Really? 40%?

February 3, 2012 by Leave a Comment

According to most retail sources, Internal theft still accounts for over 40% of retail shrink losses. This beats out the losses incurred by shoplifters, which is only around 30%. When I talk to my managers and employees on the floor, they generally think of shoplifters as the biggest cause of losses. Sometimes it’s hard to educate them that statistically it is the other way around.

I think there are a few reasons why most of the associates don’t truly understand the scope of internal theft. The first is that catching a shoplifter attracts a lot of attention inside the store. You need witnesses that are generally store employees. Everyone seems to take note when LP comes back in with a shoplifter. Then the police cruiser outside the store makes an even bigger impression. I have always said that catching shoplifters are great PR for the LP department.

Internals are different. Employee theft investigations are always covert. No one inside the store is aware of what is going on until it’s time for the interview. Due to privacy concerns, even after an employee is terminated for internal theft, very few people are aware. Inquisitions are generally met with a blanket statement like “ Yes, so and so is not with the company any more”. It could be the biggest case ever, and a $20 shoplifter would still create more buzz in the store.

The other reason is that people still expect the best of each other. No one really wants to believe that a co-worker they see every day, or chat with in the break room could be guilty of internal theft. While employee theft investigations are constantly being initiated, respect for the employee’s reputation is also held in a high regard. Guilty until proven innocent is crucial to a successful and respectable investigation.

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

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Background Check Experts

February 2, 2012 by

LossPreventionSystems.com

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February 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Please Visit Us online at www.Losspreventionsystems.com for information on how you can be Anti Shoplifting. 

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Will your Sales Make a Swan dive or a Cannon Ball this Year?

January 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment

For many retailers, the Cruise season is here! It’s that wonderful point in the dead of winter where we see the influx of swimsuits hitting the shelves. As we take a look at retail theft prevention, the change in merchandise brings a change in our anti shoplifting tactics.

Swimsuits are hard to control. Small and easy to conceal, they can often be a high dollar item just begging to be taken. They are often stolen in a fitting room, or even just concealed in a purse or pocket on the sales floor. So what’s a progressive retailer to do? Well, look no further than Checkpoint Security systems.

Chances are you already have a Checkpoint Security System in place that uses the basic soft labels or hard tags. These don’t really work for swimsuits. The slick stretchy material renders a sticky soft tag useless. The pins from hard tags run the risk of snagging the suits material. How can you possibly sell damaged merchandise at full margin?

Well, Checkpoint Systems has the anti shoplifting solution! They have created a Checkpoint security tag called the Golf Ball/ Clam Shell hard tag specifically with swimsuits in mind. The front and back of the clam shell are the same size minimizing the risk of damage to the suit. These Checkpoint security tags would also work well on other Lycra based items like work out attire!

Retail theft prevention couldn’t be easier. The simple application of these anti shoplifting devices are sure to make the right splash in your swimwear sales this year!

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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How Does A Bottle Lock Work?

January 30, 2012 by

Bottle locks have become a very popular device for preventing shoplifting. These bottle locks prevent the opening of a bottle of liquor in the store and the thief either pouring it off into another container or drinking it there. A bottle lock can either be a device that goes on the neck of the bottle or in the form of a cap that goes over the top of the bottle. Consideration must also be given to whether or not the retailer has an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system or not. Let me explain all three of these issues as it pertains to liquor bottle security.

First, an EAS system is a set of antennas that are placed at customer entry/exits. If a shoplifter attempts to remove any liquor bottle that has liquor bottle security on it, it activates the system and lets staff know. These systems such as a Checkpoint system are professionally installed and have a 15+ year life span if maintained. Their cost is nominal especially when you consider that they deter the theft of expensive bottles of liquor or wine.

Next, the first kind of bottle security is the Bottle cap. The very first version of this is the EASy Bottle by Alpha Security. The latest model is the EASy Guarde also by Alpha Security. There are several models of bottle locks in between that provide different features. A bottle lock cap fits over the top of the bottle and covers the bottles cap completely. It locks onto the neck of the bottle. This keeps anyone from removing it or opening the bottle. Built into the bottle lock is an EAS tag. So if a shoplifter approaches the doors it will notify staff. The beauty of bottle lock caps is that they can be used without an EAS system. This is called product denial. If a shoplifter does steal the bottle chances are that the bottle will shatter before the shoplifter gets the cap off.

The second kind of bottle security is the Steel Grip also by Alpha Security. The Steel Grip fits around the neck of the bottle only. It locks in place. If a shoplifter tries the steal the bottle the built in EAS hard tag sets the system off. The steal grip must be used in conjunction with an EAS system and does not provide product denial. However, Steel Grip is less expensive.

Both types of bottle locks require a special S3 key to remove them. These keys are controlled and only sold to verified retailers. Bottle locks are reusable over and over.

 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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I’ll Start My Diet on Monday

January 30, 2012 by

I love hearing about people’s New Years resolutions. Some of them are so far fetched you know they won’t make it through the first week. Some of them are pretty typical, you know the ones, eat right, drink less, workout more. That’s the one that perks my ears when I hear employees talking about it. Workout more.

Now I think it’s amazing to want to take charge of your life and your health. I also know that about this time of year, we get in fresh new shipments of athletic attire and inevitably we have at least one employee stealing their way into their New Year’s Resolution.

It’s because of this trend that I emphatically start putting security tags on clothes starting with the athletic wear. I know that clothing security tags is strong visual message not to steal that particular item. I like that the clothing security tags do most of the work for us. The majority of the employees stay honest because they don’t want to contend with beating a clothing alarm.

Clothing security doesn’t just stop there for us. We also talk about the high shrink departments every chance we get. Just as shoplifters avoid being noticed, employees are less likely to steal if they know the area is under constant surveillance.

After the initial resolution has either wilted or become a habit, I can put to rest my worries of protecting our athletic wear. I know its now time to move on to protecting the next target.

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

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

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3 Alarm technology does more than stop theft. It also protects against liability.

January 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Anyone who has spent a large amount of 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, in fact, did not have the product on their person.  The most common reason 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.  This situations can be very costly to companies as potential lawsuits can be filed for false imprisonment, defamation of character, emotional distress, etc.  To this end, many retailers have stopped making apprehensions all together.  I think the real solution lies in a happy medium.

 Stores need LP Agents making apprehensions.  This in and of itself helps prevent shoplifting as it sends a message that your store is not an easy target.  To help your LP Agents make safe and responsible apprehensions I suggest adding retail anti theft devices to the mix.  Retail anti theft devices will by themselves help prevent shoplifting.  Many would-be shoplifters will be deterred by having sensor tags, spider wrap, etc. on the product.  A new series of retail anti theft devices are called 3 Alarm products and are produced by Alpha security.  To maximize the 3 Alarm system I also suggest getting the Nano Gate from Alpha as well. 

 The 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).  When an LP Agent knows a suspect concealed an item with a 3 Alarm tag then they should expect the tag to sound from the shoplifters bag when the person exits.  A sounding alarm means they did not miss anything and are safe to make the apprehension.  No alarm and they can back off before making a costly mistake.

 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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How Did It Get So High?

January 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment

There is a double-edged sword in the Loss Prevention industry regarding employee theft cases. High dollar cases are often career makers. These are the employee theft investigations that are talked about on conference calls and in managers meetings. Some companies use these cases as examples even in new hire training. Somewhere along the line though, someone always stops and asks- how did this case get so high?

For most incidents of employee theft, there was an operational breakdown. A door left unarmed. Maybe it was the EAS alarm was never responded to, or a refund never questioned. If someone had used the mantra Trust but Verify, would the losses continued?

Generally the merchandise stolen is not recovered in an employee theft case. Same thing goes for cash. Most common is restitution. That means the employee agrees to pay back the dollar amount for which they have conceded to having taken from the company. If the dollar amount gets to high, the chances of a store ever really seeing the money come back is slim to none.

I had a case where the employee agreed to restitution of $100 dollars a month for the next fifty years to pay everything back. The store will eventually get their money, but that year’s shrink line still took the hit and profits were lost, along with a few bonuses!

While employee theft investigations are difficult to catch early on, it’s better in the long run. The key is to track and catch in the early stages of the theft, instead of after the escalation of losses takes place.

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

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Employee Background Checks protect profits

January 29, 2012 by

The hiring process shouldn’t be a difficult task. Employee Background checks simplify the process and relieve some worries.

Recently, I had a manager that believed he could be more efficient at completing background checks himself without help from background check experts.  To him, employee background checks were important, but background check experts were not and he could very simply find out all the information he needed by “making a few phone calls” or tracing the applicant himself through his own system of background checks. His sense of urgency was infectious and soon, he had a couple of other hiring managers following his lead. Believing his pre-employment screening methods were ideal, the manager set out to “make a few phone calls” on a new applicant. Things were going good, until he reached an employer from 10 years ago. This employer had nothing but negative things to say about the applicant. The manager listened as the former employer claimed the applicant was a thief and had been suspected of theft prior to his departure. Continuing his pre-employment screening efforts, the manager re-called other companies the applicant worked for. He asked questions like, “did you know this former employee had been suspected of theft in other companies?” and “did you have any suspicions of theft while he worked there?” The manager even went so far as to make a copy of the applicant’s ID and fax it over to previous employers with questions and comments like, “ Is this a bad employee? He has been suspected of theft at other companies, did you have any suspicion’s? “ Not only was it illegal to ask most of these questions but it was also time and payroll consuming. Had the manager hired a Background Check company to begin with, the oncoming law suite could have been avoided all together and payroll loss would have been saved.

Employee background checks are a very important part of the hiring process. Taking short cuts or compromising the credibility of your company is never worth the risk. Had this manager used background check experts for pre-employment screening and background checks, he certainly would have avoided the legal case brought against him by the applicant.

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

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Checkpoint Systems , for when the normal tactics don’t work…

January 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I recently worked a case where a group of thieves were hitting several stores in the area. We were using typical retail theft prevention tactics in our stores, which included great customer service and Checkpoint security system with their Checkpoint security tags. The thieves had their own method to counteract the anti shoplifting measures we had in place.

They would rent a U-Haul or similar vehicle and drive it up to an emergency exit. Half of their group would go into the store, while the other half sat waiting. The half inside the store would take the four-way of high- ticket items (think leather, coats, athletics) and push it to the emergency exit. There they opened the door and pushed the entire fixture onto the waiting truck and drove off!

Our doors were not alarmed with audibles, so it was an easy shot straight out the door before anyone was the wiser.

We had lost thousands of dollars as a district, and we were stumped as to what sort of retail theft prevention we could use, preferably one that would tie into our existing Checkpoint system.

As luck would have it, one of our stores was being remodeled and the new emergency exits had a warning sign stating that an alarm would go off. Sure enough, our thieves tried to hit that store. Taken aback by the new doors, their hesitation on what to do gave us enough time to contact the authorities and the entire group was apprehended.

In a follow up to the case, it turns out that there is a Checkpoint security system called the Exit Stopper by STI. It is both an audible alarm for your doors and a stop sign warning to go on the door. Had these been in place, we would have saved thousands of dollars in losses because this group would have gone somewhere else. There is always an anti shoplifting solution if you just look in the right places.

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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