Awareness and Steps to Prevent Shoplifting

February 18, 2015 by Leave a Comment

shoplifting4There are shoplifting rings that target stores all across our country. People get arrested and charged with shoplifting every day. Merchandise is stolen by customers and employees alike. It is quite impossible to prevent shoplifting 100% of the time, but you and your employees can take steps to prevent or mitigate some of the losses. Recognizing and understanding the items that are a clear target for shoplifters can help you establish some type of security around those items. Educating your management and employees about steps to help prevent shoplifting can help you deter possible shoplifters in the future.

Follow the links below for more information about shoplifting.

5 Quick and Low-Tech Tips To Prevent Shoplifting in Your Retail Store

As a small business retailer, it’s not always easy to just throw money at problems like shoplifting and take advantage of all the technology that big box retailers may be privy to. Whether it’s cameras, door scanners, or facial-recognition software, sometimes their big-ticket cost just doesn’t fit with your small business security budget.

But when you recognize facts like shoplifting costing retailers upwards of $13 billion each year, it’s important to identify it as a problem that needs to be dealt with.

So, what’s a boutique owner to do? In this post, I’ll be looking at cost-effective and low-tech tactics that you can start implementing right away.

Let’s dive in.

1. Keep Your Store Organized and Products Well-Placed

How easy should it be to identify whether something has gone “missing” from your store? Empty space on your shelves should be enough of a visual cue to signal something has gone wrong.

How to Prevent Shoplifting With Effective Retail Loss Prevention

Shoplifting occurs every day in retail stores around the world. There are times when the items truly are needed, but others, just have a need to break the law. Retail loss prevention teams and systems are available to prevent shoplifting from your retail store.

You cannot be too careful these days and reduced profits mean that the store is not making enough and the owner is not earning enough to support him or her family.

Plain Clothed Loss Prevention Team

Many retailers are using plain clothed security personnel to help loss prevention. These individuals watch suspicious customers and alert store staff.

The video cameras are closely monitored and if any items appear to be missing from their pile upon exiting the dressing rooms, the plain clothed security officer will detain the shoplifter.

10 Steps to prevent shoplifting

Theft is a serious threat to the bottom lines of retail businesses.  Shoplifting is prevalent due to the fact that is relatively easy to commit and has minimal risk when compared to other crimes.  Shoplifters come in the form of all races, ages and economic status.  In fact, in many cases shoplifters have enough money on their person to purchase the items they are attempting to steal.   Shoplifters look like everyday people.  In the case of shoplifting, shoplifters are everyday people who steal.  According to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention   more than $13 billion worth of goods are stolen from retailers each year.   Shoplifting losses affect every retailer regardless of what they sell.  These losses result in profits and increased prices.  Here are 10 steps that retailers can take to prevent shoplifting from their stores.

  1. Post warning signs: Make those that enter your store aware of the consequences of stealing from your store.  Determine your shoplifting policy and communicate it to your customers with posted signs. Signs should warn that shoplifting will result in prosecution.
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Employee Theft and What’s Ahead For The Retail Industry

January 22, 2015 by Leave a Comment

theft (12)Well trained personnel in a retail store can be an asset for your business. Employees that are poorly trained and poorly rewarded are very unlikely to look for the best interest in your store. Employee theft is common, and a poorly rewarded employee with lots of responsibilities is likely to feel taken advantage of and not feel an obligation towards you or the business. Investing in your employees and the security of your store should be a goal for your business this year. Follow the links below for more information about the state of the retail industry and other stories.

The NRF BIG Show: What’s in Store for Retail in 2015?

Over the past several days the retail community has converged on New York City for Retail’s BIG Show 2015. More than 27,000 industry leaders were on hand at the Jacob J. Javits Convention Center to welcome the 2015 retail calendar in grand fashion.

“The retail industry continues to race forward with innovative models, more tightly integrated channels, and fresh ideas to win over consumers,” says Matthew Shay, President and CEO of the National Retail Federation. “But no matter what’s shaking up the industry, one thing doesn’t change: Retail’s Big Show is always a showcase for what’s new, a place to build partnerships and a look into the future of retail.”

The EXPO Hall

Approximately 700 solution providers and other vendors blanketed multiple levels of exhibition resources in the EXPO hall with the latest in new products and programs. There were fascinating demonstrations throughout the hall demonstrating everything from marketing tools and customer service products to analytics solutions, robotics, and an innovations center where many of the latest products were demonstrated.

Police: Serial shoplifter tries to steal thousands in clothes from Kennewick store

A Hermiston woman with a history of shoplifting arrested is suspected of trying to steal thousands of dollars of clothes from Macy’s at Columbia Center mall.

Jessica M. Reddick, 31, tried to leave the store Monday night with $2,000 worth of clothes, police said. She is banned from all Macy’s stores after several incidents where she allegedly stole items from various Tri-City stores.

A security officer stopped Reddick as she tried to leave through the men’s department, police said. She was arrested and booked into the Benton County jail on suspicion of theft and burglary.

Reddick also reportedly had four felony warrants out for her arrest — all related to theft or shoplifting.

Behind your back: How retailers can curb employee theft

Shoplifting is what makes the news but, according to the National Retail Federation, the number one source of retail theft in the United States is committed by a retailer’s own employees.

Respondents in the group’s U.S. Retail Fraud Survey ranked cash theft as the second biggest area of store loss, bookkeeping and other administrative errors third, and shoplifting the fourth. But the first? Employee theft, experienced by 38% of those surveyed.

Theft by retail employees costs companies $14.9 billion annually, more than 46% of losses, according to the ADT/ University of Florida study.

“Employee theft is often a more serious problem than customer theft, especially in retail and food service,” says Forrest Burnson, inventory management researcher at software review company Software Advice.

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Start 2015 With Loss Prevention Best Practices For A More Profitable Year

January 9, 2015 by Leave a Comment

theft (4)Now is the time to go on the attack! Fix your loss issues before they cost you this year’s profit margin. To do this, in many cases requires you to change the way you look at losses. First and foremost, if you are not leading with an “LP” mindset, how can you expect others to follow and support your goals? Loss prevention should always enter into decisions even if in a minor way. Decisions on how and where to display merchandise and the standards you set for employees to follow, are just the start.

There are three main sources of loss in a retail environment: External (shoplifters), internal (employees) and paperwork errors.

Let us look at two of these, starting with internal. My experience tells me that about 10% of employees in a given retail store are involved in theft. You may be saying to yourself that “my employees wouldn’t do that to me”. If you find yourself thinking that way, you are actually at a greater risk than most. Because you are in denial. People will steal regardless of how good you are to them, how much you pay them, how many times you have helped them and so on.

Often when I hear someone say that, we end up finding out that they have some of the largest losses. I know this may sound cynical but it is the truth based on my experience and thousands of employee theft investigation I have personally conducted. So what can you do to prevent employee theft?

To start, understand that employees must be held accountable. Employees can steal four different things from you: cash, merchandise, supplies and time. All of these have value including supplies. If you operate at a typical profit margin of 2% after taxes a loss of $100 will cost you $5000 ($100/0.02). So even a twelve pack of toilet paper has value, not to mention the serious morale issue when you don’t have toilet paper! Employees need to understand that the only thing they are allowed to remove from the store is the air in their lungs.

On top of this, what message are you sending employees by your actions? For example, if you have a policy that cash register shortages under $5.00 are not investigated and a cashier held accountable, then you are telling everyone that it is okay to steal up to $4.99.

Look for employees that wholeheartedly share, understand, support (not just to your face) and practice your LP policies. These employees should be held up to be the standard. Others will then follow. Those who don’t, well… you get the picture. We have a great sample document you can use for your LP employee handbook. It sets the standards and lets them know from the very beginning what you expect, tolerate and will not tolerate. If you would like a free copy in Word format that you can customize for your use, please send me an email.

Shoplifters, those horrible people that come into your store and try to steal everything they can. Okay I will say up front, we sell Checkpoint anti-shoplifting systems. These systems are used by most major retailers worldwide and for a reason. They shut down a huge amount of shoplifting. They are commercial grade and meant to stand up to the tough retail environment. With that aside, let me ask you this, Why are you not using one? A Checkpoint System is a proven way to bring your shoplifting losses under control.

Other best practices include the use of CCTV. However, you must have the correct expectations for this. CCTV is a reactive measure. Shoplifters are rarely deterred by cameras as they know you do not have the payroll to watch them all the time or even when they are skulking around in your store. CCTV is good for employee theft prevention and investigation. You can use it in a somewhat proactive way by bringing an employee in, showing them a 60 second clip of them doing something good and then complimenting them on a job well done. They leave with a good feeling but say to themselves and others “wow I guess he/she is watching”. Do that monthly and see what happens. Believe me, word will get around.

Employee training is something we almost always overlook. Or we just say that they are learning as they go. You invest a lot of effort and money into a new hire. Spend a few hours with a structured outline and make sure they understand what their new job is, the standards you have and what you expect them to do each and every day. The document I offered you above for free will help with this.

Pre-employment screening is also overlooked. For example, have you ever confirmed that a person you are looking to hire can actually count money? Do you test for that? Put $100 on the table and see if they can make correct change without the assistance of the cash register. If they cannot, do you really want them handling your cash?

Paperwork errors are just as deadly as any other form of loss. Keeping a correct inventory not only helps with reordering but is a critical component of controlling theft. How can you react to loss, if you do not know what items are stolen? For example, you might not know that a particular item is being stolen because shoplifters have found a demand for it elsewhere.  If you suspect that a particular item is being targeted, then conduct what is called a cycle count on it. A cycle count simply means you are counting it on a daily, weekly or biweekly basis. Comparing that information to your sales of that item will allow you to react quickly before it is too late and the losses become severe.

Are you ensuring that your employees are not making mistakes in their work and then not correcting them? You also need to set the standard that you are watching and reviewing. For example, if an employee is checking-in a shipment and they are to piece count every item, then follow through by picking up the manifest that they just did and spot check their counts on a few items. When they get it right, complement them. If they made mistakes, show them their errors and let them know how the job is to be done and the standard. By the way there are vendors that will try to short your shipment hoping that you don’t check.  Vendors and shippers also have employee theft issues and you do not want to be left holding the bag for their issues. I have caught major shipping company employees cutting open the bottom of boxes removing merchandise and then taping the box back up. All of this is done on the truck before they arrive at your business.

I realize that much of this is common sense.  However, in many cases we are so busy trying to make money that we forget to keep the money we have on the bottom line. Remember, we are here for you. If you have any questions or issues, we are simply a phone call or email away.

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Prevent Shoplifting This Year

January 7, 2015 by Leave a Comment

shoplifting3The shoplifting figures in the United States are nothing to laugh about. Billions of dollars are lost to shoplifters every year and the detrimental effect they have on business is serious. Loss prevention personnel are at risk every time they stop a shoplifter, and the solution to this problem has evaded the retail industry with costly consequences. Retailers spend millions of dollars in loss prevention systems, and studies show that these businesses benefit from the investment. The shoplifting is still there, but retailers are able to maintain and keep track of the inventory more easily. For more news about shoplifting, follow the links below.

Shoplifters Costing Businesses Billions

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Shoplifting is a crime police say affects all types of businesses, and it’s costing a fortune.

WFMY News 2 went to several Triad businesses Friday. Owners at those businesses said shoplifters are crippling their day-to-day operations.

One Greensboro store manager said shoplifters cost his business anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 each year.

“If somebody really wants to steal something, they’re going to steal it,” he said, “Ain’t nothing you can do about it.”

He’s frustrated, and he’s not alone.

Nationwide, shoplifters steal about $13 billion in merchandise every year, according to the National Association of Shoplifting Prevention. The same organization reports one in 11, or 27 million people in the U.S., are regular shoplifters.

KCSO shoplifting task force makes record number of arrests

KNOXVILLE — A Knox County Sheriff’s Office holiday shoplifting task force made a record number of arrests for 2014.

KCSO’s Safe Holiday Task Force made 372 arrests between Nov. 24 and Dec. 29, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The team was credited with 342 arrests during the same time period in 2013.

While the majority of the 2014 arrests were for shoplifting, they also included 35 felony theft charges, 12 DUI arrests and two fugitive captures.

The annual operation also recovered a record amount of stolen merchandise, totaling $65,614 worth of goods, and located two stolen vehicles. About $50,000 worth of stolen items were recovered in 2013.

Drug habit fuels shoplifting ring in Richmond and around Macomb County

A shoplifting ring has targeted Richmond stores for more than two years, according to a detective with the Richmond Police Department. Thieves steal easily marketable goods to fuel drug addictions, particularly heroin addiction, the detective said.

“What we have seen — and what our counterparts in Chesterfield and at the Macomb County Sheriff’s Department have seen — is a loose ring of individuals shoplifting certain high-priced items like Enfamil baby formula, Red Bull and Crest White Strips, and then either taking these directly to the drug house and trading them for drugs or selling them back-door to another store for cash to buy drugs,” said Det. Julia Frantz.

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Your Store’s Reputation

January 5, 2015 by Leave a Comment

shoplifting4Your store’s reputation is based off of not only customer perceptions, but also how different elements of your community view your store. Beyond your customers, you employees, local law enforcement, criminals, and members of the court system all have a perception of your reputation. How you approach each of these community members plays a big role in how each one interacts with your store.

Customers are probably the easiest to understand. For the most part, they want a clean and safe shopping experience where they are going to get the best value for their money. The value placed on the goods you sell can be either through price reductions, or by offering designer or name brand goods, with stellar employee interaction as part of the shopping experience.

Employees are very similar to customers in their needs. They want a safe and secure place to work. They want to feel valued by their employers. When they see these things, employees are more likely to perform better at their jobs, and take better care of the people entering your store. When employees do not feel safe, secure, or valued, their job performance declines.

Employees are less likely to give good customer service, which can create a decrease in sales over time. It also allows for shoplifters and other criminals greater access to your store’s assets, without the same risk of getting caught. The more these events take place, the lesser of a reputation your store starts to have with the paying customers and your employees.

This can set of a chain reaction where it is now the criminals who favor your store. Your reputation becomes one where it is easy for shoplifters to steal from your store. This reputation will be passed from criminal to criminal and more thefts will begin to happen. The losses will become greater, and more brazen as the risk and fear of being caught diminishes.

Your local police station also has a perception of your store. If you are in a high theft area, but have low case production, they are wondering what is going on in your store. Is your reputation with the local police one of ignorance? Do they think you and your employees are incompetent and unobservant? Or do you maintain a relationship with the local police, and occasionally catch some shoplifters?

When you catch shoplifters, you send a message to your community that you are aware of what is going on in your store, and make efforts to eliminate the criminal element from your premises. Customer’s and employees feel safer and more at ease when they shop. Local police departments are more confident in your store’s level of awareness, as they see more calls and reports being filed from your store.

To maintain your reputation with law enforcement, you also need to show that your cases are reliable when you go to court. A reliable case equates to a stronger reputation for your store within the legal community. When you present shoplifting cases to the prosecuting attorneys and you have solid evidence as proof of who committed which crime, the attorney’s job is much easier. The more often you present solid cases, the better your reputation is within the court system.

Other things you can do to help perpetuate your reputation is to always show up to your given court cases. You should come dressed professionally, and should show up early. This allows you to confer with the attorneys ahead of time, creating a smoother case for everyone involved. You will find that many retailers’ representatives do not show up for court, or do not bring case files or other evidence with them. By doing these things your reputation starts to precede the cases that you bring. Having a consistent history of solid case work and reliability will also filter back into the criminal community, as they can’t plan on your absence to get away with their crimes in court.

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Conceptualize Dishonesty Using the Fraud Triangle

December 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment

shoplifting7Honest people can have a hard time perceiving and understanding dishonesty in others. Because they have a difficult time conceptualizing it they have a difficult time detecting it. A common lament among managers who have discovered fraud among their employees, vendors and clients is, “I don’t understand how he could do this to me. I had no idea it was happening. I’m just too trusting.”

People too often identify themselves as being trusting, when they’re really being naive. Don’t be naive, protecting your business is vital, many small businesses have been closed due to the fraudulent behavior of their employees, venders or clients. If you don’t want to be taken advantage of it’s important to understand the 3 key factors of the Fraud Triangle.

Before discussing these factors it’s helpful to define fraud, people often have misconceptions about it. According to “Black’s Law Dictionary” fraud is “a generic term, embracing all multifarious means, which human ingenuity can devise, and which are resorted to by one individual to get advantage over another by false suggestions or by suppression of truth, and includes all surprise, trickery, cunning, dissembling, and any unfair way by which another is cheated.”

The 3 factors, which make up the Triangle, are typically present when someone commits fraud. Understanding these elements will help a manager spot dishonesty easier and earlier, because a person who exhibits these thoughts and characteristics is at great risk for deceitfulness.

1. The perceived pressures the person believes they are under.

2. The perceived opportunity the person has to commit fraud.

3. The person’s rationalizations for committing the fraud counter-act their innate integrity.

Here’s an example of how the Fraud Triangle works. Mrs. K has never stolen from her employer and is indigent when others do. She wants to take her immediate family to an expensive reunion. She can’t afford it, but all of her extended family are attending. Mrs. K perceives this as a personal and financial crisis (1st side). She’s the company’s bookkeeper and there are no fiscal controls in place (2nd side). Mrs. K rationalizes that she’ll “only borrow” the money for the trip and then pay it back (3rd side).

She embezzles the money, gets away with it and keeps on stealing. Because usually, once all 3 components are present, when people commit and get away with fraudulent acts they continue the behavior. Also, they may continue behaving dishonestly if they get caught but have no or too few consequences. This is why many managers have found that giving someone “a break” usually backfires on them.

When you understand the Fraud Triangle, and use it as a touchstone for conceptualizing people’s dishonesty, it becomes easier to formulate a defense against deceit. There are many ways to mitigate each of the 3 factors, which can greatly reduce or eliminate the possibility of being taken advantage of. After all, your honesty should be an asset to your business not a liability.

Nicole Abbott – writer, educator and psycho-therapist

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Is Shoplifting More Prevalent During The Holiday Season?

December 11, 2014 by Leave a Comment

theft (12)Do you know the shoplifting laws in your state? Shoplifting is a crime and many businesses Do prosecute the shoplifter regardless of the amount they stole. Retail businesses and communities across the United States are more vigilant during this time of year due to the number of shoppers and merchandise they have in their stores. If you think you can steal without any repercussion, think again. People that are prosecuted for shoplifting can be charged with misdemeanor theft, and face up to $1,500 fine and six months in jail, although if it is their first offense the fine is usually less. For more news about shoplifting follow the links below.

2 Charged with Shoplifting from Coon Rapids Kohl’s 

Two Anoka County residents are facing charges after allegedly shoplifting from a Coon Rapids Kohl’s and attempting to flee police.

Officers were called to the Kohl’s on the 12700 block of Riverdale Boulevard around 6 p.m. on Black Friday on a report a shoplifting in progress. A loss prevention employee said a woman seemed to be putting merchandise in her purse.

An officer arrived and found a black Ford Taurus driving slowly through the parking lot, which eventually stopped at the front of the store. The suspect woman was then seen leaving the store and getting into the Taurus, according to the criminal complaint.

The officer turned on his squad car’s emergency lights and started issuing commands to the people inside the vehicle, but the driver of the Taurus allegedly continued to try to get away, getting repeatedly blocked by the officer’s squad car before giving up.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as 42-year-old Randal Anthony Daher of Fridley, and the woman was identified as 34-year-old Jennifer Jane Stoffers of Blaine.

The officers said they saw the Kohl’s merchandise in plain sight in the vehicle, the value of which was $594.98.

Norwalk Woman Charged With Shoplifting From Whole Foods

FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Police arrested a Norwalk woman on charges of shoplifting from Whole Foods in Fairfield, adding to a growing number of arrests at the grocery store.

Amanda Maxwell, 54, of Westport Avenue, was spotted shoplifting by Whole Foods’ Loss Prevention on closed-circuit television and was stopped in the parking lot of the store at Kings Crossing Shopping Center on Grasmere Avenue, police said.

According to Loss Prevention officials, Maxwell emptied a full cart of food items into reusable plastic bags while shopping near the fish market, police said. She then attempted to leave with $155.46 worth of groceries without paying, according to police.

Great Falls merchants go on guard against shoplifting

Downtown Great Falls’ Amazing Toys owner Dave Campbell said his staff noticed that a $350 Legos set was missing from its perch. They searched the store and found the valuable toy stashed near the front door where a thief planned to retrieve it later.

Dragonfly Dry Goods owner Alison Fried said her staff warmly greets customers, which most shoppers welcome. But some folks, possibly with bad intentions, turn around and walk out the door. She said she has a good camera system inside and outside the store that videotapes 24 hours a day. Fried lets other downtown merchants know who to look for if her store has been hit by a shoplifter.

“We use the team approach,” she said. “We’re a cooperative community downtown.”

“Shrink,” a business concept that includes shoplifting, employee or supplier fraud and administrative errors, cost the retail industry around $42 billion in sales in the United States last year, according to the latest Global Retail Theft Barometer. Worldwide, those factors cost businesses $128 billion.

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Ho Ho Hope Shoplifters Don’t Walk off with Your Merchandise?

December 1, 2014 by Leave a Comment

shoplifting1Shoplifters love this time of year. There are more people in the stores to help conceal their nefarious activities. There is also great new merchandise and a wide selection, plenty of stock in depth helps them also. What can you do?

Many of you are our customers already and have Checkpoint Systems and also utilize Alpha High Theft Solutions’ products. Unlike your unprotected neighbors, you have a serious advantage to control the thieves. The advantage for you is that your neighbors’ unprotected store merchandise is like a magnet to the shoplifters. When presented with equal valued merchandise that is protected by Checkpoint and Alpha or not protected, the shoplifter will certainly go after the unprotected merchandise.

As a Loss Prevention Systems customer who has purchased your system through us, purchases labels or tags or have PM agreements, you are also eligible for ongoing LIVE training. Our “Shoplifting, because LOSS is a four letter word” training will prepare you and your staff to deal with the shoplifter. This training teaches you how to go on the offense with shoplifters while delighting your good customers.

Keep in mind that we suggest that you use this training for existing and new employees. Because it is live we make it interactive.  Therefore it is a great refresher or ideal for a new retail associate. We will conduct these sessions as reasonably often as you need them. Just call us to schedule.

If you are not a Loss Prevention Systems customer and are interested in this training, simply call us for pricing. We will be happy to assist you.

Shoplifting is simply a business problem that we help you deal with utilizing business proven, commercial grade solutions and techniques provided by professionals that know shoplifting. As the founder and CEO of Loss Prevention Systems, I have dealt with shoplifters all the way from apprehending them during my store detective days to the Board room. With a degree in Industrial Security and over 35 years of experience personally, we are there for our customers. LPSI’s commitment goes on long after the sale.
Our shoplifting training covers:
-The law in your state
-Who is the shoplifter?
-How to spot a shoplifter
-How to go on the offense with them while providing a great atmosphere for your good customers
-What to do and not to do, if you have to confront a shoplifter
-And much more.

It is not too late to get on the schedule. Call today!

Have a great and prosperous holiday selling season!

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High Profile Cases

November 6, 2014 by Leave a Comment

shoplifting7A high profile, professional athlete was arrested recently for shoplifting. Allegedly, he paid for a bottle of cologne and then proceeded to the menswear department. He placed a few packages of underwear in his shopping bag. At the point of his apprehension, he was also found to have a “tester” bottle of cologne in his bag (unpaid for) as well. He is not the first athlete/ celebrity to be caught shoplifting, and most certainly will not be the last.

A similar situation would include a shoplifter who is related to (or claims to be related to) a high profile personality. It is a frequently used tactic that a shoplifter will try to intimidate their accusers by name-dropping congressmen, chief or police, celebrity, etc. More often than not, these claims are unfounded, or play no significant role in an investigation. For the few times that the claims are true, your store will have more to contend with than the loss of merchandise.

These high profile shoplifters do not steal out of need. They clearly have the money to pay for such items. They are stealing out of boredom, entitlement, or simply because they are looking for a challenge- to see if they can get away with it. Their crimes are not necessarily expensive items; sometimes it can be simple items like underwear, health and beauty items, even food items. This means that it is not improbable that a celebrity can shoplift from a small, local store.

That being said, it is not a common occurrence for a store to experience a shoplifting incident by a high profile person. It is merely a fact to keep in mind while you are making shoplifting apprehensions. You never know whom you might be picking up, so it is best to make sure your policies, practices and actions are completely by the book for each incident.

After making an apprehension, the suspect might try to bully their way out of the situation by telling you who they are, or who their relations are. This is the time to be professional, avoid making sarcastic or snarky comments and stick to the facts. If they truly are a high profile personality, every little step may be dissected and criticized later on. The media outlets will inevitably catch wind of the apprehension and will try to make it a bigger story that what it needs to be.

You can be faced with news reporters, bloggers, fans, etc coming into your store. Some will just look around to see the now infamous store. Others will come in and try to make trouble- asking questions, making comments, even potentially making threats.

I worked loss prevention for a retailer, who many years ago made an apprehension of a very famous actress. Even though the case was air tight, national news sources hovered throughout the entire process. Statements had to be made to ensure the integrity of our company’s reputation remained in tact. At the same time, it was very important that our own legal team was involved to make sure we did not overstep the legal boundaries of an open court case. If for some reason the apprehending officer made statements to the media, and the case was lost in court, we could have had potentially disastrous civil liability cases brought against us by the actress. On the day the verdict from her criminal trial was to be released, every one of our stores across the country received numerous threatening phone calls. Some merely threatened to never shop with us again if “we” found the actress guilty of shoplifting. Others had more severe threats of violence.

With the increased chance of media scrutiny during a high profile shoplifting incident, retailers can often find themselves faced with more variables and consequences than what was anticipated for a seemingly routine shoplifting apprehension. Without black and white policies in place, the added liability from a case gone wrong can have devastating and lasting consequences both to a retailer’s image, and their financial bottom line.

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Retail Shoplifting Rings

October 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment

theft (12)Shoplifting according to research can begin early in your teens and become a dangerous criminal habit into your adult life. Shoplifting rings across the nation are becoming a way of life for the people involved without thinking anything serious can happened to them. Many of these people began when teenagers, and as more people become involved, the amount they can and will steal from a store can be in the thousands of dollars. For more information about this and other stories follow the links below.

Kelly’s Stupid Criminals of the week!

Featuring this week a “British fraudster who pretended to be quadriplegic and sometimes comatose for two years to avoid prosecution has been convicted after police caught him on camera driving and strolling around supermarkets.”

CLICK HERE

And a 30 year old woman was arrested Sunday morning after police say she spent a few hours stuck in a chimney of a home of a man who had recently ended a relationship with her. Not the best way to win back his heart..

8 accused in Polk retail theft ring

POLK COUNTY, FL (WFLA) –

Polk County Sheriff’s detectives say eight people suspected of participating in a retail theft ring are accused of stealing $6,500 worth of merchandise from local stores.

The suspects are 17 to 26 years old. Most were arrested last week.

Detectives say the suspects worked together as a group and stole items from several retail locations including Bealls Outlet, Sports Authority, Hot Topic, Footlocker, Rainbow, Crush, Dillard’s, Kohl’s, Toys R Us, Cotton On, and the Burlington Coat Factory.

The group primarily stole clothing by concealing the merchandise and walking out of the stores without paying for the items, according to investigators. Approximately $6,500 in stolen property has been identified, but suspects are believed to have been responsible for stealing merchandise worth thousands’ more.

“Retail theft is a serious problem in Florida. It drives up the cost of goods and we all suffer through higher prices. We often find that these thieves are stealing every day. I applaud the hard work of our detectives—we will work hard to make sure these suspects are held accountable,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

Seeking Safety: A blueprint for reducing youth crime that works

Almost every time a teenager was gunned down in Minneapolis, Mayor R.T. Rybak took to the street corners to console family and friends of the victim and to search for answers.

More often than not, Rybak said, people in those neighborhoods told him they could see it coming. The victims almost always led lives marked by violence. Most were young gangbangers with guns and little hope, teens who seemed predestined to die in a city that Time magazine dubbed Murderopolis in 1996.

With every killing, Rybak wondered the same thing about the people who knew the victim was on the wrong path: “Why the hell didn’t they do anything?”

That thought remained with Rybak when Minneapolis – like so many other cities across America – had a defining moment that brought the city to action.

Woman accused of shoplifting over $500 in clothing arrested

$660 worth of clothing was recovered by a loss prevention worker at the JC Penny store located in Stones River Mall on Sunday. According to a Police Incident Report, a shoplifting suspect by the name of Maria Fernandez entered the store and stuffed over $600 worth of clothing into her purse. The woman then passed every point of purchase.

The 54-year old woman is being charged with theft over $500.

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