Why is that Missing? – Retail Theft Prevention

April 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Are you missing random quantities of merchandise? Ones that might not have any Checkpoint Security Tags? Perhaps items that aren’t normally on your high shrink list? If you are, then you are probably being hit by an amateur shoplifter and you may want to take another look at your retail theft prevention strategy.

What is an amateur shoplifter?  They can be anyone who enters your store with the intent to steal. It can be a teenager on a dare, a grandmother on a fixed income, or even a mother with a small baby. Amateurs are not hardened criminals. The last thing they want is to be caught.

To stop shoplifting of clothing, bags, and shoes and to greatly reduce the losses incurred by this particular type of thief, use the Checkpoint System of anti shoplifting devices. The use of Checkpoint tags are usually enough of a deterrent for most amateur shoplifters; a Checkpoint Security System is a great tool for retail theft prevention.

Amateurs do not want to run the risk of exposure. Since anti shoplifting devices are nearly impossible to remove, and these thieves know the alarm will sound if they try to leave with the merchandise, it is in their best interest to go to a different store and leave yours alone.

As I watch amateur shoplifters picking up clothes, it is not uncommon that they check each piece of clothing for a Checkpoint tag. If the garment didn’t have a Checkpoint security tag attached, it would be stolen. 

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Anti-Shoplifting devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop shoplifting in your store.

For more information on Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint Labels, a Checkpoint Security System, Checkpoint Security Tags, Checkpoint Systems, or Checkpoint Tags and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at Retail theft prevention to Stop Shoplifting in your store or call 1.770.426.0547

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In the Palm of your Hand – Bottle Locks

April 9, 2013 by

bottle locks. Once the lock is placed, it is near impossible to remove without the proper equipment. The S3 or Alpha Security EASy Bottle hand key detacher.

So why would you choose any other system. The simple way is the easy and cost effective way. There is no need to look anywhere else to get the job done when you already know the best way possible.

Liquor bottle security has never been simpler. A few moments of your time to apply the bottle locks are all it takes. No more locking away expensive wine and liquor bottles. Your real customers have full access while your shoplifters are left with product denial.

This type of liquor bottle security is so easy to apply and is so effective at reducing your losses; you could even use a bottle lock on all of your bottles regardless of price point.

Simply put, if a thief cant get to the alcohol inside, why would they want the bottle? Bottle locks are simple caps that are placed on the mouth of the bottle preventing access to the contents inside. The bottle lock can only come off with the S3 detacher or EASy bottle keys, depending upon which product you choose.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.

For more information on Alpha Security, Bottle Lock, Bottle locks, Bottle Security, EASy Bottle or Liquor Bottle Security and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

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Shopping Bags and Retail Anti-Theft Devices

April 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment

I have seen it all after 10 years working in the field of loss prevention.  I have seen shoplifters enter a store with not a single bag and leave with multiple bags full of merchandise. This means that they not only left the store with stolen merchandise, but that they also stole the shopping bags in which they put the merchandise.  Many stories can be told by someone who tries to prevent shoplifting.

One thing continues to be true time and time again – shoplifters always go for the easy stuff. The merchandise not protected by retail anti- theft devices is considered the easy stuff. I observed that the majority of shoplifters detained in my stores shoplifted the unprotected merchandise more often than any other merchandise in the store.

Often times the shoplifter admitted during the interview and processing that the merchandise taken was not the merchandise the shoplifter originally planned to steal. They admitted that when they saw a security tag; they would quite simply find something easier to shoplift.  They also stated that they found retail anti-theft devices impossible to remove without damaging the merchandise or injuring themselves.

Shoplifters are not as cooperative as one might think and often they do not give up without resistance.  Because I wanted to prevent shoplifting in the store as well as prevent the dangerous confrontations I had been having, my observations led me to consider that I could likely prevent shoplifting throughout the other areas of the store by increasing the use of security tags.

I began placing the retail anti-theft devices on more and more merchandise in the store in an effort to prevent shoplifting and injury to myself. My plan worked.  I experienced a decrease in the number of shoplifters as well as a tremendous decrease in inventory shortages.

Prevent shoplifting in your business by visiting the Loss Prevention Store to purchase retail anti-theft devices and reduce or eliminate your losses from theft. For more information on the use of retail anti-theft devices to reduce or prevent shoplifting, please contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.

 

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Background Checks: Always a good idea

April 8, 2013 by

Conducting background checks is a good first step to safeguard your company’s security; however, it is critical that your company conducts the appropriate level of criminal background checks and employee background checks. This process assures successful pre-employment screening.

One of the most excellent means of preventing an aspiring thief from working a company is a rigorous pre-employment screening process which includes multiple interviews and pointed questions regarding employment and education history.

Companies with excellent intentions regarding successful pre-employment screening strategy all too frequently fail as a result of not hiring a qualified background check company. They frequently do not encompass the appropriate areas where crimes may have been committed because they muddle about and conduct random, haphazard criminal background checks without the expertise of background check experts.

Ultimately this leads to a false sense of security that often produces devastating results.  Another issue that companies frequently overlook is the employee background check because they mistakenly believe that a couple of phone calls to companies written on a job application will be sufficient.  Again they risk a potentially costly mistake.

An in-depth employee background check requires a significant amount of research and background check experts know precisely how to conduct this investigation.  A good background check company will also verify an employee’s education history as well as job and personal references.

Companies that utilize a reputable background check company have access to background check experts who have worked in every category, size and structure of business under the sun. The most suitable background check expert is matched to the company and a custom pre-employment screening strategy is designed to fit the business like a glove.

This tailored process usually includes working with human resources and loss prevention, as well as the legal department. Strategy is implemented only after the company’s policies and procedures have been reviewed in detail.

A potential employee fills out a very detailed job application, provides a complete resume, and signs a release form for the background checks.  The potential employee will then go through a multi-level interview process conducted by different executives at each level. The employee will then answer any and all questions that have surfaced as a result of the completed background checks.

Any points in question at this point from the criminal background check which have not been addressed in the initial job application will effectively disqualify the applicant from being hired at the company.

Finding the best background check company to devise an all encompassing hiring process that protects your company requires an investment of time; however, in the end it will protect your company from losses caused by hiring dishonest and/or unqualified applicants.  Every company has a responsibility to protect its most important assets – employees and profits – and this safety net begins with effectively screening potential employees.

To find Pre-Employment Screening or for more information about background check experts, background checks, criminal background checks, employee background checks or pre-employment screening please contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547.

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Should Integrity Shops be part of an Employee Theft Investigation?

April 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment

There are numerous instances in business when it is necessary to perform the employee theft investigation.  The fact is – employees steal … a lot!! – this is the distressing reality. Research reveals internal theft (also called employee theft) accounts for 50-70% of retail shrink.

One of the most difficult aspects of investigating employees is the trust factor – we want to trust our employees.  It is especially troublesome to accept that one or more employees are stealing from you. Conducting an employee theft investigation is imperative when money and merchandise start missing in order to uncover internal theft.

There are several things to do during the employee theft investigation.  Reviewing reports is first on the agenda.  Many losses can be solved by tracking cash over and cash shorts, reviewing refund and void trends, and researching ordering and inventory change histories.

Cameras are great instruments for catching and verifying employee theft. We turn to cameras if reviewing reports does not produce results.  Either by standard cameras on the sales floor or covert cameras in offices, cameras can indisputably verify the identity of the thief.

Unfortunately, there are times when none of these methods work.  I have found myself at wits end on several occasions with strong suspicion of an employee, but no actual proof.  This is where an Integrity Shop can be of great benefit.

The employer can create a circumstance or set of circumstances providing an employee the opportunity to “do the right thing” in order to assess a suspected employee’s integrity; thus demonstrating integrity or lack thereof.

One may put extra money into the till or drop a gift card by the register and then watch cameras to see what that employee does with the money or gift card.  The employee should turn in the money or gift card since it does not belong to him or her. The employee proves whether he or she can be trusted by what they choose to do with the money or card.

If the employee keeps the money or card, they have given the employer the leverage needed when confronting the dishonesty as well as the other shortages in their work station.

For more information about employee theft investigation, employee theft, and internal theft please contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia.

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The First Stop – Stop Shoplifting

April 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment

I always found it challenging when training anti shoplifting topics to discuss the events at our refund desk. While it is frustrating to see the refunds of stolen merchandise come into the store, it is not where the loss was occurring.

The losses actually come when the merchandise is stolen. In order to prevent this sort of refund fraud, you have to be able to stop shoplifting in your store.  It doesn’t matter how many times you turn away a refund, all you are doing is missing an opportunity to get an ID and potentially start a case.

In one of the stores that I worked in, we had a huge issue with people coming in and refunding stolen merchandise. How did we know it was stolen? Because the Checkpoint systems we installed would always go off when they walked into the store, not out of it. Had the items been previously purchased, the tags would have been deactivated when the items were sold.

Even though my management team wanted to focus on the refunds, I had to remind them that were not where they needed to be looking. After we started to actually stop shoplifting, we saw a decrease in the fraudulent refunds.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Anti-Shoplifting devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop shoplifting in your store.

For more information on Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint Labels, a Checkpoint Security System, contact us at Retail theft prevention to Stop Shoplifting in your store or call 1.770.426.0547

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Your friend – Checkpoint Tags

April 5, 2013 by

Our store recently apprehended a shoplifter in what we thought was a relatively routine case. A man walked into the men’s wear department, picked up a shirt, and headed toward the fitting room.

He walked out of the fitting room with the shirt within a few minutes and walked into a far corner of the store. We watched him as he removed the shirt from the hanger, rolled it up tightly, and carefully placed it under his arm thinking no one would see it.

The clothing alarm sounded as he was leaving the store as we expected it would. Because we knew he had not paid for the shirt, we assumed we would find the clothing security tag on the shirt.

I picked up the shirt to catalogue the item number and description after we got him back into our office for processing. I looked for the price tag to get the information needed, and as I turned the shirt around in my hand, it struck me that the shirt didn’t have the Checkpoint tag anywhere on the garment.

The suspect became adamant about going to the bathroom which set off an alarm in my head. As it turned out, he had also stuffed a pair of jeans into his jacket unseen. The jeans had alerted our clothing alarm with the checkpoint tag.

Without a tag on the jeans, not only would we have never discovered the jeans, but the alarm would not have sounded at all with the tag missing on the shirt. Bottom Line: it is much simpler to accost a thief with an alarm as well as to assure you have found everything upon discovery.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase clothing alarm and clothing security tags as well as the Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags and how they can work with Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system please contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547.

 

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What’s In Your Meeting – My Loss Prevention Workshops are fun

April 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The only meetings I ever looked forward to, were the ones I presented at. I think it was because not only did I have control over the pace and quality of the meeting, but I had an exciting topic to present about, shoplifting and employee theft.

My husband, on the other hand, hates meetings. I always chuckle to myself anytime he has to go to any sort of meeting, regardless of what it is. I have to agree with him, though. For the most part, meetings generally are no fun. It is a full day of being stuck in a lightless room, with monotonous presenters and ill prepared presentations.

Giving a loss prevention workshop was fun for me because I could make it fun. I was passionate about my chosen field of work, but I was also passionate about helping people learn. You really need both.

Loss Prevention Training really is nothing more than any other boring meeting if you don’t have someone who has passion. They can get the attendees riled up and interested in what is being said. If your employees are interested in the meeting, you have a better chance of them actually retaining parts of the presentation.

It doesn’t matter how many times you say the words shoplifting or employee theft. Not having a passionate speaker negates everything interesting about your presentation topic. If your employees don’t retain the information then it was just a waste of time for all involved. That is why they are at the Loss Prevention Seminar to begin with.

For more information on Loss Prevention Seminars, Loss Prevention Training, or Loss Prevention Workshop contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

Visit the Loss Prevention Systems website for more information on Retail Employee Theft and Retail Shoplifting problems and view the Retail Loss Prevention Seminars, Retail Loss Prevention Training and Retail Loss Prevention Workshop we offer to help with your Employee Theft and Shoplifting problems.

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And Down We Go – Bottle Lock

April 2, 2013 by

I never gave liquor bottle security much thought. Up until a few years ago anyway. 

I had gone to the local grocery store after work and was wandering around doing my normal shopping.

A man had been lingering by the corner of a back aisle with a bottle of whiskey. He didn’t see me at first and proceeded to stuff the bottle down his pants! It was wrong on so many levels.

It was only then that I began to wonder about what type of Liquor bottle security was even out there. I worked in retail security and thought I knew it all. Because I didn’t work with liquor bottles, bottle security was a whole new world for me.

There are several different styles of EASy Bottle locks, which are primarily made by Alpha Security, to choose from. Each one is designed to accommodate the real customer, while deterring the thief. These bottle locks will not only work for liquor bottles, but for wine bottles as well.

If the grocery store I had visited had used this sort of bottle security, I doubt they would have lost that bottle of whisky. I suspect that this wasn’t their first incident of theft, and probably won’t be their last.

They are very clearly in need of some help from Alpha Security Bottle Locks.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.

For more information on Alpha Security, EASy Bottle or Liquor Bottle Security and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

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Nano Gate to the Rescue

April 2, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Anyone who has spent time apprehending shoplifters has either made a bad stop or come really close.  When I say “bad stop”, I’m referring to an apprehension where the suspect did not actually have the product on their person.  The most common scenario is that the LP Agent saw the customer conceal the product, but somewhere along the way the suspect de-concealed the product and the LP Agent missed it. Some days are like that when you are trying to prevent shoplifting.

Potential lawsuits can be filed for false imprisonment, defamation of character, emotional distress, etc. in situations such as this and can become extremely costly to companies.  Many retailers have stopped making apprehensions all together to avoid the risk of liability. A different solution is needed to protect your merchandise and increase profits by reducing losses.

Stores definitely need LP Agents making apprehensions.  This is a strong visual deterrent which helps prevent shoplifting because it sends an unequivocal message that your store is not an easy target for shoplifters.  I also suggest adding retail anti-theft devices to the mix to help your LP Agents make safe and responsible apprehensions.  Retail anti-theft devices will by themselves help prevent shoplifting.  Placing sensor tags, spider wrap, etc. on the product will further deter many would-be shoplifters.

3 Alarm products are a new series of retail anti-theft devices produced by Alpha Security.  I also suggest getting the Nano Gate from Alpha to maximize the 3 Alarm System. 3 Alarm sensor tags do several things.  One, they act as a traditional EAS tag that sets off the door alarm.  When you add the Nano Gate the 3 Alarm tags will also activate an alarm built into the tag itself (once it passes the Nano Gate at the door). An LP Agent should expect the tag to sound from the shoplifter’s bag when a suspect exits with a concealed item with a 3 Alarm tag attached. A sounding alarm confirms their suspicions and makes it safer to make the apprehension. No alarm and they can back off before making a costly mistake.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase retail anti-theft devices that help prevent shoplifting and increase your profits in your business.

For more information on using retail anti-theft devices to prevent shoplifting in your store(s), please contact us by calling 1.770.426.0547. 

 

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