The Alliance Police Department has brought back an old practice of posting people caught shoplifting on its Facebook page — with mugshot, name and alleged crimes — after a three-year hiatus. It stopped because it had become too cumbersome.

But Capt. James Hilles said shoplifting has become a problem again in the city.

He said major retailers, including Meijer, Walmart and Lowe’s, and their loss prevention officers are busy with people stealing merchandise. He said he hopes this “shaming” on Facebook will deter people from stealing from stores in the future.

“Anyone who gets arrested for shoplifting will be treated the same,” Hilles said.

You might ask: Is this legal? Yes.

In Ohio, mugshots are public records — as are criminal records — unless sealed by a judge or the conviction is expunged or classified as confidential or exempt. Facebook also has no policy that restricts posting mugshots on its platform.

So, yes, it is legal.

Erin Cataldo, a spokeswoman for Meijer, said the new store is not experiencing a high number of shoplifting incidents. That said, she added: “We appreciate the Alliance Police Department’s efforts to reduce shoplifting throughout the area.”