▁and ▁who ▁for ▁years ▁shop l ift ed ▁cl othing ▁and ▁household ▁lin ens ▁in ▁London ▁with ▁one ▁or ▁more ▁female ▁accomp lices . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 6 9 9 , ▁the ▁English ▁Parliament ▁passed ▁The ▁Sh op l ifting ▁Act , ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Blo ody ▁Code ▁that ▁pun ished ▁pet ty ▁cr imes ▁with ▁death . ▁People ▁conv icted ▁of ▁shop l ifting ▁items ▁worth ▁more ▁than ▁five ▁sh ill ings ▁would ▁be ▁h anged ▁in ▁London ' s ▁Ty burn ▁Tree ▁( known ▁as ▁the ▁" Ty burn ▁j ig ") ▁with ▁crow ds ▁of ▁thousands ▁watching , ▁or ▁would ▁be ▁transport ed ▁to ▁the ▁North ▁American ▁colon ies ▁or ▁to ▁Bot any ▁Bay ▁in ▁Australia . ▁Some ▁mer ch ants ▁found ▁The ▁Sh op l ifting ▁Act ▁over ly ▁severe , ▁jur ors ▁often ▁deliber ately ▁under - valu ed ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁items ▁st olen ▁so ▁conv icted ▁shop l if ters ▁would ▁escape ▁death , ▁and ▁reform ist ▁law y ers ▁advoc ated ▁for ▁the ▁Act ' s ▁repe al , ▁but ▁The ▁Sh op l ifting ▁Act ▁was ▁supported ▁by ▁powerful ▁people ▁such ▁as ▁Lord ▁Ellen borough , ▁who ▁character ized ▁pen al ▁transport ation ▁as ▁" a ▁summer ▁air ing ▁to ▁a ▁mil der ▁climate " ▁and ▁the ▁arch bishop ▁of ▁Can ter bury , ▁who ▁believed ▁that ▁strong ▁pun ishment ▁was ▁necessary ▁to ▁prevent ▁a ▁dram atic ▁increase ▁in ▁crime . ▁As ▁England ▁began ▁to ▁em brace ▁En light en ment ▁ideas ▁about