Some everyday products, particularly over-the-counter drugs, which are sold in supermarkets and other stores can produce a "high" or serve other roles in illicit drug use. Informed by CRAVED, a model of theft choices derived from crime opportunity theory, this study explores whether products with known roles in drug use are shoplifted at higher rates than other products.

Products that serve a variety of roles in illicit drug use were identified through a review of the medical literature and web sources. Data from 204 supermarkets yielded theft rates for 551 of these products, which were compared with theft rates for 7,887 products sold by the same stores without known roles in drug abuse.

Theft rates of products with roles in drug use were significantly higher than theft rates of other products.

Knowing which products are shoplifted can provide only limited information about the shoplifter’s "craft." In this case, more information was needed about the security given to products by the stores, which has broader implications for CRAVED. Despite this, the findings about the higher theft rates of products with known drug roles could assist retailers, manufacturers, and responsible government agencies to secure these products from theft.