Retail theft (shoplifting) is a pervasive property crime generating substantial economic burdens despite being treated as "petty." In the Philippines, it is classified as theft and prosecuted as a public crime, implicating retailers, police, barangays, correctional facilities, and local government units in prevention, enforcement, and rehabilitation efforts. However, urban practice favors on-site settlements and non-reporting to avoid prosecution costs, contributing to underreporting and inconsistent enforcement. This study examined how institutions perceive and implement shoplifting policies as a public crime in an urban Philippine commercial district and identified the operational challenges and systemic constraints that shape policy enactment. Using a qualitative exploratory multiple-institution case study design, purposively sampled frontline actors (n = 25), including store managers/security staff, Philippine National Police officers, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology personnel, barangay mediation officers, and local government representatives, participated in semi-structured interviews. Transcripts and field notes were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis, with credibility supported through member checking, audit trails, triangulation across institutions, and integration with the quantitative results. Five themes emerged: fragmented institutional roles with weak accountability; procedural deficiencies, including non-standard documentation, limited training, and resource constraints; pervasive informal resolutions that reduce case burdens but erode consistency; systemic barriers, including understaffing, workload pressure, policy ambiguity, weak legal follow-through, and inadequate infrastructure; and proposed reforms emphasizing standardized protocols, inter-agency coordination, shared information systems, capacity building, and technological upgrades. Overall, shoplifting control was shaped by street-level discretion and institutional capacity, indicating that consistent public crime treatment requires integrated governance, clarified responsibilities, and collaboration among multiple agencies