The stores have to raise their prices to make up for their loss and it's a fact that we pay more. I was looking for a dollar amount and the first article I found was from 2009. Research shows that, on average, a “low-level” shoplifter caught stealing today has already stolen $1,800 worth of merchandise before being caught.
Retail loss, also known as “shrinkage,” inflicts tremendous damage on an organization’s bottom line. According to the Global Retail Theft Barometer, shrinkage accounted for over $42 billion in lost revenue in the United States in 2014 and over $128.5 billion in annual losses around the world. Price increases directly caused by shrinkage are estimated to cost American consumers $403 each per year.