> There is a readon why us stores have more and more stuff behind locks

To foment hysteria in feeble minded neurotics?

Why would stores be interested in fomenting hysteria in feeble minded neurotics?

It could serve as a convenient distraction from rising prices or, more conveniently, risks introduced as a move to less staffing because of self-checkout.

It’s a bit easier to explain away the inconvenience of locked individual items as a response to a rise in crime rather than the store’s choices.

I doubt it’s a direct motivation but that isn’t to say it’s not a useful outcome either.