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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Preventing Shoplifting

February 13, 2015 by Leave a Comment

shoplifting1Managers in your store can play an important role in preventing shoplifting. Being aware of the procedures to take when a shoplifting incident occurs protects your employees and your store alike. Shoplifting education programs through the NASP can help organizations prevent shoplifting and educate their employees. The rules and procedures to take by employees when a shoplifting incident occurs can save lives, medical bills and negative publicity occurring from a shoplifting incident. Follow the links below for more news about shoplifting.

Walmart Manager Says He Was Fired After Stopping Alleged Shoplifter

For several years now, Consumerist has reported on variety of stories where a former Walmart employee says they were fired either stopping a shoplifter or defending themselves in an altercation with customers. The latest such incident involves the manager of an Alabama Walmart who claims he was dismissed after stopping an alleged repeat offender from shoplifting again.

AL.com reports that the former manager was blindsided when he was fired a month after he chased and confronted a shoplifter attempting to steal nearly $1,000 worth of merchandise.

The man says the incident occurred during the night shift, when he heard an alarm signaling that an emergency door was open.

When the manager reached the door, he saw a man he described as an habitual shoplifter leaving with a cart full of merchandise.

“When I caught up to the individual he turned and grabbed me, struck me in the face and dragged me to the ground,” the manager says. “I got loose and was holding him down when security personnel from an apartment complex across the street came to help until police arrived.”

VIDEO: Teens ‘Terrorize’ Marysville Grocery Store

MARYSVILLE-

Five teenagers entered a Marysville Save Mart around 1:40 p.m. Wednesday and “terrorized the store,” police say.

A Marysville Police spokesperson told FOX40 four teenage girls and one teenage boy vandalized the store aisle by aisle, shouting out gang slogans and throwing grocery items on the ground. One of those items, according to police, was a bottle of oil, which caused a 64-year-old man to slip and fall.

The retired Air Force veteran was taken to Rideout Medical Center and treated for a potentially fractured elbow, according to police.

Store managers told officers on scene that employees tried to stop the teenagers, but one punched the manager in the face. At some point, police say the teenagers went to the liquor aisle, opened a bottle of alcohol, and started drinking.

The two officers who responded to the incident have minor injuries after one of the teen’s resisted arrest.

Arrests made in two Kroger shoplifting incidents

Two shoplifting incidents were reported Thursday at the Kroger grocery story on U.S. Highway 29, according to Athens-Clarke County police reports.

In one incident, Mary Ashley Moss, 22, of a Johns Creek, Ga., address was charged with shoplifting after swapping price tags on some items and concealing other items as she checked out of the store. According to a police report, Moss told Kroger managers “she did not think it was stealing since she was paying for something in the process.” According to police, Moss was attempting to take $50 worth of hygiene products. She was released from the Clarke County Jail after posting a $1,500 bond.

In the other incident, William Joseph Adams II, 47, of Timber Ridge Lane in Colbert, was charged with shoplifting after allegedly taking $75 worth of meat from the store.

Adams left the store in a blue Ford Fiesta that was stopped shortly after the incident, headed toward Madison County, by Athens-Clarke police. Adams was released from the Clarke County Jail after posting a $5,000 bond.

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Shoplifting Programs and News

February 4, 2015 by Leave a Comment

shoplifting5If you own a retail store or are managing one, shoplifting is a crime you have to deal with in a daily basis. Shoplifting and employee theft are two of the most damaging crimes for a retail store’s bottom line. If your store has policies regarding shoplifting and employee theft, such policies should be visible; they may serve as a deterrent to shoplifters entering your store, or employees thinking they can get away with stealing merchandise. For more news about shoplifting follow the links below.

Dover calls new shoplifting mugshot program a success

A controversial approach to reducing shoplifting by posting suspects’ arrest photos has been declared a success in Dover, despite complaints about violations of civil rights.

The four-month pilot project called the “Shoplifter Notification Program,” which started in August, produced a 19 percent drop in such crimes, city police said.

“That was huge,” said Cpl. Mark Hoffman, Dover Police Department’s public information officer, who suggested the project after seeing similar efforts on other forces’ webpages.

The drop in shoplifting was especially significant, he said, because the project period included the end-of-year holidays.

“That’s our busiest time of year for shoplifting,” Hoffman said, adding stores also are their busiest and youngsters with school vacations and time on their hands tend to raise the rate of merchandise thefts.

Davenport denies lawsuit claims of police brutality in shoplifting incident

The city of Davenport denies allegations of police brutality in its response to a lawsuit filed by a woman videotaped being hit by an officer after she was accused of shoplifting at Von Maur.

Brandie Redell, 36, of Davenport, filed the civil rights lawsuit in Davenport federal court last July, alleging she was beaten so severely she was hospitalized with a concussion and suffered vision loss.

The suit, filed against the city and Davenport police officers Scott Crow and Vincent Jacobsen, claims the police department makes a habit of “using excessive force against police suspects” and fails to properly discipline offending officers.

In a response filed last week, the city said the officers were justified in their use of force.

Man busted for shoplifting on motorized shopping-cart

SOUTH EUCLID, OH –It’s a miracle! A man on a motorized shopping-cart managed to stand up and run away when security guards tried to stop him from shoplifting at an Ohio Walmart.

An off-duty officer working security at the Walmart in South Euclid, Ohio noticed the man enter the store riding on the cart which is usually reserved for customers who need assistance walking.

A short time later, the man rolled out of the front entrance and set off the alarm. The officer began asking the man if he had any unpaid merchandise.

That’s when the man jumped out of the cart and high-tailed it out into the parking lot.

“We are so lucky to be police officers because every now and then we get the opportunity to

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Prevent Shoplifting

January 29, 2015 by Leave a Comment

theft (13)Many retail businesses invest heavily in the security of their stores. Security guards afford an undeniable benefit to the protection of the goods in the store, although, they are not the only solution in many instances. Small businesses that cannot afford to hire full time security guards have to rely on video surveillance or other measures for protection against theft. Keeping your business safe from shoplifters or employee theft has become a security problem many retailers seem to have, and no solution has presented itself. For more information about how to keep your business safe and other news follow the links below.

Keep Your Business Safe: The Latest in Retail Theft Prevention

It’s not easy being a shoplifter these days. According to the 26th Annual Retail Theft Survey from Jack L. Hayes International, retailers are catching more thieves and dishonest employees than ever before. As apprehensions and recovered dollars increase the world of retail benefits, what’s contributing to these improvements in the industry? What tools and security measures are helping stores catch crooks faster and more effectively?

To help answer these questions, let’s take a look at some of the advanced security measures in place for retail theft prevention today and what they could mean for the coming year.

Video Security

As anybody in a high-cash-volume environment can testify, it’s hard to have eyes everywhere at once. Enter video security. With a digital video monitoring system, retailers have a way to see what’s happening at all times. If someone tries to swipe a product or if an employee tries to steal from the cash drawer, video surveillance makes it easy to catch the perpetrator and recover lost funds.

“Operation – Bundle Up Washington” Reduces Crime

While many of us were bundling up against winter weather, 20 7-Eleven stores in the Tacoma and Federal Way areas of Washington State were wrapping up a 30-day crime spree – thanks to a tremendous coordinated effort by the 7-Eleven, Inc.  Asset Protection team, franchisees, sales associates and local law enforcement agencies.
From Nov. 26 until Christmas Eve, one man committed crimes at 20 7-Eleven stores, as well as at other retail establishments in that area.  But on Christmas Eve, his luck ran out.  Thanks to consistent communication from 7-Eleven, local law enforcement and our retail partners were on the lookout for the perpetrator.  When he struck again, he was immediately identified and taken into custody.

“Franchisees, store managers and sales associates all played crucial roles in this case by quickly reporting incidents to the Asset Protection Hotline,” says Mike Aldridge, 7-Eleven Asset Protection Specialist & Law Enforcement liaison.  “The faster an incident is reported, the faster the Asset Protection team can respond and help bring resolution.”
The Dallas headquarters-based 7-Eleven Asset Protection team reviews all robbery incidents reported to the company’s Asset Protection Hotline.  The team analyzes surveillance video and images from each incident to help solve the case and prevent future incidents from occurring.

NOMi and March Networks deliver first integrated loss prevention and retail analytics solution 

NEW YORK CITY, NY, January 11, 2015 –– NOMi, the dominant in-store marketing and analytics provider, and March Networks, a leading provider of intelligent IP video solutions, today announced their first fully integrated solution for advanced loss prevention and retail analytics. This solution combines high definition (HD) streaming video from NOMi’s recently launched Brickstream 3D LIVE analytics sensor with March Networks’ new Searchlight video-based business intelligence software. It offers a single, easy-to-use platform that loss prevention, operations and marketing groups can use to improve store performance and profitability. March Networks is also the first NOMi alliance member to leverage the new Brickstream 3D LIVE sensor for loss prevention purposes.

Using Searchlight’s browser-based software interface, retailers can access the Brickstream 3D LIVE ONVIF compliant HD video, as well as integrated transaction data from the retailer’s point-of-sale system, to identify instances of potential theft and reduce investigation times from hours to minutes.

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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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Shoplifting Stories and Stats

January 14, 2015 by Leave a Comment

shoplifting4Many retailers invest thousands of dollars to protect themselves against theft. From surveillance to electronic devices, these retail shop owners try to find a way to reduce their shrinkage in a daily basis. Whether they are dealing with petty shoplifters, employee theft or organized groups, they have to know their problem first to be able to find a solution they can implement in their store. To read more about this common problem, follow the links below for more information.

EPD: Retail theft up in 2014

EASTON — The Easton Police Department reported a 61 percent increase in retail thefts in 2014 — from 163 retail theft cases in 2013 to about 263 in 2014.

In response to this increase, the EPD announced that each month it will release photographs of all individuals who were charged with retail theft.

There’s an understanding that to better prosecute and deter thefts, a partnership between retailers and law enforcement is vital, EPD said.

In August 2013, EPD also started a Retail Investigator’s Network, which brings together retail loss prevention/asset protection investigators, prosecutors and law enforcement from Easton and Denton.

During these meetings, solved and unsolved investigations are discussed, which has increased closure rates in Easton and Denton, police said. These meetings have opened lines of communications between retailers. These meetings are also used to educate everyone in crime trends and other criminal activity that’s associated with retail theft.

In 2014, retail loss prevention/asset protection investigators and law enforcement in Easton and Denton have saved retailers about $142,722, EPD said.

Dover Police See 19% Drop In Reported Shoplifting Cases Since Posting Arrests Online 1-6-15

The Dover Police Department saw a 19% drop in shoplifting complaints since beginning the Shoplifter Notification Program on August 7th, 2014.  The program which posts mug-shots of persons arrested for shoplifting on a weekly basis on the department website and social media outlets, has helped to reduce shoplifting incidents during the 4-month trial period.  The reduction in shoplifting incidents during the trial period also led to a 12% drop for the entire calendar year compared to 2013 numbers and bringing the total number of shoplifting cases below 1,000 for the first time since 2010.

From 2011 through 2013, the Dover Police Department investigated 3,290 shoplifting cases, averaging 3 per day during that time period. In an effort to help reduce the amount of shoplifting cases in the City of Dover, the department began the weekly notifications, displaying the names and booking photos of those arrested. The goal of the notifications is to notify Dover merchants of offenders in hopes of being able to reduce the number of shoplifting cases. The majority of shoplifting cases are committed by repeat offenders and the department’s goal is that by releasing the information, store employees will be better informed when monitoring their stores and inventory, and that suspects will think twice before stealing merchandise in fear that their name and photo will be shared with the public.

The Flowerpot Bandit: Man ‘holds up petrol station’ wearing a flowerpot on his head and wielding a chainsaw, but only manages to steal a bottle of soft drink

A teenager has been arrested after he allegedly held up a petrol station while wearing a flower pot on his head and wielding a chainsaw, though he only managed to steal a bottle of soft drink.

The man entered the 7-Eleven service station in Ipswich, Queensland, at 4.30am on Monday, wearing a flower pot on his head in an attempt to conceal his identity, it will be alleged.

He is accused of lunging at the shop assistants while holding a running chainsaw, and demanding money from them.

Chainsaw attack: The 19-year-old held up a service station wearing a flower pot on his head. He then made demands for money from the male attendant

The terrified shop assistants, who were cleaning a coffee machine at the time he entered, claim they then retreated into a back room and called police.

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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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Is Shoplifting Becoming More Violent?

December 30, 2014 by Leave a Comment

shoplifting5The detrimental effect that shoplifting has on profitability in a retail business is monumental. While businesses compete by keeping prices low, shoplifting makes it difficult for those businesses to compete at any level. Retail businesses struggle to survive in any economy, and adding shoplifting issues into their struggle make it almost impossible to be profitable. Spending millions of dollars in security cuts into their profits as well and they do not get rid of shoplifting or employee theft by doing this. All these issues make it impossible for retail stores to offers prices that can be competitive with other stores, or make sense to the consumer. Follow the stories below for more news about shoplifting.

Shoplifters caught on tape fleeing Macy’s

SARASOTA, FLA — Detectives with the Sarasota Police Department are attempting to identify two women who were caught on camera stealing merchandise from Macy’s at Westfield Southgate Mall in Sarasota.

Officers were dispatched to Macy’s on Dec. 20, 2014 in reference to two women shoplifting. The loss prevention officer for the store observed the two women taking items off shelves and concealing them in a purse and other shopping bags. The loss prevention officer called the Sarasota Police Department as soon as he noticed the two women from the office, on camera, all while keeping dispatchers on the phone updated.

When the two women attempted to leave Macy’s, the loss prevention officer asked them to come back into the store and they took off running. No subjects were located but the two women shoplifting were caught on camera. When one of the women started running, she dropped a bag of items worth nearly $1,100.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Detective Kim Laster at 941-364-7327 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS (8477) or online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com

1 suspect still at large after Christmas Eve robbery, assault

Eighteen-year-old Hunter Thompsin Ackerman and 19-year-old Eden Araque were booked into Metro Corrections Monday night after police said they were caught on surveillance video shoplifting at JC Penney.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) — Two of three people wanted in connection with a robbery and beating at the Mall St. Matthews are now behind bars.

Eighteen-year-old Hunter Thompsin Ackerman and 19-year-old Eden Araque were booked into Metro Corrections Monday night after police said they were caught on surveillance video shoplifting at JC Penney.

Police said the trio stole nearly $400 worth of merchandise and assaulted a loss prevention officer when she tried to stop them Dec. 24. According to police records, the employee suffered a broken nose during the assault..

APD reports string of violent shoplifting cases

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —As the holiday shopping season comes to a close, Albuquerque police say they’ve seen a substantial increase in shoplifting cases this December with offenders brandishing deadly weapons.

Officer Tanner Tixier couldn’t provide specific numbers, but says shoplifting cases where an offender threatens a store employee with a weapon have become all too common this holiday season.

“These attacks are becoming more and more prevalent,” Tixier said. During these attacks, Tixier says loss prevention officers who are trained to spot and confront shoplifters are being threatened.

“These criminals have the ability to escalate their violence very rapidly,” Tixier said.

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Loss Prevention

December 18, 2014 by Leave a Comment

shoplifting3During this time of year the number of shoplifters visiting your store is more than at any other time of the year. Stores across our nation invest millions of dollars in loss prevention, and still billions of dollars are lost due to this crime. Some of the measures retail stores use to prevent shoplifting are the use of video surveillance, security guards, and special tags that are attached to the merchandise and are set off when leaving the store without paying. These are some of the many other prevention measures that help retailers deterred shoplifters from entering their stores. Are your loss prevention measures adequate? Do you need to do more to prevent loses? Read the articles below for more news about shoplifting.

Police conduct holiday shoplifting operation, 19 arrests

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. —

Yesterday plain clothed detectives with the Department’s Economic Crimes and

C.O.T.A. Units conducted a one day operation with loss prevention officers at

the Wal-Mart Store located at 201 34th Street North.

The purpose of the operation was to address the problem of shoplifting that increases during the holiday season.

A total of 19 individuals were arrested, mostly on charges of retail theft although several had outstanding warrants and one juvenile was in violation of court ordered home detention for a previous burglary charge. Of those arrested, 9 were adults and 10 were juveniles.

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.

Man Accused Of Abandoning Child While Shoplifting Speaks Out

A Lexington couple who allegedly abandoned their child while fleeing from loss prevention officers at Walmart say that the police have it all wrong.

Eric Powell and his girlfriend Samantha Barker are accused of shoplifting and taking off leaving behind their 9-month-old child.

Powell says that is not at all what happened.

“We was at Walmart shopping she was at the store shopping and I was by myself looking at magazines and stuff,” says Powell.
He says when they went to check out, he realized he couldn’t pay for the diapers they were trying to buy.

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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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