♪ it to you every day would it ever be enough to make you wanna come back home and stay ♪ ♪ i can't go another day without you yeah the days are cold ♪ would it make you make you wanna stay girl you gotta know i love you would it make you ♪ ♪ days are hot nights are cold ♪ snoe ♪ i can't stand to be alone love you would it make you ♪ ♪ make you wanna stay i can't go going home without you is killing me every day ♪ ♪ if i wrote you a love song and sang tight you every day ♪

♪ would it ever be enough to make you want to come back home and stay ♪ ♪ make you make you want to stay ♪ ♪ make you make you want to stay ♪ ♪ make you make you want to stay ♪ [ cheers and applause ] ♪ ♪ ,,

tonight on "nightline" -- from ipads to turkeys to teddy bears, everything is up for grabs this holiday season as thieves try to justify their $27 billion holiday heists. we are finding out how big retailers are pulling out all of the stops to catch them in the act. >> hey, hey. >> jobs that bite. we will jump into the cage to get our hand dirty during animal examinations. >> nice kitty. >> you thought being a dentist was difficult work? imagine doing it for one of these guys. >> breaking news. >> please, caped crusader we need you. >> bat kid to the rescue.

meet the pint-sized super hero saving a city. he may have battled leukemia. he is also rescuing damsels in distress and stopping robbers. now his incredible story is fron

good evening. thank you for joining us. black friday can be a discount shopp shopper's dream. during the holiday season, in particular, some will be looking for more than a discount, a real steal. to the tunes of billions of dollars. as retailers prepare for the big sale season, they're also going to great lengths to prepare for those trying to avoid paying at all. abc's rebecca jarvis got a look behind the security cameras.

♪ >> reporter: 'tis the season for finding a great bargain. doors are opening early with the juiciest deals this year coming before you could even digest your turkey. but as more retailers line up to steal the thanksgiving spotlight, there are those bad apples fryi s trying to steal f them. shoplifting costs retail industries more than $26 billion last year. and the holidays only fan the flames. what is it about the holidays that make people steal? >> people are more likely to commit theft during the holidays because of the crowds, because of the frenzy. they're figuring retailers are really distracted. they're not going to notice. they are. >> reporter: they're noticing? >> they are. >> reporter: rachel styer wrote "the steal" a cultural history of shoplifting. >> some shoplift for the thrill. some shoplift to soothe anxiety.

stealing the item helps them address the anxiety that they're feeling. other people shoplift out of revenge. they feel that they are owed something. >> reporter: the early openings, the long lines, the big sales. all of this chaos add cover for the shoplifters. >> i would say increased holiday traffic always creates a higher sense of urgency. as protection, something lifts up, the traffic, a priority all year long. >> reporter: industry speak for guarding your goods. >> stores spend so much time, money and effort trying to make their merchandise look gorgeous and appealing to people. and of course, not everyone can afford the gorgeous and appealing merchandise. that doesn't stop people from desiring it. >> reporter: it is not just a few sticky fingers. this stuff can get really organized. they call them flash robs,

coordinated groups of thieves who swarm stores. watch as this chicago area clothing store gets hit. in some cases the theft is loud and crazy look at this florida wal-mart. in others it is surprisingly calm. authorities believe the trend began with teenagers stealing candy and drinks look you see here. but there is now also concern that organized criminals are adopting the same tactics making off with thousand of dollars in merchandise. even families are getting into the act. in florida, police suspect this family of nine use their children to hit the local toys "r" us. >> then there is the stealing that is more subtle. people returning items to make a profit. >> in 2012, $9 billion worth of return fraud, 30% of that occurred during the holiday season. so what is that? >> $3 billion? >> $3 billion. a lottery tailers are losing to people bringing back items they want to return without a receipt. guess what they didn't buy it

there in the first place. retailers are really busy this time of year. they're so overwhelmed. they don't have time to double check. >> reporter: big stores like target have been on top of all the theft for a while now. investing millions on security cameras and personnel hoping to catch shoplifters in the act. target let us inside for a rare look at their crime lab and investigations headquarters in minneapolis. >> this is a very secure environment. we do make sure only people that are authorized come into the building. >> reporter: next time you are in a target, remember you are never really alone. >> we can watch several, several stores. we can pull up different live shots. >> reporter: the holidays are especially brutal on supermarkets. these stores usually only make a few cents profit on each item. in stores like this one in massachusetts, they put pictures like this on the wall. the loss to thieves nationally for supermarkets comes to $6

billion a year. the cost has to be made up somehow. >> if we aren't profitable we have to charge more for what we are selling. >> reporter: in many cases it is not the customers after the free stuffing, most of the theft that occurs at your grocery store happens right here at the checkout, at the hand of the employees. watch how this works. an overhead view of the cashier, items traveling past the bar code. see the red target. that is a turkey. what is happening right now, the cashier is suddenly jumping it around the scanner so it is not being rung up as a charge. although it is mixed in with other items that are. now, with the turkeys, some places really see a spike, as many as four times more turkeys heisted in november and december, than in the rest of the year combined. basically when you see that turkey being stolen, they have to sell 50 more turkeys to make up for the one that was given

away for free. we asked maureen about what happens to the people who get caught? and while she was reluctant to discuss the actual incidence of insider theft in her establishment, he said everybody is told when they start here that, yes, they are on camera. >> when we hire folks we tell them we have cameras in the stores. >> reporter: but the cameras are there primarily to protect the stores. customers should be cautious this team of year too. >> just be aware of also your personal security. make sure you are not leaving your bags unattended. if you are going to try something on or paying at the register, keep your belongings close by. >> if you think all of this only comes at a cost to the retailers, think again. stores charge the theft right back to you. by raising prices on everything they sell. meaning, that bargain in your shopping cart, well it may not be such a steal after all. i'm rebecca jarvis for "nightline" in new york.

>> keep in mind, retailers are going to want to send a message by assisting in any prosecution. thank you, rebecca. >> next, staring into the eye of the tiger -- or the mouth of the lion. and who is the mini-super hero saving san francisco? my insurance company told me not to talk to people like you. you always do what they tell you? no... try it, and see what your good driving can save you. you don't even have to switch. unless you're scared. i'm not scared, it's... you know we can still see you. no, you can't. pretty sure we can... try snapshot today -- no pressure. [ male announcer ] your eyes. even at a distance of 10 miles... the length of 146 football fields... they can see the light of a single candle. your eyes are amazing. look after them with centrum silver.

multivitamins with lutein and vitamins a, c, and e to support healthy eyes and packed with key nutrients to support your heart and brain, too. centrum silver. for the most amazing parts of you. hmm. ♪ mm-hmm. [ engine revs ] ♪ [ male announcer ] oh what fun it is to ride. get the mercedes-benz on your wish list at the winter event going on now -- but hurry, the offer ends soon. [ santa ] ho, ho, ho! [ male announcer ] lease the 2014 ml350 for $599 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. [ alarm sound for malfunctioning printer ]

[ male announcer ] you've reached the age where you've learned a thing or two. [ metal clanks ] ♪ this is the age of knowing what you're made of. so why let erectile dysfunction get in your way? [ gears whirring ] talk to your doctor about viagra. 20 million men already have. ask your doctor if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take viagra if you take nitrates for chest pain; it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. side effects include headache, flushing, upset stomach, and abnormal vision. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. stop taking viagra and call your doctor right away if you experience a sudden decrease or loss in vision or hearing. [ cellphone beeps ] this is the age of taking action. viagra. talk to your doctor.

at kaiser permanente we've reduced serious heart attacks this is the age of taking action. by 62%, which makes days with grandpa jack 100% more possible. join us at kp.org and thrive. when ouwe goword. she said hert (little girl) no! saw her first day of school. (little girl) bye bye! made a best friend forever. the back seat of my subaru is where she grew what? (announcer) the subaru forester. (girl) what? (announcer) motor trend's two thousand fourteen sport utility of the year. love. it's what makes a subaru, a subaru.

colgate optic white dual action shines and whitens over 2 shades more than a leading whitening toothpaste. and whiten even more, with optic white mouthwash and the whole colgate optic white line. you have heard of dirty jobs and dangerous jobs. there are jobs that some might say bite. for the spirited adventurer we

are about to meet, every day at the office is a different animal. abc's matt gutman joins him to clean, care, and medically examine some very special creatures. >> going into the danger zone. the bees -- got my hood on. >> reporter: imagine your first day of the toughest of jobs, being every day on the job. >> hey, hey, hey. >> reporter: subjected to initiation rights as rookies. it's not for the faint of heart or stomach. hours turn into days, days turn into weeks. and imbedding for the day, and the team at safari in florida. anacondas, in the amazon, tigers uncaged. shark infested waters.

i have done that. knocking down the king of the jungle in his lion den, a little intimidating. one thing being on the other side of the bars. you are thinking, come on, just asleep. another thing, actually being with it. >> reporter: hero, the kind of evolutionary specimen so strong they have to keep doping him up. after a few minutes hero stops pacing, eases himself down. closes his eyes and looks like he is a sleep. >> look at his eyes. he is gone. he is fading. but when handling a lion you better be sure. our guide/protector for the day, brian dowling, grabs his stick and pokes him a couple times. while the veterinarian checks for any signs of movement. this is serious business. sedating hero is a long process. >> you grab the tail. >> me.

>> wow. even the tail is heavy. >> reporter: we help haul him into the examination room. >> one, two, three. >> kind of heavy, huh. >> reporter: yeah. nice kitty. >> 410 pounds. >> nice kitty. >> jeremy is only a little more experienced than i am. >> may be a rookie, look how useful he is. >> reporter: jeremy is hoping the latest job doesn't bite. >> these are the kids. this is how they play. >> reporter: on his show the former airline pilot turned professional apprentice. >> i want you to put your hand under here. >> reporter: dumbs the friendly skies for his decidely more terrestrial gigs. >> hold her. get your hands out of there. >> reporter: tagging along with the professional, some bizarre and necessary ways. you come in here without animal experience. >> yeah. >> reporter: the premise of the

show. throw a there mall guy into a hectic situation. >> i grew up with two dogs. i think that's part of the fun of the show. i don't, i didn't grow up on a ranch. i grew up in southern california. now i am doing these procedures. whoa. i am on shows, teaching people how to milk goats. and i'm -- done it like once or twice before. so. >> reporter: 11 years since hero's last dental checkup. which means, besides halitosis, there is a lot of work to do. little of it glamorous. >> doesn't look that bad considering he never had a dental. >> reporter: check this out. the dock tornadoes intubating the lion. -- the doctor is intubating the lion. >> reporter: and some one has got to take his temperature. this is a job i am fully qualified for. this is the wrong end of the lie

lie -- lie on to be near. >> when was the last time hero came in? >> been a while. >> probably ten years. >> wow. >> he has heavy problems. >> a healthy animal. you don't need to knock him down. >> how are we doing on the list? >> reporter: of course, as the rookie, i have to gather a urine sample. and then the rookie was forced to do the stool sample. >> ha-ha, are you kidding me. that's very funny. that was good. good. >> reporter: unfortunately they weren't. but we will spare you. once we are finished with hero. >> he will be groggy. >> reporter: we head over to the giraffes to help beth draw blood. >> there we go. here comes the blood. >> reporter: how often do you have to do this? >> as long as they're healthy. we do it once ape year. >> reporter: the way she is eating the bananas.

>> hold it outen front ein fro. hea he will put his tongue out. how far can he do it? >> the zoological crash course is overwhelming. jeremy its used to being put through the animal ringer. >> doesn't seem to be anything you can't handle. they will continue off to challenge you. >> there is tons of stuff you can't handle. i try to say yes to everything. i am not stupid. really comes about trusting the, the host you are dealing with. and, you know, if i see the look in their eye, i am okay. i pretty much trust i am okay. >> reporter: while the jobs may not look glamorous, they are necessary. these professionals keep animals healthy, and grocery stores stocked, and streets safe. i guess that's the beauty of the show. it is bringing the every man into the world of the experts. >> yeah, i think so.

i hope that's one of the beauties of the show. people can sit there and watch it and think -- what's jeremy going to do? i don't have any experience. you know. i am doing a procedure with a lion. out here with rhinos. i have no idea what i am doing. if there is one -- creeping up your backside. >> it is okay. only the bull. >> yeah. >> is that the bull. >> reporter: all in a day's work. i'm matt gutman, "nightline," west palm beach, florida. >> don't know if matt would have been asking what is the bite stick for if it was his arm inside the lion's mouth. thank you, matt. >> next, it seemed all of san francisco, i mean, gotham, turned out to help one little boy's superhero dream come true.

could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. yep, everybody knows that. well, did you know the ancient pyramids were actually a mistake? uh-oh. geico. fifteen minutes could save you...well, you know. fby eating healthier, drinking plenty of water, but still not getting relief? try dulcolax laxative tablets. dulcolax is comfort-coated for gentle, over-night relief. dulcolax. predictable over-night

relief you can count on. to a tastier festive feast. so much to sip and savor, a feeding frenzy to say the least. a turkey from safeway is just what they crave. a hero of the table, "so delicious" they'll rave. fresh, natural, frozen. it's the best selection around. spend $30

and a frozen safeway turkey is just 59 cents a pound. so raise your glass, pull up a chair, grab a plate. this tastier thanksgiving is well worth the wait. safeway. ingredients for life. step two, baconated cheese for awesome. step three, get ready to wow. step four... mmmmm. ♪ [ male announcer ] pillsbury crescents. make the holidays pop. he loves me. he loves me not.

he loves me. he loves me not. ♪ he loves me! that's right. [ mom ] warm and flaky in 15, everyone loves pillsbury grands! [ girl ] make dinner pop!

finally tonight, a hero is being hailed as the savior of a city. everything seemed to be going wrong today in a place called gotham. a damsel in distress strapped to tracks, bank full of innocent citizens about to be robbed, a beloved team mascot, kidnapped a. ban donnkidnapped -- abandoned. a city wondered who could help fight this crime. >> breaking news from the san francisco hall of justice. >> please, caped crusader, we need you and bring the bat kid. >> the was an undertaking fit for a real hero. luckily he was already on the way. 5-year-old miles scott, currently in remission after

battling leukemia. he always wanted to battle the villains of gotham city as batman. >> because he is my favorite super hero. miles used to watch the classics with his dad nick. >> started watching adam west "batman" and that's how he got started on it. >> for this extraordinary day, the make-a-wish foundation addition helped bring his dream to life. >> plenty of super hero wishes, make a wish has happened over the years. >> started planning to take over san francisco in march. hoping to find 200 volunteers. his wish went viral becoming a social media sensation. his exploits documented throughout the day on instagram. all around the city, roaring crowds and cheering spectators put any parade to shame. it is a good thing because they were in need of serious help today. with criminals, the riddler and

the penguin wreaking havoc. while his little brother watched on as robin. miles, aka, bat kid raced all around town, accompanied by a volunteer actor dressed up as the elder caped crusader. bat kid saved the damsel in distress, the woman with a suspicious device tied to her back. he stopped the riddler from robbing a bank and handed hem over to the cops. >> this is all part of the plan! >> he saved the san francisco giants' mascot from the evil hands of the penguin. with the criminals in custody, the feds even presented an indictment. those villains facing possibility of serious time. of course, a bust of etch pgss . >> way to go, miles, way to save gotham. >> bat kid saves the city! >> the mayor presented our hero with the key to the