It’s in the Bag

February 13, 2012 by

I worked a case regarding a theft ring that was into designer handbags. I partnered up with one of the other retailers in the mall where we were anchor stores. They had suffered big losses in this department, and were sure that we would be next on the list.

Immediately we got to work on our clothing security. The checkpoint tags were already in the store for a different product group. It was the most obvious way to push clothing security into the handbag department.

In addition to the checkpoint tags, we talked to our handbag department, telling them to be extra vigilant. If they saw even the slightest thing that made them suspicious, they were to call us. We made extra visits to the department and made sure our CCTV covered the area completely. We were sure we were set.

Sure enough, a week later, the ring came into our store. It was right at closing time when the associates were finishing up for the day. There were five of them. They came in, each grabbed as many bags as they could and ran out the door. I heard the clothing alarm, raced to the door, and saw as the last one exited. They had a car waiting for them.

Not wanting to face a five to one showdown, I contacted the local PD and gave them the license plate number from their vehicle. I knew exactly what had been taken and had the video to back it up. Because of the checkpoint tags setting the clothing alarm off, we had an immediate reaction to the theft.

The PD was able to recover all but two of the bags because of this timely information.

  Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

 

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Caveat Venditor – Let the Seller Beware

February 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

When you work in either high-end retail or in a specialty store, presentation is one of the most important things. More conversations, meetings and conference calls take place centered on merchandising and visual standards than any other topic imaginable. It was always a caveat of any programs I was implementing that above all else, it MUST not impede the presentation.

 So there go big bulky tags, locked boxes, and tangled cords. So how do I sell my loss prevention strategies to prevent shoplifting? By getting the smallest most discreet retail anti theft devices possible. After some research, I found the Nano Gate.

 The Nano Gate is at the height of technological innovation. Not only does it do what the regular EAS pedestals do, but also it is nice to look at. A slim line, it can be put at the doors without the feeling of walking into Ft. Knox. It can also be used in smaller pads of the store. That expensive designer handbag wall? It can be placed near it to detect if someone wanders a bit to far away with a bag.

 The Nano Gate is perfect for stores with a small footprint. The compact design allows for versatility in placement. You can position it just about anywhere you want. It is a great way to get your upscale stores to realize that ways to prevent shoplifting don’t have to be ways to prevent sales.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

 For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

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Employee Theft Investigations: Patience & Persistence!!

February 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Conducting employee theft investigations can be a very tedious process especially for small to mid box retailers that do not have in-store loss prevention personnel. Most small to mid box retailers have field loss prevention employees that cover multiple locations and might office out of one store but they do not spend a lot of time in any one location. It then falls upon field loss prevention and operations management to utilize sales performance, inventory reports and store audits to uncover any type of internal theft that may be occurring.

Employee theft is hands down the highest source of loss in retail. In most small box retailers their high end product is not “live” on the sales-floor which pushes the internal theft percentage to an even high ratio. In these stores there is usually no more than five to eight employees on staff, if you have one employee stealing then roughly 1/5th of your store’s work force is committing employee theft. That is a scary revelation that should give any business owner the sense of urgency to have the best tools and people available to conduct employee theft investigations.

In smaller locations it is tempting to conduct an investigation that merely focuses on one or maybe two employees as a result of a report that may indicate they are the guilty party. When dealing with employee theft in this type of setting it is important to conduct an employee theft investigation with patience and persistence. The investigation must involve every employee in the store as well as every type of theft. There might be one or two people committing product theft however another employee might be conducting refund fraud and yet another may be conducting employee discount fraud. If you only address one of the issues the other theft will stop for a while and then continue unfettered once the employee theft investigation has ended. It is also imperative to note and address all performance issues, not just the internal theft. Poor performance can lead to theft.

It can be hard to watch theft occur while conducting a thorough employee theft investigation but when you are finished all performance and theft issues will be dealt with thus giving you a clean store to rebuild.

For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

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Security tags are not for eating!

February 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

In our efforts to stop shoplifting it should come as no surprise that we become privy to some of the most ridiculous human behaviors on record.  I know for a fact that almost every loss prevention professional has a least one story that can shock and amaze anyone listening.  This particular event has puzzled even seasoned law enforcement officials.

My particular store makes use of both Checkpoint security tags and RF labels to safeguard product.  The Checkpoint security tags were affixed to a large quantity of clothing items (though not as many as my office would like) while the RF labels were generally found on perfumes and accessories.  On one particular day my team and I spotted a woman on the sales floor filling a childless stroller with high-end clothes and a few shoeboxes.  In the bottom basket of the stroller were a few large shopping bags, the type found at boutique clothing stores.  When the woman finally entered a fitting room with the stroller and its contents in tow we readied ourselves for the eventual stop.

She was in the fitting room for almost 45 minutes before emerging with the stroller but none of the items she had placed in it.  Upon checking the fitting room our loss prevention agents found only the three shoeboxes filled with the Checkpoint security tags from the items that were missing…all of the tags having been separated by the woman biting the pins off to remove them.  When we apprehended her the reason she gave us was that she didn’t want to be caught with ‘shoplifting tools’.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint labels, Checkpoint security tags, and other RF labels that can help you stop shoplifting in your business.

 For more information on Checkpoint labels, Checkpoint security tags, RF labels, RF security labels, RF security tags and how to stop shoplifting contact us at RF label or call 1.770.426.0547

 

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Checkpoint Systems: A Sales Best Friend!!

February 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Having product out live is a risky gamble to increase sales. If product is not placed live on the sales floor and is merely represented by a piece of paper or an empty box as a means of retail theft prevention then sales could be lost. If product is not represented on the sales floor then how can it sell? The short answer is that is can not and will not sell. Many retailers use this anti shoplifting method to protect their inventory. By doing so you place a huge reliance on the store staff to ensure all product in the stockroom is represented by an empty box or piece of paper and obviously mistakes happen.

In working as a multi unit lp manager of a small box retailer I encountered this type of anti shoplifting movement. The entire process of gutting product then devising a filing system and then dealing with customers who question how you can sell opened product as new will cause one huge headache. At the end of the year ultimately many locations end up with lower than expected sales due to the fact their inventory was not represented correctly on the sales floor thus never giving customers the chance to purchase the product. All of which would have been avoided if they would have purchased some checkpoint systems.

I have found that one of the best retail theft prevention methods is the checkpoint security system. Instead of gutting product, you attach checkpoint security tags and place the product right on the sales floor, thus ending any concern as to whether your entire product line is represented. The Checkpoint Security system is an all inclusive product that requires quite a bit of interaction from the store staff which goes deeper than merely placing Checkpoint Security tags on product. The staff must ensure the tags are placed correctly and consistently as well as audit the tagging procedures. The Checkpoint systems are only as good as the staff supporting them. If employees do not place the checkpoint security tags correctly or react to the checkpoint security system alarm then the system offers no anti shoplifting benefits.

Retail theft prevention is a tough game to play with many pitfalls for the unwary or uninformed. Starting with research on checkpoint systems is a great first step to put together a successful anti shoplifting strategy. Implementing the system correctly will work out much better than trying to gut all of your product and then hope and pray that your product is successfully represented through out the year as well as hope and pray that your customers like that form of marketing and waiting for the product to be retrieved from the stockroom.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase retail anti theft devices from Checkpoint Systems.

 For more information on Anti Shoplifting , Checkpoint Security System or Checkpoint Security Tags contact us at Retail theft prevention or call 1.770.426.0547

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Criminal Background Checks save you from headaches!

February 10, 2012 by

One of the biggest threats to the stability of any business is internal theft.  It can take many forms and be committed by people who you may believe are beyond trustworthy.  Beyond implementing round-the-clock surveillance on all of your employees to ensure they aren’t robbing you there is another way to make sure you can trust your staff.

Requiring pre employment screening and criminal background checks for all new hires is a surefire way to weed out large swaths of undesirables before they even make it to the interview process.  Depending on the type of positions you are trying to fill you can even, in most cases, request the background check experts make the pre employment screening rather precise in what it is screening for.  For example, should you be hiring for a position that requires a large amount of driving, it would be foolish not to eliminate applicants with a history of not adhering to traffic laws.

Employee background checks can also be implemented at will should you feel the need to do so.  If utilized in a manner similar to random drug screenings or as a tool to screen employees who may be up for a promotion, these background checks can serve as a safeguard against allowing people to gain greater responsibilities within the company. 

If it wasn’t for such a situation, the company I work for would have promoted a woman who had apparently been arrested for check cashing fraud at a nearby casino a year AFTER she had been originally hired.  Thankfully, through the use of required advancement background checks this woman was never elevated to a position that would have granted her access to nightly store deposits. 

 For more information on background check experts, background checks, criminal background checks, employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

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Preventing Possible Theft

February 10, 2012 by

When you think about employee background checks, you don’t often think about how they might stop internal theft. I had an issue a few years ago with a group of my employees who were stealing from our company.

There was one associate who would make his purchases with his friend at the customer service desk. That was all within policy. What wasn’t in policy was the additional merchandise that was not rung up. It was thousands of dollars worth of merchandise. After we questioned him, he told us it was all being shipped back to his native country.

When we went to question the other three associates involved, we could not locate them. They quit or walked out of the store while we questioned the first employee. We took the case to our local law enforcement who then began to search for these individuals.

After several individuals were brought into the police station, it was clear that the employees we had hired used fake IDs with stolen information. We have yet to locate our ex- employees.

Had we been background check experts, we might have been able to catch the discrepancy when these individuals first applied for jobs. Had we hired background check experts, they would have done what we could not. Running adequate employee background checks isn’t just about whether or not the employee may have had prior convictions. It is a way for pre employment screening to do its job and tell you the person you are hiring is EXACTLY who you think it is.

If we had done this in the first place, we might have saved us thousands in stolen merchandise and valuable resources in tracking them down.

For more information on background check experts , background checks , criminal background checks , employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547

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Washington State Liquor Bottle Security

February 10, 2012 by

The State of Washington is in the process of privatizing liquor sales. This means there is a huge opportunity for retailers in the state! It also means that shoplifters are looking forward to new opportunities. Liquor bottle security is critical from the start. Retailers that take bottle security serious before they open their doors to liquor sales customers this year will be ahead of the pack.

Bottles locks such as EASy Bottle, EASy Guarde, Crystal Guarde and Steel Grip by Alpha Security will keep your profits in store by denying shoplifters the ability to steal your product. Bottle locks can even deny shoplifters the ability to open and consume or pour off your merchandise into a flask before they even leave the store.

Washington State retailers will be facing these same issues just like other states have. The great news is that the bottle lock solution works and works very well. Alpha Security basically invented the bottle lock and produces the highest quality bottle locks made. They are built to stand up to wear and tear in a retail environment. A bottle lock is simple and easy to apply and remove, by store staff.

A bottle security program is easy to set up and maintain. It is clearly cost effective. Consider the loss of one bottle of Grey Goose. Shoplifters do not target less expensive brands they go right for the expensive stuff. Securing these bottles behind a counter has a negative effect on your good customers. They cannot shop and compare as easily. Keeping all product on the sales floor and available it the principal behind a wine and liquor bottle security program.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security.

For more information on Alpha Security , Bottle Lock , Bottle locks , Bottle Security , liquor bottle security or EASy Bottle contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

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Security and Sales: Partnership NOT Conflict!

February 10, 2012 by

While working for a mid sized clothing retailer I experienced the growing pains of a company trying to implement goals and policies from a large clothing company. One of those tools was the Checkpoint system which is a rf based clothing alarm system. It is the best clothing security system on the market. The decision to employ a clothing alarm that requires security tags on clothes lets you know from the beginning it is an interactive process to make use of storewide clothing security. That interactive partnership is not just within the loss prevention department but with all employees including management. This can prove to be a challenge since any requirement that demands more work and additional payroll can cause conflict among department heads.

The main conflict was between loss prevention and the sales department. The sales department assumed that the loss prevention department would responsible for placing all of the checkpoint tags on the product. Three people could not place the security tags on clothes while also protecting the store. The sales department and loss prevention had to sit down and review Checkpoint’s training materials which very explicitly explained that implementation and success was based on every employee’s willingness to take part in the deployment of the system. While the structure was being installed we jumped into the main differences between the departments to diffuse the problems before the system installation was complete. Once we reviewed the overall clothing security plan which included attaching, auditing and removing clothing security tags, it was fully understood by both sides that they had to work together to ensure a successful deployment. The training material and the support from the checkpoint representative were the grease on the hard to mesh gears. The training material mapped out the success to clothing security in a very detailed fashion. The main overall point throughout the training was triumph through teamwork. We also learned that consistency on the application of the clothing security tags was very important as well as daily or weekly audits of the checkpoint tags for compliance.

The process was slow only because of the friction that already existed within the company between sales and loss prevention. I do feel though that because the checkpoint system required interaction from everyone it brought the two departments closer whether they liked it or not. Employees from both sides of the fence working shoulder to shoulder placing security tags on clothes gave them all a vested interest to protect inventory as well as insight into each others day to day activities. Loss prevention took care of the auditing process to ensure the checkpoint tags were placed on the clothes correctly and consistently. The sales department ensured all employees knew how to react when the clothing alarm was activated if someone attempted to take a piece of clothing from the store without the clothing security tags being removed. The sales department also ensured the checkpoint tags were removed at the point of sale to reduce false alarms. It was every employee’s duty to ensure the detacher that removed the clothing security tags was kept secured at all times. In the end the checkpoint system became a healing salve that allowed the company to grow closer and start the process of growing together to become bigger and better everyday.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

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Variety Is the Spice of Life

February 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment

When you walk the aisles of a grocery store, stop and think about how many individual items (or SKUs) you see. Thousands right? With such a vast array of items, notice the different types of packaging. There are boxes and bottles, cellophane bags, plastic wrap on meats, and the list is almost as varied as the ingredients are. So how do you stop shoplifting without breaking the budget on anti theft devices or starting complex new procedures?

 Use Checkpoint labels, of course!

 Checkpoint offers a great line of RF security labels. Take their EP-3210 clear poly HBC label. It is super thin and clear. This RF security label is designed to go right over the existing barcode. Because it is clear, the item will scan at the POS like it normally would.

 Then there is the EP – Round Label. It is small and, well, round. They are designed to fit on the ends of bottles (pharmacy usage perhaps?). Since they are not a traditional square shaped label, shoplifters are often fooled into thinking the item is not tagged.

 All of the Checkpoint labels are designed with superior adhesion. This way they will stick extremely well to a wide variety of packaging materials. Checkpoint also does significant testing to ensure that each and every label on the roll works like it is supposed to.

 Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint labels, Checkpoint security tags, and other RF labels that can help you stop shoplifting in your business.

 For more information on Checkpoint labels, Checkpoint security tags, RF labels, RF security labels, RF security tags and how to stop shoplifting contact us at RF label or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

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