Shoplifting

I went into the grocery store to get a few items. Walked down the beverage aisle to get some soda and noticed a young man, probably 16-18 wearing shorts and an oversized hoodie sweatshirt. He had just picked up two single bottles of Mt. Dew and turned away holding one in each hand. I thought that was a little odd, but shrugged it off because at times, I've carried bottles like that. He walked back towards the back of the store.

My next stop was the chip aisle. As I walked down it, and saw the same young man walking toward me only this time, the Mt Dew was not visible. I smiled at him, started to make conversation, but he wouldn't make eye contact. He picked up his pace and walked quickly right out the door.

It was then I wondered where the MT. Dew was.

From his body language, I'm certain they were in his pockets. And I stood ther wondering what I should do. Confront him? Contact management? I wasn't sure.

I know that the law says it isn't shoplifting until you are out of the store. But, as a private citizen, do I have the right to stop this other private citizen and accuse him of theft?

I thought about going to management, but by then, he'd have been long gone.

I truly was stunned and wasn't sure what to do. Asked a friend of mine who is in law enforcement. He said that concealing is considered shoplifting, and that since no member of management was near by (they weren't) then I really couldn't do anything. He did say I could have called it in, but chances of catching this kid would have been slim to none.

So, I guess I did the appropriate thing. But was it the RIGHT thing? Should I have stopped the kid, should I have told management? I felt so helpless, so uncertain. I don't like feeling that way. But I also don't like knowing that I saw someone steal and didn't do a thing.