Unhindered by the eyes of cashiers, customers have taken the opportunity to slip unpaid items into bags or pockets.

This trend was first noted nationally in 2014 when The Sydney Morning Herald reported that major supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths, were taking extra measures at self-serve sites.

Albury police inspector Dave Cottee confirmed the removal of workers from checkouts had been a boon to supermarket thieves.

"They are using self-serving checkouts at larger retail stores to their own benefit and that has shown to be the case with our store operations we’ve done recently,” Inspector Cottee told The Border Mail.

Retail experts told the Herald they believed Coles and Woolworths were prepared to bear the losses because they did not outweigh the money that the retail giants were saving by not employing checkout operators.

Nevertheless, shoplifting is still concerning and its impact has been illustrated through the experience of Border independent supermarket owner Bob Mathews.

Despite having no self-serve checkouts, Mr Mathews' Springdale Heights IGA loses an estimated $500 each week through thievery.

The five-fingered discount instances have become so common that an extra security guard has been employed with shoplifters caught on a daily basis.

No doubt some of these thefts could be classed as crimes of need instead of crimes of greed due to the poverty being experienced by some in the supermarket's vicinity.

Mr Mathews has recognised this by having cards from the charity St Vincent de Paul Society to distribute to those needing help.

The society itself has encouraged the needy to access its services, rather than resort to theft. 

Mr Mathews should be applauded for his attitude.

It would be easy for him to be disgusted with the wretches that plague his business and shun the community.

Instead Mr Mathews has been constructive in acknowledging the different strands of the problem and responding in a practical manner.

If only the thieves showed the same thought before they embarked on their misdeeds.