“Who is the strongest thief?”/“A shoplifter.”

A “shoplifter” lifts (steals) things from shops, but doesn’t actually lift the shops themselves. A riddle is:
 
Q: Who is the strongest thief?
A: A shoplifter.
 
The joke has been cited in print since at least 1976.
 
       
Google Books 
Biggest Riddle Book in the World
By Joseph Rosenbloom
Illustrations by Joyce Behr
New York, NY: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.
1976
Pg. 92:
Who is the strongest thief?
A shoplifter.
 
19 January 2001, Independent Record (Helena, MT), “Cryptoquip” word puzzle, pg. 4C, col. 5:
Yesterday’s Cryptoquip: WOULDN’T YOU AGREE THAT THE WORLD’S STRONGEST THIEF IS PLAINLY A SHOP LIFTER?
       
Google Groups: alt.religion.rabbet
Humor from the Net
Bill McCray
7/24/03
(...)
Who is the strongest thief?
A shoplifter.  (Lorraine A. Bellis)
 
YouTube
Ok, here is the joke. Who is the strongest thief? A shoplifter…
botcaster inc. bot
Published on Jan 23, 2016
Who is the strongest thief?
A shoplifter.
     
Google Books
Dad Jokes:
Good, Clean Fun for All Ages!
By Jimmy Niro
Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, Inc.
2018
Pg. ?:
Q: Who is the strongest thief?
A: A shoplifter.
 
Google Books
Hilariously Lame Jokes!:
800 of the Best Worst Jokes That Get a Side-splitting Laugh!
By Harry Hilton
Berkeley, CA: Ulysses Press
2018
Pg. ?:
Who is the strongest thief?
A shoplifter.
 
Twitter
lorraine Jo King
@LahLahBean
#badjokethursday
Who is the strongest thief?
A shoplifter.
9:21 AM - 12 Jul 2018