I bet if you shoot their drone it's "attempted murder of an officer" or whatever just like it is for the dogs.

The only reason these things could be economical in the short term is because theft costs retail companies an insanely high amount of money.

However, this might change if these drones become cheaper to operate and purchase.

I would think there's some crime that would prevent people from using these to the extremes. I am almost certain it's illegal to put an air tag on someone to track their whereabouts and I would also think those laws would apply here.

I wonder if anyone's considered starting a business of leasing space on urban roofs and building facades, installing cameras, and then selling the footage of all the foot traffic. Sounds a lot easier than drones.

I have never shoplifted, but yet, here we are. While it's a mild annoyance to be stopped and asked if I need any help by two retail employees alongside a uniformed LPP (I refuse to call them officers) or asked to produce a receipt--even if we're just browsing to kill time and I didn't buy anything, now I may be pursued by a fucking drone because some algorithm or human operator has decided I'm somehow doing something they don't like?

I am genuinely terrified.