Comment Re:Economically Inefficient (Score 1, Informative) 467
Arresting someone for theft under $10 ("Monster-In-Law" on DVD retails for about $5)
The cost for the store was much higher than that. Rental outlets don't just go to walmart and buy DVDs, they had to get them with rental licenses from the studios (ever notice the FBI warning on the discs you buy, warning you not to rent it out?). We can probably assume it was a reasonably new release when it was rented, so the cost was something closer to $50 per disc.
A more efficient punishment would be to seize wages/tax refunds/etc. in the amount of the theft + some additional punitive amount.
That is reasonable, but do the math in a reasonable manner to reflect the true cost to the merchant.