In retail stores, managers have a term to refer to loss of business at the hands of human beings — shrinkage.

While enormous retailers such as Walmart, Kmart and Target spend considerable money to avoid such losses, smaller entities, even governments, often simply shrug their collective shoulders in helpless disgust.

Earlier this week, an Adams County supervisor suggested becoming a bit more proactive with a loss prevention method that causes a considerable revenue drain on the county — or at least that’s the common belief — illegally tagged cars.

We’re not talking about a common criminal who switches plates to hide his tracks. We’re talking about friends and neighbors who either outright scoff at the law or tacitly skirt it by living in Mississippi and driving a car with Louisiana license plates by registering the car at a weekend house on the lake or something similar.

Supervisor Mike Lazarus suggested this week the county might consider hiring a license plate investigator to locate drivers who are avoiding taxes through use of lower-cost, out-of-area license plates.

While some may suggest the move is an overreach — big brother working against us — law-abiding citizens should applaud the effort. By tracking down some of the people who are breaking, or even bending, the law, the county could stand to improve its own cash position and reduce taxes for all of us in the process.