Where Can I Turn To? – Employee Theft

September 15, 2015 by Leave a Comment
One of the most frequent question I get from clients is how do I start and employee theft investigation? They are more familiar with the steps to take after they know which direction to go, and who to be looking at as possible employee theft suspects. Where to start, and who is raising a red flag, is often more difficult to figure out.
I tend to get a lot of leads through watching my high theft items, and exception based reporting. Sometimes they pan out, but others end up being inconclusive, or a completely different scenario. One way that I have had absolute success with is employee tips. Every employee who has stepped forward to tell me that a co-worker was stealing has turned out to be positive.
Employee tips are hard to generate though. The employees do not want to feel like they are giving bad information about someone. As such, they need to have absolute faith in you- faith that they can trust you and you will keep their confidence and not make them out to be a tattle -tale later on.
One way to help facilitate this garnering of information is to find a way to allow the employees to remain anonymous when they disseminate the information to you. Many companies have an employee tip line set up. It’s usually a 1-800 number that the employee can call from somewhere other than the store, where they won’t be overheard or tracked. 
For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.

One of the most frequent questions I get from clients is how do I start and employee theft investigation? They are more familiar with the steps to take after they know which direction to go, and who to be looking at as possible employee theft suspects. Where to start, and who is raising a red flag, is often more difficult to figure out.

I tend to get a lot of leads through watching my high theft items, and exception based reporting. Sometimes they pan out, but others end up being inconclusive, or a completely different scenario. One way that I have had absolute success with is employee tips. Every employee who has stepped forward to tell me that a co-worker was stealing has turned out to be positive.

Employee tips are hard to generate though. The employees do not want to feel like they are giving bad information about someone. As such, they need to have absolute faith in you- faith that they can trust you and you will keep their confidence and not make them out to be a tattle -tale later on.

One way to help facilitate this garnering of information is to find a way to allow the employees to remain anonymous when they disseminate the information to you. Many companies have an employee tip line set up. It’s usually a 1-800 number that the employee can call from somewhere other than the store, where they won’t be overheard or tracked. 

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

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.

 

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Identify Your Thief-Use Clothing Security Tags Effectively

September 12, 2015 by Leave a Comment
I talk about boosters a lot in my posts; that is the type of thief I deal with the most, and the ones that drive me the craziest.  They constantly change their methods and targets, so my entire staff has to be on alert at all times.  In the drug store business, we know our over-the-counter health and beauty products are the most commonly stolen items.  If you are in the clothing and accessory business, you have a whole different line of merchandise, but you still likely battle the same groups I do.  Whether or not to utilize clothing security tags on your products can be a big decision.   In the small clothing business world, you have to keep costs down, both for your own bottom line and for the customer.  If you are having a problem with theft, you either have to sell more to make up for it, or raise your prices.   In the long run, putting security tags on clothes can make a big impact in stopping the losses you incur, and you will see the return on your investment.  Let’s take a look at some of the more common types of shoplifters.
First there are the boosters or professionals, of course.  These people steal for a living.  They are usually very skilled at avoiding detection.  They take great pains to fit in with your normal customer base.  Their targets are generally high retail, high demand, and easy to resell.  So they will go after the most trendy styles.  They hate excellent customer service.  They do not want to be seen or recognized, so they generally avoid eye contact with associates.  They also hate to see any type of clothing security tags attached in prominent places on the garments.  They know that at the resale point, they will receive less money for the merchandise because now the buyer will need to “clean” the items.  The best way to defeat boosters is to deter them.  Highly visible clothing security is a very effective way to encourage them to go somewhere else.
Next up you have the juveniles and minors.  They are actually responsible for a large part of theft in this country.  They may not really know the consequences for their actions, or they think they will get off easy if they are caught.  They may attempt the theft on a dare, or they may just do it because they think they can get away with it.  I dealt with a couple of middle school girls last summer that were stealing cosmetics.  These two thought they slick.  They gathered up arm loads of lipsticks, fake nails, and other items and took turns going into the restroom.  We found the empty packages in the garbage later that evening.  They returned the following week.  We let them “shop” while we waited on the police to arrive, and when we went to approach them, their eyes got huge and they knew their goose was cooked.  They said they stole from us because they didn’t think we had cameras.  (We do.)  Again, the best way to deter juveniles is to have your clothing security tags  and any other anti-shoplifting measures in plain sight.  You want them to see there is a risk of being caught.  
The last group is the regular customer.  I mean you see these people in your store on a frequent basis, and you never give them a second thought.  Their first time is usually on impulse, meaning they just see an opportunity and go for it.  They will usually steal something they would not normally buy for themselves.  Clothing security measures are paramount for this group.  If your “regulars” start successfully stealing from you, it will happen over and over again and regular theft means your business cannot survive.  Whether you go with the obvious ones on the outside of the garment, or even the ones sewn into hidden pockets and seams, clothing security tags are the best way to stop this group.  These are members of your community and their biggest fear is being caught stealing and ultimately recognized by their neighbors for their crime.
Identify whether your store is experiencing loss, what exactly you are losing, and who is responsible for it.  Then take a look at what clothing security tags can do for you.
For more information contact us 1.770.426.0547 or Clothingsecurity.net

I talk about boosters a lot in my posts; that is the type of thief I deal with the most, and the ones that drive me the craziest.  They constantly change their methods and targets, so my entire staff has to be on alert at all times.  In the drug store business, we know our over-the-counter health and beauty products are the most commonly stolen items.  If you are in the clothing and accessory business, you have a whole different line of merchandise, but you still likely battle the same groups I do.  Whether or not to utilize clothing security tags on your products can be a big decision.   In the small clothing business world, you have to keep costs down, both for your own bottom line and for the customer.  If you are having a problem with theft, you either have to sell more to make up for it, or raise your prices.   In the long run, putting security tags on clothes can make a big impact in stopping the losses you incur, and you will see the return on your investment.  Let’s take a look at some of the more common types of shoplifters.

First there are the boosters or professionals, of course.  These people steal for a living.  They are usually very skilled at avoiding detection.  They take great pains to fit in with your normal customer base.  Their targets are generally high retail, high demand, and easy to resell.  So they will go after the most trendy styles.  They hate excellent customer service.  They do not want to be seen or recognized, so they generally avoid eye contact with associates.  They also hate to see any type of clothing security tags attached in prominent places on the garments.  They know that at the resale point, they will receive less money for the merchandise because now the buyer will need to “clean” the items.  The best way to defeat boosters is to deter them.  Highly visible clothing security is a very effective way to encourage them to go somewhere else.

Next up you have the juveniles and minors.  They are actually responsible for a large part of theft in this country.  They may not really know the consequences for their actions, or they think they will get off easy if they are caught.  They may attempt the theft on a dare, or they may just do it because they think they can get away with it.  I dealt with a couple of middle school girls last summer that were stealing cosmetics.  These two thought they were slick.  They gathered up arm loads of lipsticks, fake nails, and other items and took turns going into the restroom.  We found the empty packages in the garbage later that evening.  They returned the following week.  We let them “shop” while we waited on the police to arrive, and when we went to approach them, their eyes got huge and they knew their goose was cooked.  They said they stole from us because they didn’t think we had cameras.  (We do.)  Again, the best way to deter juveniles is to have your clothing security tags  and any other anti-shoplifting measures in plain sight.  You want them to see there is a risk of being caught.

The last group is the regular customer.  I mean you see these people in your store on a frequent basis, and you never give them a second thought.  Their first time is usually on impulse, meaning they just see an opportunity and go for it.  They will usually steal something they would not normally buy for themselves.  Clothing security measures are paramount for this group.  If your “regulars” start successfully stealing from you, it will happen over and over again and regular theft means your business cannot survive.  Whether you go with the obvious ones on the outside of the garment, or even the ones sewn into hidden pockets and seams, clothing security tags are the best way to stop this group.  These are members of your community and their biggest fear is being caught stealing and ultimately recognized by their neighbors for their crime.

Identify whether your store is experiencing loss, what exactly you are losing, and who is responsible for it.  Then take a look at what clothing security tags can do for you.

For more information contact us at Clothing Security or call 1.770.426.0547 

 

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Sharing Alpha Tools and Ideas

September 11, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Alpha Technology is very versatile for protecting a retailer’s inventory.  I remember when our company first took the leap and bought Alpha Keepers for our razor cartridge refills.  We used to merchandise them all in these big bulky display units.  They were terribly heavy and difficult to correctly install.  The customers had trouble figuring out how they actually dispensed the razors; they had to press a button and then open the coinciding door for their desired choice.  If the door did not close properly it sounded an alarm over the PA system.  Oh, and the doors would break so easily, then we had to disable the alarm or the constant sounding would drive us mad!
So there was this magic day when we got Alpha Keepers for them instead, so all we had to do was install some pegs, and just hang up the keepers.  It made our work so much easier, and the customers were very pleased with the simplicity of the system.  
I believe the next size Alpha Keepers we got was for our high retail stomach remedies.  Every time one would announce it was going to become an OTC item, rather than prescription only, it was only a matter of time before they were targeted by thieves.  Again, rather than some complicated system, or keeping them locked behind the counter, we had  the option to just lock them in the clear boxes and put them right on the shelves.  
We sell a little of many different categories.  Once, we had a special purchase of small HD televisions.  Our stores became famous on the local news for a sudden rash of thefts because people were grabbing the boxes, which conveniently had handles right on top, and running out the door with up to four at a time.  Thankfully, our company’s next investment was the Alpha Spider Wraps.  They stretch to fit the item you need to protect, and will alarm if there is an attempt to leave with them still attached, and can also self-alarm if someone tries to tamper with or cut the cables.  I use these things on boxes of name brand hair regrowth, high retail electric toothbrushes, and even some other small electronics.  (Thankfully we are no longer in the television business.)
Another store manager came to my store just the other day and was lamenting of the woman that keeps coming to her store and running out with large bottles of laundry detergent.  I just happened to have a box of Alpha Cable Locks on hand.  These are very easy to utilize on bottles like this; they just loop right around the handle and lock tight.  The Alpha Cable Lock is very sturdy and offers alarm capability as well as the other tools.  They are also a great visual deterrent.  Luckily I do not have any issues with theft of my laundry items, and this box is just sitting in my office.  So I gave it to this other store manager to use at her store instead.  
I am super thankful for my company owners purchasing these items for our stores, and they have made a major improvement in stopping the losses we were incurring.  All of these tools are easy to attach, easy to remove, and allow our customers the most easy experience shopping in our stores which is one reason they choose us in the first place.
For more information contact us: 1.770.426.0547 or Preventshopliftingloss.net

Alpha Technology is very versatile for protecting a retailer’s inventory.  I remember when our company first took the leap and bought Alpha Keepers for our razor cartridge refills.  We used to merchandise them all in these big bulky display units.  They were terribly heavy and difficult to correctly install.  The customers had trouble figuring out how they actually dispensed the razors; they had to press a button and then open the coinciding door for their desired choice.  If the door did not close properly it sounded an alarm over the PA system.  Oh, and the doors would break so easily, then we had to disable the alarm or the constant sounding would drive us mad!

So there was this magic day when we got Alpha Keepers for them instead, so all we had to do was install some pegs, and just hang up the keepers.  It made our work so much easier, and the customers were very pleased with the simplicity of the system.  

I believe the next size Alpha Keepers we got was for our high retail stomach remedies.  Every time one would announce it was going to become an OTC item, rather than prescription only, it was only a matter of time before they were targeted by thieves.  Again, rather than some complicated system, or keeping them locked behind the counter, we had  the option to just lock them in the clear boxes and put them right on the shelves.  

We sell a little of many different categories.  Once, we had a special purchase of small HD televisions.  Our stores became famous on the local news for a sudden rash of thefts because people were grabbing the boxes, which conveniently had handles right on top, and running out the door with up to four at a time.  Thankfully, our company’s next investment was the Alpha Spider Wraps.  They stretch to fit the item you need to protect, and will alarm if there is an attempt to leave with them still attached, and can also self-alarm if someone tries to tamper with or cut the cables.  I use these things on boxes of name brand hair regrowth, high retail electric toothbrushes, and even some other small electronics.  (Thankfully we are no longer in the television business.)

Another store manager came to my store just the other day and was lamenting of the woman that keeps coming to her store and running out with large bottles of laundry detergent.  I just happened to have a box of Alpha Cable Locks on hand.  These are very easy to utilize on bottles like this; they just loop right around the handle and lock tight.  The Alpha Cable Lock is very sturdy and offers alarm capability as well as the other tools.  They are also a great visual deterrent.  Luckily I do not have any issues with theft of my laundry items, and this box is just sitting in my office.  So I gave it to this other store manager to use at her store instead.

I am super thankful for my company owners purchasing these items for our stores, and they have made a major improvement in stopping the losses we were incurring.  All of these tools are easy to attach, easy to remove, and allow our customers the most easy experience shopping in our stores which is one reason they choose us in the first place.

For more information contact us at Prevent Shoplifting Loss or call 1.770.426.0547.

 

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Anyone Can Do It- Employee Theft

August 15, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Anyone can do it. Employee theft happens with every demographic of employee, and every level of employee from janitor, to manager to CEO. Employee theft is basically taking an asset, or resource that holds some kind of monetary value, and depriving the company (the rightful owner) of that asset and financial benefit.
In the news just the other day, a merchandising executive for a popular mall-store clothing brand was sentenced for taking onwards of 25 million dollars in kickbacks from a vendor. Let that sink in for a second. 25 MILLION dollars. That’s a lot of money, even if it was taken over a period of several years.
The basic story goes, this particular merchandising executive entered into a deal with a particular manufacturer. With the agreement to buy a particular amount of merchandise exclusively from this manufacturer, the executive would receive 50% of the profits. The executive’s company lost out on possible profits by using other manufacturers that had better process, or better quality of products offered. 
The primary reason that the executive was caught, was due to the manufacturer’s other illegal dealings- leading a trail to this executive and their partnership.
While it is very unlikely that the majority of small businesses would be put in a position to have 25 Million in kickbacks, that doesn’t mean a trusted employee might have their own kickbacks and under the table partnerships with vendors.
For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.

Anyone can do it. Employee theft happens with every demographic of employee, and every level of employee from janitor, to manager to CEO. Employee theft is basically taking an asset, or resource that holds some kind of monetary value, and depriving the company (the rightful owner) of that asset and financial benefit.

In the news just the other day, a merchandising executive for a popular mall-store clothing brand was sentenced for taking onwards of 25 million dollars in kickbacks from a vendor. Let that sink in for a second. 25 MILLION dollars. That’s a lot of money, even if it was taken over a period of several years.

The basic story goes, this particular merchandising executive entered into a deal with a particular manufacturer. With the agreement to buy a particular amount of merchandise exclusively from this manufacturer, the executive would receive 50% of the profits. The executive’s company lost out on possible profits by using other manufacturers that had better process, or better quality of products offered.

The primary reason that the executive was caught, was due to the manufacturer’s other illegal dealings- leading a trail to this executive and their partnership.

While it is very unlikely that the majority of small businesses would be put in a position to have 25 Million in kickbacks, that doesn’t mean a trusted employee might have their own kickbacks and under the table partnerships with vendors.

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

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.

 

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Shark Tags And The Online Retailer

August 13, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Refunds and exchanges can really open your store up to fraud and theft. That’s why it’s increasingly more and more important for retailers, especially online retailers, to have policies and controls in place to minimize their exposure to these losses. With brick and mortar stores, refund fraud is climbing higher and higher every day. Stores are fighting back with more sophisticated analytics and some of the bigger retailers even fight back by suspending store gift cards that are suspected of fraud, or meet certain criteria that could be fraud. These fraudsters, just as the LP industry, have to constantly change and adapt to new climates in order for them to perpetuate their schemes. They are more and more frequently moving into the e-com platform to conduct their fraudulent acts, and if your company doesn’t have some simple controls, they can bilk you for thousands. 
It’s a fact that more consumers are seeking online shopping as an alternative to the traditional retail settings. In fact, your bigger box retailers have all but embraced this fact, making it easier for the customer by providing a countless array of options to order online, in store in addition to returning merchandise at a local store. The possibilities are seemingly endless. So is the opportunity for fraud.  You should have a strong return policy and it should include something as simple as the Alpha Shark Tag. 
No one likes to purchase something through an online retailer, only to find that it doesn’t fit, or it wasn’t what you expected. I’ve been there and chances are you have too. You also don’t want to fight with a store to take back their product. They didn’t fight to take your money in the first place, right? Enter the Alpha Shark Tag. These small, bright red, tools make it easy for you to stop theft and refund fraud. 
The tag is a visible deterrent and can be placed in an obvious location. This allows the customer to try on the product, but would not allow them to wear it out for any occasion (think a prom dress, or expensive outwear). With a clear return policy that states once the Shark Tag is removed (which can be done at home with some scissors), the item cannot be returned. You’ve now eliminated the chance for someone to essentially rent your products. This technique can be used on a whole host of merchandise, and not just apparel. So do yourself and your business a favor; get on board with this simple device and leave the thieves out to dry!
For more information, contact us: Shark Tags, or call 1.770.426.0547

Refunds and exchanges can really open your store up to fraud and theft. That’s why it’s increasingly more and more important for retailers, especially online retailers, to have policies and controls in place to minimize their exposure to these losses. With brick and mortar stores, refund fraud is climbing higher and higher every day. Stores are fighting back with more sophisticated analytics and some of the bigger retailers even fight back by suspending store gift cards that are suspected of fraud, or meet certain criteria that could be fraud. These fraudsters, just as the LP industry, have to constantly change and adapt to new climates in order for them to perpetuate their schemes. They are more and more frequently moving into the e-com platform to conduct their fraudulent acts, and if your company doesn’t have some simple controls, they can bilk you for thousands. 

 It’s a fact that more consumers are seeking online shopping as an alternative to the traditional retail settings. In fact, your bigger box retailers have all but embraced this fact, making it easier for the customer by providing a countless array of options to order online, in store in addition to returning merchandise at a local store. The possibilities are seemingly endless. So is the opportunity for fraud.  You should have a strong return policy and it should include something as simple as the Alpha Shark Tag. 

 No one likes to purchase something through an online retailer, only to find that it doesn’t fit, or it wasn’t what you expected. I’ve been there and chances are you have too. You also don’t want to fight with a store to take back their product. They didn’t fight to take your money in the first place, right? Enter the Alpha Shark Tag. These small, bright red, tools make it easy for you to stop theft and refund fraud. 

 The tag is a visible deterrent and can be placed in an obvious location. This allows the customer to try on the product, but would not allow them to wear it out for any occasion (think a prom dress, or expensive outwear). With a clear return policy that states once the Alpha Shark Tag is removed (which can be done at home with some scissors), the item cannot be returned. You’ve now eliminated the chance for someone to essentially rent your products. This technique can be used on a whole host of merchandise, and not just apparel. So do yourself and your business a favor; get on board with this simple device and leave the thieves out to dry!

For more information, contact us: Shark Tags, or call 1.770.426.0547

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

It Takes A Well Rounded Manager To Prevent Shoplifting

August 11, 2015 by Leave a Comment
We all work with difficult personalities, right? If you’re out there reading this and you don’t, well you should consider yourself very lucky. There hasn’t been a job, office, or store that I’ve worked in where I didn’t have at least one difficult personality to work with. One that stands out involved a store manager who was tired of shoplifting in his store. He would call me every week it seemed to complain about the theft problem and tell me that my department (LP) wasn’t doing enough to prevent shoplifting in his store. Being is that preventing losses was literally, all I did, I took it just a little personal. To make matters worse, this same store manager would resist every LP initiate that came down. 
This particular store was having a huge issue with electronics being stolen at the store. As a way to prevent shoplifting of these items, I had our offices send him a few cases of Alpha Spider Wraps. A few weeks later, I was conducting some visits in stores and found that the cases were still sitting in the warehouse. The store manager told me that he didn’t have the payroll budget to spend in order for his employees to put those devices on the products that he, himself, was complaining about being commonly shoplifted. Would’ve taken 10 minutes and he could’ve saved thousands of dollars in shrink. 
There are in fact some of you, right now, sitting at home, or in your office reading this, saying to yourself, “Wow… I’m kind of like that manager.” Even though you’ll never say it to anyone but yourself, you know it. It’s not because you want to battle, but it’s because you’re thinking too much like a manager. I used to think that a good LP professional had a background in law enforcement, or degrees in criminal justice. What I’ve learned is the opposite. Some of the best people that work for me now have MBA’s, degrees in marketing and even Human Resource management. I bring this up for one reason. In order to prevent shoplifting, you have see if from not only an LP perspective, but also from a business view as well. 
You own your business. Someone comes to you and says, “Here’s this tool. If you implement this tool today, you will increase your profits.” Chances are, you’re going to use that tool. That exactly what EAS devices are to retailers. Tools to reduce losses, thus increasing your profits. Don’t be that manager anymore. Accept the tools available to you and prevent shoplifting losses before they ever happen. 
For more information, contact us: Prevent Shoplifting, or call 1.770.426.0547

We all work with difficult personalities, right? If you’re out there reading this and you don’t, well you should consider yourself very lucky. There hasn’t been a job, office, or store that I’ve worked in where I didn’t have at least one difficult personality to work with. One that stands out involved a store manager who was tired of shoplifting in his store. He would call me every week it seemed to complain about the theft problem and tell me that my department (LP) wasn’t doing enough to prevent shoplifting in his store. Being is that preventing loss was literally, all I did, I took it just a little personal. To make matters worse, this same store manager would resist every LP initiate that came down. 

 This particular store was having a huge issue with electronics being stolen at the store. As a way to prevent shoplifting of these items, I had our offices send him a few cases of Alpha Spider Wraps. A few weeks later, I was conducting some visits in stores and found that the cases were still sitting in the warehouse. The store manager told me that he didn’t have the payroll budget to spend in order for his employees to put those devices on the products that he, himself, was complaining about being commonly shoplifted. Would’ve taken 10 minutes and he could’ve saved thousands of dollars in shrink. 

 There are in fact some of you, right now, sitting at home, or in your office reading this, saying to yourself, “Wow… I’m kind of like that manager.” Even though you’ll never say it to anyone but yourself, you know it. It’s not because you want to battle, but it’s because you’re thinking too much like a manager. I used to think that a good LP professional had a background in law enforcement, or degrees in criminal justice. What I’ve learned is the opposite. Some of the best people that work for me now have MBA’s, degrees in marketing and even Human Resource management. I bring this up for one reason. In order to prevent shoplifting, you have to see it from not only an LP perspective, but also from a business view as well. 

 You own your business. Someone comes to you and says, “Here’s this tool. If you implement this tool today, you will increase your profits.” Chances are, you’re going to use that tool. That exactly what EAS devices are to retailers. Tools to reduce losses, thus increasing your profits. Don’t be that manager anymore. Accept the tools available to you and prevent shoplifting losses before they ever happen.

For more information, contact us: Prevent Shoplifting, or call 1.770.426.0547

 

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Companies Should Invest In Top Quality Devices To Be Successful

August 4, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Checkpoint System-4
Companies Should Invest In Top Quality Devices To Be Successful
Small businesses face the threat of shoplifters just like the big box stores.  Thieves have advantages in both types of retail establishments.  Mass merchants obviously have bigger buildings, so there are more places for a thief to “hide” and conceal merchandise.  Plus with more shoppers and staff, it is much easier for a thief to blend in and remain undetected while inside the store.  In small businesses, the opportunities come with less staff that can get distracted or overwhelmed, and not notice a wiped out shelf until it’s too late.  With smaller buildings, it can also be easier to get out quickly and into a waiting car.  In order to combat the loss of inventory, profit, and margin, all businesses should be looking at what tools they need to invest in.  A top quality device, like a Checkpoint System, is one of the first things to look into.
I’m not talking about some knock off brand.  I mean real Checkpoint System pedestals at the entrance, real Checkpoint Tags adhered to your most targeted items, and the many other options that are compatible with the system.    The system itself is the first stop in the battle.  Those pedestals send a clear visible message that your store has a plan to stop shoplifting.  The next line of defense is the tags.  They are the best deterrent to stop opportunists and inexperienced thieves.  You and your employees need to identify your most targeted items.  You have to ask yourselves a couple of questions.  1. If an item comes up missing, how did it get out the door unpaid and unseen?  2. Who, or even what group, is the most likely culprit? Petty theft by regular loyal customers happens more often than any retailer wants to admit.  Always remember: good people make bad decisions.  And, know that greed, not need, is the one biggest driver of all types of loss (internal and external).  Once you have your plans and your system in place, you should see a big drop in external losses.  If not, then you may need to address a bigger problem.  Depending on what your store sells, you may be getting hit by professional thieves, or as we not-so-lovingly refer to as “boosters”.
Next up on the agenda should be Alpha Technology.  This is a division of Checkpoint Systems and all of the devices are compatible with the system.  If someone attempts to remove an item with an Alpha device attached, the pedestals will alarm.  The more sophisticated and difficult the device is to remove, the more it will deter theft.  It will also send a stronger signal and be harder to defeat.  Alpha Keepers, clear cases that lock merchandise inside, are super hard to break.  Plus they make a lot of noise clacking together if a would be thief were to grab up a bunch of them in a basket or big shoplifter bag.  There are devices for almost any item your store specializes in.  Jewelry, sunglasses, handbags, and even clothing can be protected with some type of Alpha tool.   We even have cable locks that are great for the new crazy trend of laundry detergent theft.  Close that bad boy around the bottle handle and watch a thief try to figure out how to remove it.  “Not gonna happen” is the answer for them.  
You have to decide what works best for your store and what will protect the things you sell.  The easy answer to that is start with a Checkpoint System.   You have invested in your merchandise and the whole point is to sell it and make money.  You wouldn’t allow someone to come into your home and take your stuff or your money.  Essentially that is what you are doing if you sit and do nothing about shoplifting though.  Saying “I’m sick of these people stealing” and putting up some threatening signs is not enough.  Action is the only way to stop theft, and if you are looking at making the investment, you might as well shop for the real  thing, and the one that is recognized across the industry.  Like the saying goes, you’ll get what you pay for.  

Small businesses face the threat of shoplifters just like the big box stores. Thieves have advantages in both types of retail establishments.  Mass merchants obviously have bigger buildings, so there are more places for a thief to “hide” and conceal merchandise.  Plus with more shoppers and staff, it is much easier for a thief to blend in and remain undetected while inside the store.  In small businesses, the opportunities come with less staff that can get distracted or overwhelmed, and not notice a wiped out shelf until it’s too late.  With smaller buildings, it can also be easier to get out quickly and into a waiting car.  In order to combat the loss of inventory, profit, and margin, all businesses should be looking at what tools they need to invest in.  A top quality device, like a Checkpoint System, is one of the first things to look into.

I’m not talking about some knock off brand.  I mean real Checkpoint System pedestals at the entrance, real Checkpoint Tags adhered to your most targeted items, and the many other options that are compatible with the system.    The system itself is the first stop in the battle.  Those pedestals send a clear visible message that your store has a plan to stop shoplifting.  The next line of defense is the tags.  They are the best deterrent to stop opportunists and inexperienced thieves.  You and your employees need to identify your most targeted items.  You have to ask yourselves a couple of questions.  1. If an item comes up missing, how did it get out the door unpaid and unseen?  2. Who, or even what group, is the most likely culprit? Petty theft by regular loyal customers happens more often than any retailer wants to admit.  Always remember: good people make bad decisions.  And, know that greed, not need, is the one biggest driver of all types of loss (internal and external).  Once you have your plans and your system in place, you should see a big drop in external losses.  If not, then you may need to address a bigger problem.  Depending on what your store sells, you may be getting hit by professional thieves, or as we not-so-lovingly refer to as “boosters”.

Next up on the agenda should be Alpha Technology.  This is a division of Checkpoint Systems and all of the devices are compatible with the system.  If someone attempts to remove an item with an Alpha device attached, the pedestals will alarm.  The more sophisticated and difficult the device is to remove, the more it will deter theft.  It will also send a stronger signal and be harder to defeat.  Alpha Keepers, clear cases that lock merchandise inside, are super hard to break.  Plus they make a lot of noise clacking together if a would be thief were to grab up a bunch of them in a basket or big shoplifter bag.  There are devices for almost any item your store specializes in.  Jewelry, sunglasses, handbags, and even clothing can be protected with some type of Alpha tool.   We even have cable locks that are great for the new crazy trend of laundry detergent theft.  Close that bad boy around the bottle handle and watch a thief try to figure out how to remove it.  “Not gonna happen” is the answer for them.  

You have to decide what works best for your store and what will protect the things you sell.  The easy answer to that is start with a Checkpoint System.   You have invested in your merchandise and the whole point is to sell it and make money.  You wouldn’t allow someone to come into your home and take your stuff or your money.  Essentially that is what you are doing if you sit and do nothing about shoplifting though.  Saying “I’m sick of these people stealing” and putting up some threatening signs is not enough.  Action is the only way to stop theft, and if you are looking at making the investment, you might as well shop for the real  thing, and the one that is recognized across the industry.  Like the saying goes, you’ll get what you pay for.  

For more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us: 1.770.426.0547 or antishoplifting.net

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

A Proactive Approach To Prevent Shoplifting

July 16, 2015 by Leave a Comment
People often rely on me to be the subject matter expert on just about everything. What’s the best way to apprehend a shoplifter? How do you spot a shoplifter? How do you identify what product will be a high theft item? How do look so good in those jeans? Mainly, most managers want to know how they can prevent shoplifting. If I hadn’t said it 1000 times, I haven’t said it once. You cannot stop it completely, but you can take steps to minimize it and ultimately reduce shrink to an industry accepted number. 
About 10 years ago I was offered my first Loss Prevention job. I was excited to work in a different field; having managed retail stores for a few years, I was ready to get into something else. Like any new LP Manager, I was hooked on the thrill of the chase. All I cared about, or focused on was catching bad guys. I wasn’t concerned at preventing shoplifting. Heck, I wanted people to steal so I could catch them. While this was definitely a part of my job, over time I learned that LP has to become a better business partner to the store, and that started with driving initiatives to prevent shrink before it ever happened. 
Fast forward a few years, and literally every other day I’m in meetings with buyers, the operations group, marketing, or product development. They all want my opinion on new merchandise hitting the stores. They want input on possible new retail anti-theft devices that can be utilized and ideas on how to market a specific high priced item in a way that allows the customer to interact with it, all while keeping it secured so the dishonest person can’t leave the store with it. 
Just this past month, some of our buyers got a really good deal on some name brand eyewear. Due to large quantity purchased, they wanted to put these out in the hands of the customer, instead of behind the locked glasses where similar styles are kept. The idea was to merchandise them on a end panel in our fishing department. The LP side of me had a problem with this. I knew if they were just placed on the floor, they would get stolen. I also saw the merchant side; we have these glasses at a good price and if we put them in the hands of the customer, we’ll sell them. The problem existed that we had to prevent shoplifting of these items before it had a chance to impact the store’s shrink. Ultimately, we opted for a type of eyewear tag that secured the glasses and prevented folks from simply placing a few pairs in the pockets. 
In order to prevent shoplifting you have to be proactive. In the retail world, you will always be running behind and putting out fires. When it comes to financial losses, you should be ahead of the curve. Any good manager that knows their business, also knows what gets stolen. Don’t be afraid to put your merchandise in the hands of the customer for fear of it being stolen. Be proactive and stop the losses before they ever happen!
For more information, contact us: Prevent Shoplifting, or call 1.770.426.0547

People often rely on me to be the subject matter expert on just about everything. What’s the best way to apprehend a shoplifter? How do you spot a shoplifter? How do you identify what product will be a high theft item? How do you look so good in those jeans? Mainly, most managers want to know how they can prevent shoplifting. If I hadn’t said it 1000 times, I haven’t said it once. You cannot stop it completely, but you can take steps to minimize it and ultimately reduce shrink to an industry accepted number. 

 About 10 years ago I was offered my first Loss Prevention job. I was excited to work in a different field; having managed retail stores for a few years, I was ready to get into something else. Like any new LP Manager, I was hooked on the thrill of the chase. All I cared about, or focused on was catching bad guys. I wasn’t concerned at preventing shoplifting. Heck, I wanted people to steal so I could catch them. While this was definitely a part of my job, over time I learned that LP has to become a better business partner to the store, and that started with driving initiatives to prevent shrink before it ever happened. 

 Fast forward a few years, and literally every other day I’m in meetings with buyers, the operations group, marketing, or product development. They all want my opinion on new merchandise hitting the stores. They want input on possible new retail anti-theft devices that can be utilized and ideas on how to market a specific high priced item in a way that allows the customer to interact with it, all while keeping it secured so the dishonest person can’t leave the store with it. 

 Just this past month, some of our buyers got a really good deal on some name brand eyewear. Due to large quantity purchased, they wanted to put these out in the hands of the customer, instead of behind the locked glasses where similar styles are kept. The idea was to merchandise them on a end panel in our fishing department. The LP side of me had a problem with this. I knew if they were just placed on the floor, they would get stolen. I also saw the merchant side; we have these glasses at a good price and if we put them in the hands of the customer, we’ll sell them. The problem existed that we had to prevent shoplifting of these items before it had a chance to impact the store’s shrink. Ultimately, we opted for Alpha Eyewear Tag that secured the glasses and prevented folks from simply placing a few pairs in the pockets. 

 In order to prevent shoplifting you have to be proactive. In the retail world, you will always be running behind and putting out fires. When it comes to financial losses, you should be ahead of the curve. Any good manager that knows their business, also knows what gets stolen. Don’t be afraid to put your merchandise in the hands of the customer for fear of it being stolen. Be proactive and stop the losses before they ever happen!

For more information, contact us: Prevent Shoplifting, or call 1.770.426.0547

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With:

Take Out The Trash- Employee Theft

July 15, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Did you know that employee theft is actually pretty common when employees are taking out the trash? While it might seem like a messy way to do it, there is a reason why this method has worked for countless dishonest employees.
Would you want to go routing through a stinky, sticky bag of trash, every shift of every day, just to see if an employee was trying to hide merchandise in the trash bag? Probably not. I know that is not a task I would want as part of my job description. That is what makes it such an effective method of getting merchandise out of the store for an employee to steal.
For the most part, no one wants to check a bag of trash, so an employee will put saleable merchandise in the trash bag/ can and volunteer to take the trash out. The merchandise might be protected from the contents of the trash by being concealed in another bag, or it could be hidden in with paper waste from an office area.
From there the bag goes out a back door- that typically does not have any alarms or EAS identifiers on it. Once the bag is in a dumpster or a compactor they can go back to retrieve it at their leisure. That might be later at night after the store is closed and everyone has gone home, or it could be in an early morning hour before employees start to show up for the day. This method employee theft is pretty low risk compared to other ways of getting stolen merchandise out the door.
For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.

Did you know that employee theft is actually pretty common when employees are taking out the trash? While it might seem like a messy way to do it, there is a reason why this method has worked for countless dishonest employees.

Would you want to go routing through a stinky, sticky bag of trash, every shift of every day, just to see if an employee was trying to hide merchandise in the trash bag? Probably not. I know that is not a task I would want as part of my job description. That is what makes it such an effective method of getting merchandise out of the store for an employee to steal.

For the most part, no one wants to check a bag of trash, so an employee will put saleable merchandise in the trash bag/ can and volunteer to take the trash out. The merchandise might be protected from the contents of the trash by being concealed in another bag, or it could be hidden in with paper waste from an office area.

From there the bag goes out a back door- that typically does not have any alarms or EAS identifiers on it. Once the bag is in a dumpster or a compactor they can go back to retrieve it at their leisure. That might be later at night after the store is closed and everyone has gone home, or it could be in an early morning hour before employees start to show up for the day. This method employee theft is pretty low risk compared to other ways of getting stolen merchandise out the door.

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

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

Stop Jacket And Coat Thefts With Clothing Security Tags

July 13, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Keeping your clothing secure may seem like a challenging endeavor for stores with limited staff and financial resources, but it doesn’t have to be anymore.  There are affordable solutions to help you prevent shoplifting in your store, like Checkpoint tags.  One of the stores I previously worked for at the time only carried leather jackets and other coats seasonally, so as soon as they arrived at the store, we got to work making sure they were all protected with clothing security tags. We knew that when the weather started to get cold, the jacket thieves weren’t going to be far behind.  The previous year, we lost several jackets, so we were going to do everything in our power to stop the same thing from happening this time.  This meant we had to keep a close eye on the merchandise.  
We started by facing a camera directly on the clothing racks and counting the coats every couple hours.  We did this so if we lost any of them, it wouldn’t be too difficult to narrow down who had stolen them when we looked at the video. We put a big obvious hard tag on the jacket where you could see it, but we also dropped some soft Checkpoint tags into the inside pocket of the jacket.  We did this so if the thieves were able to somehow remove the larger obvious tag, they probably wouldn’t expect there to be an extra soft tag hidden on the inside of the jacket, and the alarm would go off at the door when they exited with the merchandise.  For some reason, these particular thieves would leave the empty hangers on the rack, so we would always know when they had stolen a jacket.  I don’t know why they would leave it on the rack and not put it down somewhere else, but I don’t know why shoplifters do half the things they do.  
After we reviewed video of the area, we figured out who was stealing the clothing, which was two different people that were working together. A man and woman would come into the store and try on the jackets separately.  One tried on the clothing while the other would keep a look out for anyone in the area.  They would then casually walk around the store without a care in the world, and walk right out the door wearing the jacket.  It didn’t look suspicious at the time because it was cold outside, and the thieves tucked the clothing security tags that were on the end of the sleeve in the pocket of the jacket.  These shoplifters didn’t care that the EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) alarm went off as they exited the door, because as soon as they exited, there was a car waiting for them right off the sidewalk, and they were gone quickly.  
Their luck finally ran out the day we caught them with help from local law enforcement, who were able to apprehend them after fleeing following a theft at our store.  When the police stopped the shoplifters, the clothing security tags were still attached to the jackets.  Also, the video we had saved of the same thieves setting off the flashing door alarms on the other occasions helped make it easy to seek charges on the shoplifters for previous jacket thefts.  
For more information contact us: (clothing security tags) or call 1.770.426.0547

Keeping your clothing secure may seem like a challenging endeavor for stores with limited staff and financial resources, but it doesn’t have to be anymore.  There are affordable solutions to help you prevent shoplifting in your store, like Checkpoint tags.  One of the stores I previously worked for at the time only carried leather jackets and other coats seasonally, so as soon as they arrived at the store, we got to work making sure they were all protected with clothing security tags. We knew that when the weather started to get cold, the jacket thieves weren’t going to be far behind.  The previous year, we lost several jackets, so we were going to do everything in our power to stop the same thing from happening this time.  This meant we had to keep a close eye on the merchandise.  

We started by facing a camera directly on the clothing racks and counting the coats every couple hours.  We did this so if we lost any of them, it wouldn’t be too difficult to narrow down who had stolen them when we looked at the video. We put a big obvious hard tag on the jacket where you could see it, but we also dropped some soft Checkpoint Tags into the inside pocket of the jacket.  We did this so if the thieves were able to somehow remove the larger obvious tag, they probably wouldn’t expect there to be an extra soft tag hidden on the inside of the jacket, and the alarm would go off at the door when they exited with the merchandise.  For some reason, these particular thieves would leave the empty hangers on the rack, so we would always know when they had stolen a jacket.  I don’t know why they would leave it on the rack and not put it down somewhere else, but I don’t know why shoplifters do half the things they do.  

After we reviewed video of the area, we figured out who was stealing the clothing, which was two different people that were working together. A man and woman would come into the store and try on the jackets separately.  One tried on the clothing while the other would keep a look out for anyone in the area.  They would then casually walk around the store without a care in the world, and walk right out the door wearing the jacket.  It didn’t look suspicious at the time because it was cold outside, and the thieves tucked the clothing security tags that were on the end of the sleeve in the pocket of the jacket.  These shoplifters didn’t care that the EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) alarm went off as they exited the door, because as soon as they exited, there was a car waiting for them right off the sidewalk, and they were gone quickly.  

Their luck finally ran out the day we caught them with help from local law enforcement, who were able to apprehend them after fleeing following a theft at our store.  When the police stopped the shoplifters, the clothing security tags were still attached to the jackets.  Also, the video we had saved of the same thieves setting off the flashing door alarms on the other occasions helped make it easy to seek charges on the shoplifters for previous jacket thefts.  

For more information contact us: clothingsecurity.net or call 1.770.426.0547

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,
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