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Prevent Shoplifting Proactively – Atlanta Georgia

June 22, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Organized Retail Theft, or ORT, has brought a whole new dimension to retailers’ attempts to prevent shoplifting and other types of retail theft.

Organized Retail Theft, committed by a loosely organized coalition of gangs, account for over $30 Billion in losses (which includes credit card and gift card fraud, and price tag switching) every year, according to the FBI. Various methods are used by theses criminals including “Smash and Grab” after hours and organized shoplifting rings that steal items with a high resale value. Cargo thefts are also a growing business for the thieves.

Items taken by the shoplifters tend to run to disposable or reusable items that are openly displayed in bulk like baby formula and razor blades, and put them in a supply chain to internet sites, flea markets, and even to legitimate retailers who buy them thinking the are on the up and up. There is an entire criminal enterprise devoted to the reselling and distribution of stolen merchandise.

ORT is a subgroup of professional shoplifters. They generally enter the store knowing what they are going to steal, go directly to it, throw it in a bag or a buggy, and walk quickly out the door with the merchandise where they have a car or truck waiting. When they come in the door, they know exactly where they are going, what merchandise they are going to get, and have an escape route planned. Any type of store is subject to be the victim of a visit from one of these groups connected to ORT.

When displaying merchandise in a way to prevent shoplifting by the casual shoplifter, the merchant some idea based on previous experience on how to place and arrange merchandise to discourage the thief. Technically, the methods currently being used by these lawbreakers are not shoplifting as we have come to know it, but more like a robbery by snatching.

Various states have passed legislation specifically aimed at combating organized

Retail theft, increasing the punishment for those convicted far above that of shoplifting. The problem has become so large that the FBI has a task force devoted to its investigation.

As long as there is a demand, there will by thieves trying to fill it. Even as a retailer tries to prevent shoplifting, there always seems to be a new retail theft threat to face.

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For more information on ORT or ways to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

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Exactly what is the primary cause of Employee theft in Atlanta GA?

June 19, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

We know from long experience in the corporate fraud investigation field that there are many reasons for the employee theft you may be experiencing. Greed, want, need are all reasons. We as employers can do little to effect the reasons except to do the best we can to screen out potential problems. Criminal background checks find problems such as candidates with poor criminal histories; candidates that have a poor credit history who may be handling our money and drug abusers top the list

But what are the CAUSES of employee theft? In the 2010 Global Fraud Study by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners it was found that the leading primary internal theft weakness is…”Lack of Internal Controls”. In organizations with less than 100 employees it amounts to 47% (over 100 employees equals 33.7%). There is not even a close second.

Keep in mind that the cause is something that we as business leaders have complete control over. Yet business appear to do little, or clearly not enough, to protect the fragile margins we have. I believe that there are two reasons for this.

Number one is that it seems in many cases there is a lack of strong leadership. The kind of leadership that people understand and respect. An understanding by employees at all levels that strong controls that the company has in place will not under any circumstances be violated and that such violation is not open to interpretation. The violation of these procedures will be met with strict and immediate punishment at all levels. This draws a line in the sand.

Number two is that even when that line in the sand is drawn we find it to hard or we are too busy to maintain it. Because of this that line in the sand is quickly washed away by the waves. We then find ourselves a year later scratching our heads trying to make sense of why we are having yet another corporate fraud investigation another serious internal theft or series of employee theft incidents have occurred.

Want to bring internal theft under control once and for all? Make your line in the sand a granite wall with no compromise that the waves will not affect.

For more information about employee theft or a consultation for a corporate fraud investigation in Atlanta GA contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

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Prevent Shoplifting Isn’t Getting Any Better Anytime soon!

June 19, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Aggressively prevent shoplifting in your retail store or your profits will suffer. Shoplifters are not going away anytime soon. In fact as un-employment continues to be high and the economy remains unstable a higher percentage of people are shoplifting to get what they need and want. We also know from studies that shoplifters shift to unprotected retailers.

From many years of experience in loss prevention, I know that when shoplifters know that you are an easy target they will hit you over and over again. Shoplifters will also tell their friends about your store (“Hey they are asleep at the switch in there. They are clueless”). Over time you become “the store of choice” for shoplifters. Without realizing it your profits get slowly worse.

What measures do you take in order to prevent shoplifting from your business?

Training!!! Have an Anti-shoplifting training program. Doing it once feels good for a while but like any other business issue unless you make it a priority your employees will loose interest over time. You have to refresh and train new people.
Don’t be afraid to approach suspected shoplifters. Their goal is to be anonymous. Let them know you are aware, see and are helping them. Shoplifters hate customer service. Give them their fill! If necessary stand right there with them providing exceptional customer service.
Install a Checkpoint Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system. Label and tag a select group of merchandise. EAS is a labor multiplier. Spend less labor dollars to cover the same amount of sales floor. Shoplifters are caught at the door. This creates deterrence. Word will get around.

Not doing everything you can to prevent shoplifting is the same as hoping that a roof leak will repair itself. YOU can fix the problem. Step back and objectively look at your operation now. You might be surprised what you see.

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Funny excuses given by shoplifters, one of the best reasons you should Prevent Shoplifting.

June 17, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Over the years I have run into some pretty weird situations with shoplifters. When a company must prevent shoplifting they must apprehend the thieves that are stealing.

In one situation I apprehended a guy who had stolen a framed picture of Christ. He did not fight me, resist, run or any thing else that we are always prepared to deal with. But when the Police arrived at the store and we were switching handcuffs on the shoplifter he turned to me and said, “This is not a very Christian thing you are doing to me”. This guy STEALS and I am the sinner!

Another is the guy who stole a $1.00 fishing lure from a sporting goods store. That was all he took! I stopped him and took him into custody. When I got him back to the Security Office I emptied his pockets (he was handcuffed) and was bagging it up for the police when I discovered a “wad” of cash well over one hundred dollars. I was shocked (still naïve then) and asked him why he stole a minor $1.00 item when he clearly had the cash to pay for it. He said, “I wanted to see if I could get away with it”. I just shook my head and told him that it was good that he had the cash on him, as he would need it for bail.

Another of my all time favorites is this one time I stopped and detained a middle aged woman for stealing about $300 worth of new tennis shoes that I had witnessed her switch tags on to a lower priced shoe. This woman had a pretty heavy Eastern European accent. Again while police officers were taking her into custody she stated that I was discriminating against her because she was European. The police officers taking her into custody, whom I knew very well started laughing. She looked at them with shock when they told her. “Lady this store is owned by a French company and he (pointing to me) is married to German citizen. I met my clearly better half when I was in the Army stationed in Germany. They reminded her that she had the right to remain silent and they told her they would prefer that she exercise that right.

I have found over the years that you can prevent shoplifting and be entertained at the same time.

For more information on how you can prevent shoplifting please contact us at Prevent Shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547- Atlanta Georgia

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Use Clothing Security: Protect your business from shoplifters

June 17, 2011 by Staff Editor

There are a lot of red flags that you may be noticing in your business that indicate that you are a victim of theft. If you aren’t using any form of Clothing Security it is almost guaranteed. Are you finding hangers, tags, or empty packages out on your sales floor? Is there merchandise that is unaccounted for? Is your inventory telling you that there is supposed to be merchandise on your shelves that cannot be found? All of these can suggest that you are losing merchandise to shoplifters and thieves.

If you own or manage a business that sells clothing, there are types of clothing security available to help protect this highly sought after merchandise. In the retail environment I work in, we see clothing shoplifted on an almost daily basis. It is easy to conceal, therefore easier to steal. The use of Clothing security tags with a clothing alarm are some ways to help stop this downward spiral of profit loss.

Arming your store with a visible clothing alarm system at your entrance and exit, while using clothing security tags, will keep your clothing in your store for your customers to purchase. Shoplifters are observant and scope out businesses they wish to target. By having visual deterrents like security tags on clothes and a clothing alarm, you can have a profound impact on your profitability by retaining the merchandise you wish to sell.

Professional shoplifters, also called boosters, are out there and target businesses that sell clothing. They can steal thousands worth of clothes in a very short amount of time, and leave you wondering why your clothing racks are empty. Throw them off with a clothing alarm and clothing security tags, let them know you take the protection of your merchandise seriously.

If you aren’t utilizing clothing security tags you might as well say “Steal me” on the tag, next to the price that the shoplifter will not look at. But by using security tags on clothes you sell, you can send a different message to the shoplifter: “Plan to pay, or go away.”

Visit the Loss Prevention Store Website to purchase Clothing Security.

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

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Employee Theft and Delegation of Duties

June 16, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

There is one recurring theme seems to be present in almost every employee theft investigation that I have been involved in, and that is that the employee was inadequately supervised or had too much autonomous control over an area of the business.

I was having dinner with a friend who works in bank administration, and we were discussing the problems of internal theft (not great dinner conversation, I’ll grant you.) She remarked that at the bank where she was employed, every employee who handled cash and certain other financial transactions was required to take two straight weeks off each year, so that another employee had to take over responsibility for the person’s job for that period of time. This was done to avoid internal theft.

Then I thought of all the employee theft investigation that I have reviewed over the years, and how many of the thefts were discovered or suspected when the employee had to take extended time off for illness or other unforeseen reason.

These cases of internal theft were more often than not met with disbelief by management and co-workers who admired the person because he was so dedicated that “she never took vacation” or “he never wanted anyone to help him with his work”. Only later do they discover the reason why the person was so dedicated, and that was because it is much easier to cover one’s tracks when no one is checking up or adequately supervising one’s work.

One of the best and most efficient methods to avoid prolonged periods of internal theft is to institute a policy requiring periodic audits of every employee who has access to company assets, particularly in the accounting arena. Allowing the same employee to control payables, receivables, and payroll is too often asking for employee theft to happen. Delegating parts of the process will frequently avoid taking advantage of this situation. The employee theft investigation sometimes comes too late to recover all that’s been stolen.

But don’t overlook employees in shipping and receiving who handle merchandise and take out the trash. Is your merchandise in the trash to be picked up later. Many companies wisely conduct trash audits to avoid theft opportunities.

Every business owner needs to consider if their “best employee” is really that or are they covering up their own employee theft.

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

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Internal Theft Investigation Techniques

June 15, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

It is paramount that you understand from the outset that an internal theft is not a triple homicide and an employee theft investigation is not an episode of CSI: Miami. You will never get anyone with the intelligence of a grasshopper to cop to employee theft by sitting them in a dimly lit room and grilling them over and over again. This only works on TV- really bad TV. The best way to achieve your goal (which, by the way, is a confession) is to gain the subjects trust, put them at ease and inform them that you’re here to help.

Hopefully you’ve nearly concluded your employee theft investigation by the time you sit an individual down to speak to them about an internal theft matter. Therefore you have gathered some proof about their wrong-doing, whether it be a policy violation or plain old employee theft, you know what you’re looking for. Frame your questions and statements in a non-threatening format. Avoid words like: Steal, Crime, Jail, Police, etc. Instead use words like: Took, Borrowed, Lost, etc. You want to put the subject at ease by minimizing the perceived severity of the infraction. Nobody is going to call up jail to make reservations. Ease their mind and their resistance by letting them see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Almost everyone will initially deny having committed employee theft. Help them to rationalize what it is that they’ve done. Give them excuses: The economy is bad, gas prices are so high, baby needs a new pair of shoes. Whatever will get them talking and feeling like you understand their pain and that you’re there to help. The next time you’re faced with an internal theft case remember these techniques and you’ll conclude your employee theft investigation with greater speed and efficiency.

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For more information contact us at Internal Theft or call 1.770.426.0547

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Prevent Shoplifting – A Unique Problem – Atlanta Georgia

June 15, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

There is no way to teach anyone how to prevent shoplifting in one easy lesson. Retailers have been trying for years to come up with foolproof solutions to the serious problems that are caused by shoplifting.

Shoplifting is somewhat of a unique crime. I can’t think of any other situation where so little is done to protect merchandise valued at so much money. You may routinely visit a store that contains up to half a million dollars in inventory that is protected by one lonely sales clerk. Very few other crimes begin with the victim putting his assets out in the open for people to see and touch, and in fact arrange them so as to make other people want them, then walk off and leave them wide open for anyone to toss in a bag or inside a coat and more times than not walk away unmolested having just stolen merchandise worth a couple of hundred dollars or more. No one would leave their wallet or credit cards out like that and most of us lock our houses and cars when we leave them unattended, so why do we leave valuable merchandise out to be taken.

Well, of course we depend on the fact that most people are honest and won’t steal from us and that’s true. But the one or two in ten who will steal from us ruin it for everyone.

Retailers want to keep the merchandise open and accessible, but they don’t want people to steal it. That’s where all the ideas to prevent shoplifting originate.

There are too many types of merchandise and too many retail environments to come up with one solution to prevent shoplifting. There are so many variable involved, and so many solutions and programs offered, it takes an expert to sort them all out.

To see some shoplifting solutions, visit the Loss Prevention Store.

To speak with an expert and learn ways to prevent shoplifting , contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

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Clothing Retailers Love the Clothing Alarm

June 15, 2011 by Staff Editor

Do clothing retailers really love the clothing alarm? I can’t say for sure, but I can tell you that since clothing security tags have been available for the clothing retailer, they have been a leader in clothing security standards.

The clothing alarm was a unique item the first time I saw one. I was fascinated at how little the clothing alarm was and affects it had at providing clothing security. Shoplifters look for the quick and easy way to get in and out of a store without being noticed. Outside of getting the merchandise, privacy is the key to a successful shoplift. The security tags on clothes take away that privacy. I will never forget the look on the face of the first shoplifter I saw attempt to defeat a clothing alarm. As I sat and watched on CCTV, a two man team entered the clothing department, jeans. They noticed the clothing security on the product but were unaware of the fact these guards were alarms. As one of the thieves worked on the device with pliers, the alarm activated. REEEEEK!!! The alarm sounded. Instantly the two shoplifters looked like keystone cops, running into each other attempting to get away from the merchandise as quickly as possible. Still as funny today as it was then.

If you are a new or existing clothing retailer, I encourage you to do your homework on clothing security. In fact, security tags on clothes are a great idea if you plan to stock large amounts of merchandise on the salesfloor. Clothing security tags are an obvious presence and may provide the visual deterrence your store may need. Security tags on clothes have been around for many years and will benefit your business. If you are in the market for clothing security, trust me… use clothing security tags.

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

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Prevent shoplifting through your employees.

June 12, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

You find another empty package out on your sales floor, and are irritated once again that you cannot prevent shoplifting inside your business. But there are things that a business owner can do in order to help prevent shoplifting – there are simple techniques that can show results by reducing your losses.

Schedule an appropriate amount of employees at one time in your business. Having too few employees allows for more opportunity for the shoplifter to find a secluded area to steal from you. Also, your employees are better able to provide good customer service and attention to a possible shoplifter, which can further help prevent shoplifting. Potential shoplifters do not want attention, so you can be sure to provide them the attention they despise by having good coverage on your sales floor.

Having registers or an employee working near the entrance of your store can also further prevent shoplifting so that shoplifters have to pass watchful employees to leave. By greeting a customer that comes into your store and asking them if you can help them today, the shoplifter has been noticed. The shoplifter now knows that employees are aware of his or her presence within your business.

Employees should also help try to prevent shoplifting through being available to customers. While your employees are working on the sales floor, they should keep their eyes up, looking around. By doing this while they work, they will notice suspicious customers or any customer that may need help finding an item. Your employees can provide better customer service and prevent shoplifting at the same time.

Your employees can be an important tool to help you prevent shoplifting, they may not even know it. Once you make them aware of the difference they can make, you can reap the benefits of reduced loss.

For more information contact us at prevent shoplifting : or call 1.770.426.0547.

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