...It's just an idea - it would take all the merchants getting together though, and not just a few. I don't know. This would be a massive effort and I am not at all sure that all merchants would agree. Even if they did, how long would they keep it up? You can put locks on your doors but then you'll find that you stil need the police. The police can catch a thief but then they find they need the courts. And if the courts actually find someone guilty the guilty party is back on the street in short order anyhow. I think the only reasonable course is to accept that theft will happen. Then you just get on with business and keep your legitimate customers as happy as possible so that they will have every reason to return for more. What's that line from that hack movie... "resistance is futile?" - Jack