Monday, May. 23, 1988

Business Notes CRIME

Eckerd Drug, a 1,700-store chain of pharmacies based in Clearwater, Fla., claims that it lost $30 million to shoplifters last year. Now the company has decided to do something about it. Instead of routinely prosecuting fast- fingered shoppers, more than half of Eckerd's pharmacies allow culprits to buy their way out of trouble by paying the store $200 ($150 in Louisiana). That eliminates the nuisance and expense of formal proceedings for Eckerd, the accused and the courts.

The program, sanctioned by authorities in 26 states, works like this: when shoplifters are caught, the store manager may or may not have them arrested, depending on whether they seem like professional criminals or occasional lipstick lifters. In the latter case, the store lets them go after verifying their names and addresses. In about a week the shoplifters receive letters demanding payment. If they refuse, Eckerd takes the case to small-claims court. Most have been paying up.