!

-be careful who you tell of your lifting habit, especially if you're young and you don't want your parents to find out

-if you come especially close to gettting caught, if you get caught or if you think you're losing control of your shoplifting, there's no shame in taking a break.