While I understand your frustration, and have certainly felt it, myself, over the years, I think that several commenters have made the point that you may be getting unreasonably worked up over what is to be expected. With the exception of sit-down restaurants, I can think of few business establishments that allow you to take possession (e.g. gas in your gas tank) of goods without asking you to pay for it, first. Certainly you don’t load your groceries in your car and then pay for them when you return your cart?

I think we are no longer the everyone-knows-everyone small town America that may have once been. The proprietor of your gas station(s) doesn’t know you, your mother, father, brother, and wife, nor do you know his. That kind of familiarity has been replaced with a guarantee of identity and payment-in the form of credit and debit cards. You have chosen to eschew the use of these modern means of payment identification, so I’m not sure it’s quite fair of you to be as worked up as you indicate.

I’ve rarely been to a jewelry store that doesn’t use locked cases for its displays, and vaults for overnight storage…have you? Any time a merchant is selling a high-value, easily transported item, I think you should expect them to take appropriate security precautions.

As Nick (#20) pointed out, you might feel differently if you were the merchant…as I noted, you wrote that you lock your car door, and I would assume you take other precautions to protect your interests like locking your home.

I’d be interested to know how you feel about gun control?

Is it not enough that cameras are everywhere that I need to made conspicuous to others as well?

Not stopping there again!