A majority of our stores in the local little mall have this policy. My son is now old enough to go to the mall after school with his buddies and stores make them leave their bags with an employee upon entering.

I'm fine with it.

That said, I am surprised in this era of cameras and store security such measures are even necessary.

But it is what it is and I just make sure my son doesn't leave money or valuables in his bag. Distrust works both ways.

Note...my son's school is right by the mall so that is why he has a bag to begin with. Otherwise, he would not go to the mall with a bag. He bikes there from school on occasion with buddies.

One of the stores here did that when I was 13 and I had to leave my backpack at the front while I did my shopping, which I didn't have any problem with but I did think it was kind of stupid, it was a very small store, it's not like there was so much going on you wouldn't notice somebody lifting something.

That's what I think too. One of the stores is Radio Shack. I get their needing to protect what 13 year old boys would love to steal, but the place rarely has customers. I would think human eyes plus digital security would keep theft to a minimum.

How about 67-year-old men leaving their bags at the counter. Several stores in my neighborhood insist on it. I rarely shop there, but on occasion I have to.

When I was a teen in the early '60s, we managed to steal Playboy mags from a newstand after school without backpacks. My bud would buy a candy bar at the checkout while I would slip the mag in my notebook. We woulda bought the mag, but hey, kids weren't allowed.

Are these stores going to take responsibility if something goes missing from your bags while in their control?

They should just spring for better sensor detectors. I understand it, though. In a lot of stores, they don't allow anyone to browse with a backpack.

If that's the store's policy, then there isn't much you can do about it.