Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll

I actually like and believe in all three of these things. When it comes to drugs they have to be the legal kind. All of us have seen the destruction that illegally used drugs cause. In a business environment, illegal drug use by an employee not only has an impact on their work performance but creates serious customer and legal issues for employers. An employee that is under the influence of any substance that influences their ability to do their job correctly or safely, will cause customers to question who they are doing business with.

If this employee drives for their employer and is involved in an accident, even if it is not their fault, then liability could come back to the company. That one is easy to understand. But what about the recent changes in the law regarding marijuana? Some States have relaxed or legalized its use. However, it is still against Federal Law… EVERYWHERE. I do not agree with these changes. Not because I am a former Law Enforcement Officer that has seen firsthand the impact on society but because it is simply wrong.

The biggest argument I hear is “well alcohol is legal. Marijuana is no different”. Sorry to say yes it is. The active ingredient in marijuana is THC. THC stays in the bloodstream for up to two weeks after it has been ingested. Alcohol leaves the bloodstream within hours of consumption. The person may not be high but the “drug” is still there.

Now that same person comes to work. They have not ingested any marijuana for let’s say a week. Now they are involved in a customer accident. This could be dropping something on a customer from a shelf, hurting a customer with the use of a forklift, pallet jack or motor vehicle, or any other poor judgment that results in injury. If it is discovered as a result of testimony, blood test…. that the employee had THC in their bloodstream….. Surprise, you as the business owner could now be liable.

As a Loss Prevention Manager, I was involved in an accidental death case in one of my stores. Picture a building materials type store. Lumber, hardware, carpet, nuts, bolts…. A forklift operator was moving two full bundles of lumber and had them up on the lift about ten feet off the ground. At that moment a man and his very young son walked underneath the load. One of the forks on the lift gave way and an entire load of lumber landed on them. It killed them both instantly. There was not a piece left of either of those human beings thicker than three inches.

When OSHA, Fire/Rescue, Law Enforcement and a whole bunch of other government folks arrived on the scene, it was quickly determined that there was a defect in the fork that broke. This defect occurred during the manufacturing process. That defect was not caught as it should have been. So liability rested squarely on the forklift manufacturer. However, as required by law, our employee was drug tested immediately. His test came back positive for THC/marijuana. This caused the liability to shift to my company. All because this employee had smoked marijuana the weekend before.

So you may be thinking this can’t happen to me. I own a small boutique, grocery store, clothing store….. Yes, it can and could happen at any time. Why risk it? The commonly accepted practice is an employment drug test. Screen out potential liability and poor performers. A drug test should be required as a part of the pre-employment process, no exceptions. It is a simple and painless process. Contact us today, we can set your drug screening program up, make it very cost effective and make it simple for you and your candidate. You can reach us toll-free at 1-770-426-0547.


Don’t Let The Dark Days Of Winter Catch You Unsecure

With darker daylight hours comes the need for more coffee, the use of lights earlier and a plan to keep crime away from your store or business. Have you considered that one of the following types of crime could affect you?

Burglary – This is where a bad guy, low life scum type, breaks into your property when you and your staff are gone for the day. First and foremost you must have an alarm system. Not just the $99 special either. Invest enough that you have ALL exterior doors contacted. Yes, this also should apply to doors that are not used frequently or at all. Add glass break detectors on all exterior glass that can be easily reached. Enough motion detectors to create a trap effect. In other words so that no one can move around very far without a motion detector seeing them. Bad guys do not like light and sound, so add several sirens and strobe lights with at least one strobe on the front exterior and the back exterior. This will help to draw attention to your property by other citizens and the Police. You should always have an alarm control that uses cellular to communicate instead of phone or internet lines which can be cut or compromised.

Leave select lights on in the store to make it easy for the Police to see movement. The bad guys would prefer it to be dark. Are your doors and windows secure, I mean REALLY secure? Check the locks and make sure they operate correctly and are not simply cheap hardware that will give with a push or kick.

Robbery – This is the nightmare situation where someone presents you with a gun. Not as a present either. I have been involved in many shooting situations and have looked down the barrel of a few from the wrong side. It’s kind of funny how a barrel of a 9mm pistol looks like the opening of a 55 gallon barrel.

The key here is being prepared. Deterrents include well-lit stores and alert employees. Keep the cash drawers drained. Only keep the minimum amount of money in the till, the rest needs to go into a drop safe below the register or to the safe in the office. The lower form of life that commits robberies in many cases will make small purchases even a day or two ahead to see how much money is in the drawer. And yes, they know all about larger, excess bills being kept under the till tray in the drawer.

This is where a CCTV system that is adequately covering your point of sale comes in. The DVR should never be in plain sight at the point of sale; preferably in the office. Cameras should look at the point of sale from several different angles. Invest a couple of hundred dollars in a camera that mounts on the door frame at eye level. This will get a great face shot of anyone leaving.

All cameras should record 24/7 since hard drive space is cheap. You should easily get 30 to 60 days of recording. Another awesome deterrent is a Public View Monitor (PVM). A PVM is a monitor that is placed so that everyone entering the store sees themselves as they come in. It lets everyone know the system is active. A larger monitor in the 27+” range is preferred.

Employee Theft – I do not think employee theft picks up any more than other times of the year but it should get an honorable mention. Make sure you have adequate key and door control. Trash should be inspected by a manager before it goes out. Employees that steal will use the trash to get merchandise out picking it up later or have a friend get it. Employee bags should be inspected when they leave. I can send you a policy draft if needed.

Shoplifting – Shoplifters thrive and seek out concealment. Darkness adds to their psychological comfort. This is another reason for a well-lit store. Replace any burned out bulbs. Walk your store when it is dark outside to help discover any areas such as back corners that will provide aid and comfort to the shoplifting enemy. Make sure your Checkpoint system is operating correctly. If not call us for a service call. Ensure that your staff knows how to approach potential shoplifters with customer service techniques. I teach a live seminar on this for our customers, free of charge, whenever they need it.

Existing customers can call us at 770-426-7593 x103 to schedule a seminar. I also suggest that you pick up a copy of my new book: “Protect Your Store! The shoplifting prevention guide for small to medium retailers”. It is available online at Amazon and Kindle. The book has tools to shut off shoplifters right away.

Of course, these tips are good practice year round. However, take a hard, objective look at your store as it is better to prevent than recover from an incident. If we can help you, please reach out to us since we are only a call or email away.


 

Store Safety Impacts Profits: Keep Your Store Safe During The Winter Months

Accidents can be costly to businesses. In fact, according to the OSHA website, “It has been estimated that employers pay almost $1 billion dollars a week for direct workers’ compensation costs alone. Direct costs include workers’ compensation payments, medical expenses and costs for legal services.”

This does not take into consideration expenditures on general liability claims made by customers against businesses for accidents. The impact of a customer claim can be significant as well and according to thehartford.com “The Hartford Reports: More Than 40% Of Small Businesses Will Experience A Claim In The Next 10 Years,” March 30, 2015, the average cost of a customer injury or damage claim is $30,000 while a customer slip and fall incident is $20,000. A struck by object claim not identified as being specific to a customer or employee is listed at an average cost of $10,000. Consider then that the risk of these accidents taking place during the winter months increases significantly. What steps can you take to reduce the possibility you may have to pay out on a claim, especially during the winter months?

Slips and Falls

Slips and falls are not uncommon all year round, however, winter increases the chances of a slip on icy sidewalks and parking lots. Additionally, people will track ice and snow into the building leaving puddles of water that contribute to slip accidents. It is necessary for store employees to be diligent in placing wet floor signs near entrances and drying those areas too. Allowing standing water to remain because “people just keep tracking it in” is not an excuse that will hold water in an accident settlement case (pun intended). It is worth investing in wet area or all weather mats for the front doors to aid in the drying of shoes as customers enter the building. Have umbrella bags available for wet umbrellas. Bure sure to have deicers and anti-icers on hand for unexpected snow and ice storms to help keep sidewalks and curbs safe for patrons and employees. Stores located in traditionally warmer climates must be even more diligent because ice and snow are not as common; finding shovels and proper equipment when that rare snow or ice storm strikes can be a difficult task. Hardware stores run out of necessary items quickly as people without the tools come in at the sudden threat of storms.

Strains and Sprains

You or one of your staff may go outside to shovel snow from your sidewalks. Be careful! Not only is there the danger of being exposed to the cold too long, there is also a chance of a strain injury resulting from the shoveling of snow and ice. In an article in webmd.com titled, “Shoveling Snow Injures Thousands Each Year,” Jan 20, 2011, by Kelli Miller, the author points out that shoveling sends on average 11,000 adults and children to the hospital each year. She continues in her article, “The American Journal of Emergency Medicine details the most common health hazards associated with shoveling snow. Snow shoveling can lead to bad backs, broken bones, head injuries and even deadly heart problems.” Carefully watch those you may send out to shovel and rotate them in and out. Look for signs of excessive stress or pain and if necessary contact a local EMS station.

Parking Lots

Ensure your employees are safe if you send them outside to collect shopping carts or clear snow from parking spaces. Have orange or yellow reflective safety vests on hand and require those working outside to wear them. Moving vehicles in a parking lot may not stop quickly enough on the icy pavement if they don’t see the employee in time. The safety vest provides additional visibility to help alert drivers. While it should go without saying make sure weather appropriate clothing such as jackets, gloves and even scarfs are available for employees to help them avoid frostbite or other cold-weather ailments.

Struck-by’s

Don’t overlook the risk of ice falling from a rooftop. Too much weight from accumulated snow and ice or a slight increase in temperatures may result in ice and snow sliding off an overhang or roof. Be sure to monitor for such hazards and take proactive measures to clear potential problems before they result in an injury.

Accidents can happen anytime but winter offers unique challenges. Be pro-active and make sure you and your managers are doing all you can to make your employees and customers safe when they visit the store to work or shop.


Should They Stay Or Should They Go? What To Consider With Seasonal Hires

It’s that time of year when all store owners and managers start to make personnel decisions. Remember those people you hired in late August, maybe in September or even as late as October or November? Remember the conversations you may have had with them discussing how this was a “seasonal” position? You may have really dangled the carrot in front of them and told them that if they worked hard and showed initiative they might be retained on your staff after the holidays. Guess what? It’s time now for you to start taking a hard look at your staff and making some decisions and that isn’t always pleasant. Now you have to evaluate those employees and consider whether you want to keep them or you may have to decide if you can afford to keep them.  What should you be thinking about at this point with regard to employee retention decisions?

Performance

You may have told the employee that retention after the holiday season would be based on their performance. Did you take time periodically to watch how this person interacted with customers or other employees? Did you ever get any customer complaints about how this employee treated them or compliments about their service? Did you keep track of those complaints or compliments so you would have something to fall back on should you choose to end their employment? Having documentation in hand makes it easier to have those conversations. The other resources you need to rely on are your supervisors. It is wise to have a management meeting to discuss each person’s opinion about a seasonal worker. One person may like the way the employee performed on a cash register while another had issues with sales floor performance. Getting several perspectives will give a better picture of an employee during the season.

Punctuality

Review an employee’s time sheets or attendance record. If you don’t keep track of tardiness or call-outs you should start. Just because a supervisor or manager says someone was always late or always called out does not mean it was so. It often happens that during a busy time or when everything seems to be going wrong that if someone shows up late to work it is inflated in our minds. We are prone to feeling like this is a regular occurrence when in fact it only took place the one time. The employee may have called out another time but the heat of the moment distorts the reality of the employee’s attendance record. Review documentation so you know whether punctuality or attendance was really a problem.

Attitude

I shouldn’t have to include this one but sometimes the obvious isn’t so obvious. What kind of attitude was displayed while this person worked? Did they arrive to work with a negative attitude? Perhaps they were always negative about customers or even talking about other employees. A poor attitude can rub off on others and become a drain on morale. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of getting rid of someone who displays a poor attitude. I should also mention that it is worth giving consideration to someone who always has a sunny disposition. Just as a negative attitude spreads a black cloud over the other workers and can be sensed by customers a positive attitude can have the same impact. Shoppers like feeling welcomed and that their business is appreciated. Co-workers enjoy being around a fellow employee who makes work fun or knows the value of a warm greeting. This does not mean this worker does not have to be able to perform but they may not need to be a superstar if they bring something of value to the table.

Honesty and Integrity

Has this staff member demonstrated an impeccable record of honest behaviors? Are you confident this person has proven to be honest? If you track register overages and shortages take a look back at this employee’s daily register tallies. Be sure there is no concern over shortages or overages either of which could be an indicator of theft. Has there been any question about a purchase or a package check inspection? Is this person always upfront about issues they have encountered? Even something as seemingly small as having a friend punch a time clock for them indicates an integrity issue at the least. If you have a concern it would be in your best interest to cut this person from your roster.

Ending a seasonal employee’s job isn’t always easy but it is necessary. Make sure you use sound criteria and good judgment when deciding if you will keep or release someone after the holidays.


Retailers’ Biggest Nightmare: Shoplifting

Big corporations across the globe worry about cybersecurity attacks and the repercussions those attacks have on the corporation’s bottom line. These cybersecurity attacks to their servers and information databases can be costly and can bring with them costly lawsuits as well.  But, according to many analysts, employee theft and shoplifting are the more concerning issues affecting the retail industry.  They alone account for more than two-thirds of their shrinkage and that figure seems to be rising every year.  During the holiday season, those issues become more problematic and costly, and the retail industry looks for ways to prevent the great loses they will certainly suffer during this jolly time.

For more about this and other stories, follow the links below.


This crime in the workplace is costing US businesses $50 billion a year

There is a hidden risk facing small businesses across the country that often goes unnoticed until it suddenly rips through a firm’s finances: employee theft. It’s a crime that is costing U.S. businesses $50 billion annually, according to Statistic Brain.

Matt Ham can attest to that. He has had two run-ins with thefts by employees at his small business, Computer Repair Doctor, which has eight stores in Florida, Ohio and South Carolina, which collectively totals 30 employees.

At a store in Florida, two employees were caught stealing parts from inventory and skimming cash about a year and half ago, he said. After a thorough investigation, Ham sat them down with his attorney and they came up with a plan for restitution. Both employees had to pay back the thousands of dollars they stole. The chain has now put more safeguards in place, such as better inventory controls and a strict cash-counting process.


Survey finds no let up in one of retailers’ biggest threats

Nearly all retailers fell victim to organized retail crime during the past year. And the losses are mounting.

 Ninety-six percent of responding retailers experienced ORC in the past year, according to the 13th annual ORC study by the National Retail Federation. And 67% reported an increase in this type of activity during the past year.

The survey of retail loss prevention employees found that losses averaged $726,351 per $1 billion in sales, up from $700,259 last year. Los Angeles continued to be the hardest-hit area for ORC in the nation, a position it has held since 2012. Following in order were New York City, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Orlando, San Francisco/Oakland, Orange County, Calif., and Northern New Jersey.

“Organized retail crime continues to be one of the biggest challenges to retailers of all sizes,” NRF VP for loss prevention Bob Moraca said. “These crimes happen across the country every day, with criminals getting smarter, more brazen, more aggressive and sometimes even attacking store employees and shoppers. Fighting ORC is a full-time job, and retailers must learn how to stay a step ahead of these thieves.”


Loss Prevention Trends to Watch During the Holiday Shopping Season

All retail eyes are focused on online security and digital transactions during the holiday season. But according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), shoplifting and employee theft accounted for more than two-thirds of inventory shrinkage in 2016. Retailers need to improve their internal security systems to boost their loss prevention abilities and keep their shrink rate from rising above last year’s historical high of 1.44 percent.

Retail store shrinkage is a known part of the industry, but with all the attention centered around cybertheft of customer information and implementing proper security measures at point-of-sale (POS) systems, the age-old problem of losing products at the physical store has taken a back seat.

Leveraging Cybersecurity Technology for Loss Prevention

Technology is playing a larger role across all retail efforts, and some of the tactics employed in the back office to protect the company’s digital data can be expanded to store-level prevention. The specifics of the skills needed differ between cybersleuths and on-the-floor store personnel, but more education and discussion between these disciplines can help.


 

Shoplifting Prevention

Kleptomania is a mental disorder.  Not as serious as a more severe case of schizophrenia for example, but a mental disorder nonetheless.  The inability of people suffering from this disorder to stop themselves from grabbing merchandise and stealing it is a problem mental health professionals try to understand and help these sufferers find a way to overcome.

The problems caused due to shoplifting are many. Police departments across the nation spend countless hours answering calls to retail shops where shoplifting incidents occur daily.  Society as a whole loses the taxable merchandise lost to shoplifting, and the owners of some of these retail shops see their business crumble due to the heavy shoplifting they experience. But, we must remember that in some cases, these people need help, not jail.

Read more about this and other stories.


Some retailers are bracing for the ‘Silver Tsunami’ by embracing senior shoppers

With the emerging “Silver Tsunami,” a metaphor for our aging population, retailers are preparing for the tidal wave of some 78 million Baby Boomers turning 65 and over in the next 10 to 20 years

With their growing numbers and vast purchasing power, senior shoppers present both an opportunity and challenge for retailers. For some of the biggest names in the industry, including Kohl’s, Best Buy and Boscov’s, the 60-and–over crowd represents an important customer base already, and they are doing even more to accommodate it.

“This demographic should be important to retailers as there is a gap between the scale of the senior consumer population’s purchasing power and the current offerings in the retail sector that are more geared toward younger shoppers,” said Deborah L. Weinswig, managing director at Fung Global Retail and Technology in New York.


Kleptomania: Understanding the mental disorder

Many people with kleptomania live lives of secret shame because they’re afraid to seek mental health treatment. 

Approximately 6 in 1000 people suffer from this mental disorder, translating to approximately 1.2 million people in the United States.

Understanding kleptomania and the constant desire to partake in the activities associated with the disorder will help an individual to seek an appropriate amount of treatment to help eliminate the behavior.

The majority of individuals who suffer from kleptomania begin exhibiting symptoms during their late adolescence and early adult years.

The most unfortunate aspect of kleptomania is that it prevents the sufferer from leading a productive lifestyle as they are constantly faced with the need to steal.


UCLA basketball players, reportedly accused of shoplifting, await their fate in scenic Chinese town

The young American athletes took a detour to this Chinese lakeside town on their way to play basketball. Now, in a bizarre situation that has entangled some of college sports’ most promising players, three may not be able to leave it.

UCLA freshmen LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill are holed up in Hangzhou, a tourist town in southeastern China about 100 miles from Shanghai and the opening game of the season — in which they will not appear. Police questioned the men this week on suspicion of shoplifting sunglasses from a Louis Vuitton store. They must remain here and await a decision by Chinese authorities on how to proceed.

For many, this former ancient capital is a breezy escape from the industrial grime of other Chinese cities. But for these college students, it’s likely a crushing symbol of how little they know about the country and its opaque judicial system.


 

Fitting Room Theft

You know the drill. At the end of the day, you find your merchandise tags on the floor or hidden in your fitting rooms. Shoplifters bring your merchandise into a fitting room and put it on under their clothes. Sometimes many layers of your apparel are under the clothes they wore in.

One in ten people that walk through your doors is there to steal. It is a fact of retail life. Studies show that a large percentage of these thieves are female and under the age of thirty. This feeds into the fact that the average retailer’s inventory shrink from shoplifting is approximately 35%.

Shoplifters conceal your merchandise in a variety of ways, in a stroller, pockets, a booster bag, booster clothing or like mentioned above, simply wearing your merchandise out of your store under their clothing. All of these methods require one thing, privacy, even if only for a few seconds. What better place to get privacy in a retail store than a fitting room. Shoplifters can take their time. And because some fitting rooms are handicap accessible, it is not a problem to bring that shoplifting vehicle (stroller) right in with them.

What can you do to protect yourself from theft that a fitting room helps to facilitate? Start with fitting room design:

  • Fitting rooms should not be located in out of the way areas. I prefer high-traffic areas.
  • Walls should be smooth and continuous with no decorations, picture frames, signs… that a shoplifter can hide or dispose of a price tag.
  • Mirrors should be permanently attached to the wall and the edges should be caulked to keep the thieves from hiding labels behind them.
  • Avoid carpeting in the fitting room. Carpet can be pulled up and labels can be hidden there. If you have to use carpet, ensure it is one piece and the edges are securely glued to the flooring.
  • Doors should not go all the way to the floor.  This still provides privacy but does not give the shoplifter a complete feeling of privacy.
  • Doors should have a lock that is called a “storeroom” style. This means that a key is always required to unlock the door and that cannot be changed by turning the knob on the other side.
  • Bright lighting helps your legitimate shopper but gives the shoplifter less of a feeling of privacy.
  • CCTV cameras in plain sight outside of the fitting room doors. The area outside of a fitting room is the perfect place for a public view monitor so customers see that the system is live.
  • Chimes that alert staff when a fitting room door opens.
  • Seating such as benches should be fixed or built in. Any seams, cracks should be sealed. The underside of the bench should be a smooth surface that will not facilitate the hiding of tags.
  • Cove base and shoe mold should be securely mounted, the edges glued and caulked.

Of course, all of this is worthless without proper procedures and a trained staff:

  • Consider fitting room attendants that count garments in/out.
  • Key control. Staff must never leave a key in the fitting room door.
  • For high volume and multiple fitting rooms use a number tag system.
  • Consider limiting the number of items a customer can take into the fitting room at one time.
  • Staff should be trained to keep an eye on anyone who they have let into a fitting room. This is not just a theft concern but also customer service. Your staff can keep track of merchandise and help the customer with different sizes.
  • Do not allow merchandise to build up outside the fitting room. Besides presenting a sloppy appearance, a disorganized area allows shoplifters to more easily conceal merchandise and tags.
  • Customer service, customer service, customer service…

Make sure that when you do have an incident that you bring it to the attention of all staff members so everyone can learn from it. Even though the key to preventing this kind of theft is customer service, you may still have more than acceptable losses. At that point, it is time for a Checkpoint System. The tags on the merchandise are working 24/7 and will alarm even if the stolen merchandise is under the shoplifters clothing.

Contact us at 770-426-7593 if you have any questions about this topic, would like our help or if you would like a quote on a Checkpoint System.


Preventing Shoplifting In Your Store

According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), there are more than 28 million small businesses in the United States and they account for more than 99% of businesses in the country.  Small businesses employ close to 57 million people in the United States alone and are a driving force in the progress of the US economy.  The good news for an entrepreneur that wants to start a business is that they are not alone, but if you are a small business in the retail industry, the problems you will encounter do not come as paperwork filings or taxes paid.  Shoplifting and employee theft are two of the major causes small retail shops face financial distress during their business enterprise.  It is an unfortunate problem, but the problem is there and the small business owner has to find solutions to the specific problems in their store.

For more about this and other types of stories, follow the links below.


Retailers ‘tagging’ meat to prevent shoplifting

First it was clothes‚ then electronic goods and baby formula. Now it is meat.

Retailers waging a battle against grocery store shoplifting are adopting unorthodox crime prevention measures by placing electronic security tags on expensive cuts of meat.

The food tags work in the same way as on items such as clothes. Exit the shop without paying for the chunk of steak and an alarm goes off.

Sowetan observed a packer gingerly placing the strange tags on meat this week at one retail chain store west of Johannesburg.

The drastic measure is apparently a direct response to a rise in shoplifting of unconventional goods like meat in tough economic times. In the past‚ tagging was reserved for goods like CDs.

Last week Sowetan reported that a Kliptown policewoman was caught shoplifting meat worth R620 at a Pick n Pay store in Lenasia. She has been released on R500 bail.


Retailers offered top five tips to stop shoplifters

More than 360,000 shoplifting offences were reported in the UK in 2016-17 financial year, according new research.

The data from online marketplace OnBuy.com revealed that the Metropolitan Police had the highest number of shoplifting offences reported in the 12 month period at 47,580 – the equivalent of 130 incidents a day. The Met was closely followed by West Midlands Police, who had 19,741 incidences of shoplifting reported, followed by Greater Manchester Police with 18,002 shoplifting offences.

Meanwhile, City of London Police had the lowest number of shoplifting cases, with only 729 reported – the equivalent of two occurrences every day.

Cas Paton, managing director of OnBuy.com, said: “Shoplifting is more prevalent than we would like to think. Considering the amount of time and energy shops put into running various aspects of their operation daily, shoplifting is really an unfortunate occurrence for them.


Shoplifting: How to prevent ‘blind spots’ in the store layout

Though many types of theft deterrent equipment exist, one of the most effective and affordable approaches is preventing retail shoplifting is by avoiding “blind spots” in the store layout.

In this regard, one of the hardest places for supermarket or mass merchandise cashiers to control and easily view has been under the shopping basket, which is usually blocked by a basketful of other items above it. Failing to ring up items under the basket before customers leave the store can be extremely costly to retailers.

To prevent such losses, one nationally recognized mass-market retailer has already installed over 90,000 bottom-of-the basket (BOB) mirrors in an effort to limit this type of shrinkage in their business. The inventive mirrors are comprised of lightweight acrylic and the mirror mounts opposite the standing cashier to provide a clear, unobstructed view of the bottom of the cart without requiring the cashier to move or stoop, which also expedites checkout.


 

Employee Theft And Safety

Are you a small business owner dealing with the security of your store? Are you tired of not knowing where the losses are coming from? Employee theft and shoplifting are two of the major losses retail stores across the United States face every day. The millions of dollars the retail industry loses every day are due to employee theft and shoplifting, so how do you prepare yourself from employee theft?  Employee background checks can be a first step in dealing with employee theft.  Paying for background checks for your employees is investing in the future of your store.  Training them and going through the hiring process takes time and money.  By hiring the right people the first time, you save time and money that can be spent elsewhere.

For more about this and other topics follow the links below.


5 Smart Ways to Prevent Employee Theft

Do you know how much money you lose every year to employee theft? Read our article to find out how to prevent or reduce those losses.

As a retail business owner, you understand the risks you take by hiring a staff you don’t know. It’s difficult to build a whole lot of trust in a small amount of time, but you must. Still, employee theft is a more prevalent reality than you may realize.

Research conducted by four different agencies – the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Easy Small Business HR, the Institute for Corporate Productivity and Jack L. Hayes International Inc. – show that workers are daring with their pilfering. Shoplifting is a big enough risk for retail shops, being 35.6 percent of the source of inventory shrinkage, but employee theft comes in at 42.7 percent.

Annually, businesses in the United States are losing about $50 billion to employee theft. Also, 75 percent of employees admit having stolen at least once from their employers. Those are sobering statistics. However, there are a few precautions and actions you can take to reduce the chance of being ripped off by those you’re paying to work for you.


Convenience store manager fires gun after shoplifting incident

INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) – An E. Washington St. convenience store manager is under investigation for firing his gun at a shoplifter.

It happened Monday night at Sam’s Food Mart & Tobacco Store.

Eyewitness News spoke with one of the store clerks about why the manager decided to fire his weapon.

The clerk said the shooting happened after his co-worker chased a customer through the front door and into the parking lot. The shoplifter left with a couple of items without paying for them.

Someone flagged down an IMPD officer to report the incident.

Eyewitness News has learned the shoplifter stole a bag of Planters peanuts and a package of Hostess Zingers.


Shoplifters of TVs Held in Death of 81-Year-Old Sears Worker

Authorities say an 81-year-old Sears sales associate was killed by two men who shoved him down while stealing television sets.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — An 81-year-old Sears sales associate was killed by two men who shoved him down while stealing television sets from a South Carolina store, authorities said Wednesday.

Sheriff Leon Lott said he charged “two punks” with murder as well as strong-arm robbery when Duaine Hamilton died, four days after his head hit the store’s concrete floor.

“It wasn’t a struggle. They just struck him. He’s 81 years old. He attempted to stop them by standing in front of them and they just attacked and knocked him down. And they still stole the TVs,” Lott said at a news conference.

Jeffrey Simmons, 58, was arrested Friday, and Jason Randolph, 40, was taken into custody Wednesday after a traffic stop, deputies said.


 

Employee Theft

Addiction is a big factor is some shoplifters’s lives.  They steal to then sell the stolen merchandise to be able to purchase drugs and alcohol.  Employees with a drug addiction problem are dangerous to a retail store, specially those employees that are given a position of power, or have some type of freedom with merchandise, cash or even the security of the store.

Employees that feel as deserving employees that are not being properly compensated can be a liability to a retail store as well.  Anger, bad attitudes, and eventually theft can be a big problem for the store where they are employed.

Retailers and employers in the United States and around the globe loose billions of dollars to shoplifting and employee theft every year. Periodic inventory of employees, merchandise and security of the store are not only necessary but imperative to the health of the business. 

If as an owner, any part of the proper management of the store is left unattended, the results can be catastrophic.

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Your Loyal, Hardworking, and Intelligent Employee Might Be Stealing From Your Business

Most perpetrators are middle-aged, longtime employees who never take vacation, says new study.

Last June, Linda Clark, a 68-year-old bookkeeper, who worked for a credit union in Iowa, plead guilty to embezzling almost $2.5 million from her employer between 1978 until she resigned in 2015.

The SCICAP Credit Union in Chariton, Iowa, had to liquidate due to Clark’s 37-year-long scheme, during which she diverted small sums of money into her bank account as well as those of her children.

Clark fits the profile of the average embezzler, according to a studythat looked at over 400 embezzlement cases in federal court, conducted by insurance provider Hiscox. The study found the average embezzler to be a small-business, middle-aged employee who works in the accounting and finance department. Perps were female in 41 percent of the cases.

Clark’s scheme went on longer than average, but the majority of schemes, 28.7 percent, go on for five years with an average theft amount of $2.2 million. For schemes that last 10 years, the average loss hits $5.4 million.


Employee theft cost US businesses an average of $1.13 million in losses, according to 2017 Hiscox Embezzlement Study™

NEW YORK, NY, Aug. 23, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hiscox, the international specialist insurer, today released the 2017 Hiscox Embezzlement Study™, an examination of employee theft in the US. The findings reveal that US businesses impacted by employee theft lost an average of $1.13 million last year. Small and mid-sized companies (fewer than 500 employees) continue to be disproportionally victimized by employee theft, representing approximately 68 percent of cases.

This is the third annual Hiscox Embezzlement Study, which examines employee theft cases that were active in the US federal court system in 2016.

“There is a necessary level of trust between employees and their employer that is required of successful businesses,” said Doug Karpp, Crime & Fidelity Product Head at Hiscox. “When there is a breach in that trust because an employee or executive steals, it can have a significant impact on the entire organization both financially and emotionally. Business owners and executives need to make the shift from blind trust to intelligent trust to ensure they are able to spot and prevent employee theft.”