Check an open invitation to shoplifters (9)

I believe the answer is:

takestock

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'shoplifters' is the definition.
I don't know anything about this answer so I cannot tell whether this works.

'check an open invitation to' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'an' could be 'a' and 'a' is found within the answer.
'to' is present in the answer.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

I've seen this clue in The Irish News and The Irish Independent.

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