The point I'm making is that, in my opinion, a business should not be run as if it were an army unit where stern, inflexible discipline is essential. A business's major resource is its staff. If you treat staff in a draconian way they will have no real respect for you other than the fear of losing their job and they will not enjoy their work (even in a warehouse) and give of their best. An employer has a duty of care towards his or her employees. Let's consider two scenarios - if the sock thief is a young man then he needs to learn the lesson that pilfering is not tolerated without disciplinary action being taken; if the sock thief is an older, experienced employee with an unimpeachable record up to that time then there may well be something wrong with him. In both cases you could simply fire these guys but if you used your own experience and judgement of people you might decide on a better way such as, as I said before, a formal warning.
An employee gettig caught with a 99p pair of socks is not proof they have never done it before, all it is proof of they have never been caught before.
A ZERO tolerance policy is explained on induction, reiterated at staff meetings and notices around in common wotk areas.
The fact you ignore means it is best off you not working there.