But when they do catch you it generally results in consequences beyond giving the stolen goods back.

TLDR: don’t shoplift, instead make a company and defraud consumers. It’s more profitable and less risky at the same time!

Majority of shoplifters that are caught (a tiny number) have nothing more than maybe giving the goods back.

Same with bike thefts.

You do at the very least end up with a criminal record which might hurt future job prospects and increases the sentence if you're caught again.