Store Owner Posts ‘Wall of Shame' Photos of Thieves

Right up there with peace officer and cabdriver is another dangerous job where you'll never know who you'll confront: convenience store clerk.

Sam Farah owns several gas station/convenience stores in south Dallas and his pet peeve is shoplifting. Theft is almost an epidemic in some locations and nearly impossible for busy clerks to stop, but Farah is working on it.

At his Exxon Rayyan location, he's equipped his store with an elaborate surveillance system, 200 cameras inside and out.

Anyone suspected of shoplifting can be watched by a clerk or a manager. And if they approach the door without having paid, the doors to the store are locked and then the potential thief has a decision to make, pay or be arrested.

"Just too many people stealing." said Farah. "We want everybody who's stealing to not come back here."

It's what Farah does with the images captured of potential thieves that's different.

He doesn't just turn the information over to police. He posts a photo of the suspect on his 'Wall of Shame' on the front window of his store, along with a caption detailing what they tried to steal.

"Some of them Tide, some of them wine, some of them beer. Most people come here [because] they want to drink free," said Farah with a chuckle.

Farah said he's lawsuit-free because he has undeniable video of the person committing the act.

Honest customers seem to like the idea of embarrassing thieves publicly.

"People shouldn't steal. It makes the cost of living go up," said customer Yolanda Trigg.

"I mean they could do something better in life than that," said customer Charles Hatch, who added that the same people stealing from stores are the those who will steal from their neighbors.

Farah said he's not trying to change the world or antagonize a criminal to violence. His goal is simply to stop thefts.

His camera system has also helped neighboring businesses and police capture images of armed robbery suspects and even murderers.