Have you considered using Integrity Shops as a part of your employee theft investigation???

March 5, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

There are many times that it is necessary to perform an employee theft investigation in your business. The sad reality is that employees steal … a lot!! In fact, most studies agree that internal theft (also called employee theft) accounts for 50-70% of retail shrink. One of the hardest parts of the job is investigating employees because we all want to trust our employees. It is very hard to accept that one or more are going behind your back and stealing, but it is the reality. In order to catch internal theft an employee theft investigation must be done when money and merchandise start missing.

There are several things to do during an employee theft investigation. The first is to review reports. Many losses can be solved by tracking cash over and shorts, reviewing refund and void trends as well as researching ordering and inventory change histories. When these don’t work then we turn to cameras. Cameras are a great tool at catching employee theft. Whether it is by using standard cameras on the sales floor or covert cameras in offices, these tools can often times conclusively show you who your thief is. Unfortunately, there are times when none of these work. I have on several occasions found myself at wits end having a strong suspicion of an employee, but not having actual proof. Here is where an Integrity Shop can be a benefit.

In order test a suspected employee’s integrity you can create a circumstance for an employee to do the “right thing” and thus prove one way or the other what type of integrity they have. You may put some extra money in the till or drop a gift card by the register and then watch cameras to see what that employee does with the extra money or gift card. What they should do is turn it in since it does not belong to them. If they take the money or card then they have proven they cannot be trusted and that gives you leverage when talking to them about the other shortages showing up in their work station.

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

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: employee theft, employee theft investigation, internal theft

How RF Security Labels Can Help To Stop Shoplifting

March 5, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Retail Loss Prevention is involved in a stop shoplifting war. With retail security as an ally, retailers actually have a means to defeat the onslaught of shoplifters who pilfer merchandise day after day.

The weapons provided with an EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) system are a powerful defense in the battle against thieves. RF Labels and RF Security Tags attached to highly desirable merchandise repel shoplifters like there is a virtual wall around it. Since most shoplifters have a leaning toward self-preservation, that is not being caught, they tend to attack weaker targets, those with weaker defenses that have no Checkpoint Security tags or Checkpoint labels protecting the objective merchandise.

The merchandise is openly displayed and available to legitimate customers. The defensive tactic of applying an RF label and RF security tags only affects those attempting to remove merchandise from the store without paying for it first. The stop shoplifting measures – Checkpoint security tags and RF security labels – must first be removed or deactivated by an employee at the point of sale. Without this happening, the EAS technology will detect the protected merchandise when it comes into proximity of the RF label antennas located near the exit. When the retail anti theft devices sound the alert, store staff can address the situation and correct it, preventing yet another shoplifting.

The combination of active EAS detection and passive deterrence of the presence of retail anti theft devices is a powerful weapon in the war against shoplifting.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint labels, Checkpoint security tags, and other RF labels that can help you stop shoplifting in your business.

For more information on Checkpoint labels, Checkpoint security tags, RF labels, RF security labels, RF security tags and how to stop shoplifting contact us at http://www.losspreventionsystems.com/site.cfm/Contact-Us.cfm or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

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Fashion Forward

March 5, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

When you work in clothing sales you have to be acutely aware of current trends. When you work loss prevention for a clothing retailer, you have to be equally aware of the trends, and not just the obvious ones.

The fashion industry is constantly changing, and the “IT” item this week may not be the same one two weeks from now. Knowing what is the hot item will help you know what should be placed up front and on display. It should also let you know what you need to be aware of from a shrink perspective. Not everyone who is fashion forward will pay the legitimate price.

To prevent shoplifting of those items, you have to first be aware of what they are. I remember a holiday broach that we left out on a display table one year. My Store Manager told me to watch to make sure none were stolen. Three weeks later they were all still there- not only had they not been stolen, but they also had not sold. I joked with my manger that I guessed they were too ugly to even be stolen.

Conversely, the cashmere scarves by a popular designer were flying off the shelves. The sales rate was extremely high, as were the attempts by shoplifters. We spent a lot of time making sure that item had retail anti theft devices like hard tags on them. We even put a Shark Tag in the middle to prevent someone from trying to wear it out the door.

Without knowing the popular fashion trend, we would have suffered some serious merchandise losses. We also would have lost out on sales by not having the right product in place at the right time.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Prevent Shoplifting, Retail Anti Theft Devices, Shark Tag

On Line Advantage

March 5, 2012 by Staff Editor

In order to stay competitive in the retail market, many companies are starting to focus more on their Internet sales. By eliminating the need for the brick and mortar overhead, Internet sales are increasing the overall profit of a company by huge increases in overall margin. What is yet to be determined is the long-term scope of clothing theft in the warehouses or by fraudulent activity at the store level.

When you look at on line orders there are two major players at work. The first being there is no customer physically present at the time of purchase. That makes things difficult because it eliminates the check and balance system of having another eye watching a particular transaction.

The second part is that on line orders are generally shipped out. Having a clothing alarm will not necessarily help deter this sort of theft. What I have seen in the past is either additional product put into the box for shipment, or a duplicate receipt on a shipment to give the illusion that the product is for a legitimate customer.

To eliminate the scope of fraudulent shipments, try to have a few policies in place. Validate the receipts to the product in the box prior to sealing it. Validate the receipts attached and log the names and addresses. Look for any changes in the address a package is shipped to that occur after it has left the store.

Hopefully you already have clothing security tags in use. If someone other than the person in charge of your on line orders is responsible for detaching the Checkpoint tags, you add another set of eyes to the process. They can look for duplicate items or items not on a receipt.

Checkpoint tags will still prove to be a helpful deterrent against clothing theft. Even without a customer in your store, the tags provided a way to protect your profits.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

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

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Checkpoint tags, clothing alarm, Clothing Security, clothing security tags, security tags on clothes

Bad things happen when you don’t check references

March 5, 2012 by Staff Editor

So you have a candidate for a job sitting before you. He is well dressed, his resume is glowing, and his work history is a perfect fit for your company’s needs. As the interview progresses he says everything you could ever want to hear, answering each question flawlessly and without hesitation.

Usually when something is too good to be true it is.

An example would be at an automotive service center attached to one of my stores. It is a part of the company that suffers from a high turnover rate for a variety of reasons too long to list here. At this particular center, the employee attrition rate was so high that the center manager had given up on performing background checks and went by what he saw in front of him. He was trying to fill vacancies which were crippling his ability to keep the center viable.

One day an applicant sat down with him for an interview with a resume that said he was capable and experienced as a technician and the references listed all gave him amazing reviews.

Less than a week into this individual’s career at the center he was tasked with performing a belt replacement on a car; something he claimed to have experience with.

The engine blew within seconds of being started.

The individual had never done a belt change before and ‘just winged it’. Because of the incident a background check had to be done and it was found he had never worked ANYWHERE he had claimed and his references were all personal acquaintances posing as former supervisors. These were all details easily discovered with pre employment screening.

Basically the moral of this story is if the center manager had requested an employee background check, or even used one of the company background check experts he could have avoided hiring the fraud and kept himself from getting fired for his mistakes.

For more information on background check experts , background checks , criminal background checks , employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: background check company, Background checks, criminal background check, employee background checks, pre employment screening

Is It Worth the Risk?

March 2, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Many LP professionals have had a known theft suspect they couldn’t wait to arrest. They were aware of the subject, but for whatever reason, this person had evaded detainment and continued to steal from their store. While working for one company, I had a woman who came in multiple times per month and treated our store like a swap meet, leaving her old earrings on the cards and taking ours. Whenever she entered the store, we would initiate surveillance and intend to make a detainment, but she would either dump the merchandise or we’d be uncertain which items she took.

In my experience, jewelry is one of the toughest items to protect against loss. It’s challenging to maintain observation of such a small item when it’s being carried by a moving person or being palmed in their hand. Jewelry can be easily concealed and just as easily dumped, increasing the likelihood of an unproductive stop. Many companies place additional apprehension requirements for jewelry items as a result of the risk they create for retailers. I’ve made the difficult decision many times to let a shoplifter go because I wasn’t willing to gamble my job or jeopardize my employer on an item that may have been either stolen or dumped. Obviously, detainment isn’t going to be the answer to retailers’ jewelry theft problem.

Because so many challenges faced retailers trying to protect their jewelry from five finger discounts, the creation of the Jewel Lok felt like a miracle. Introduced in 2011, this innovative retail anti-theft device resolved the aesthetic display dilemma others before it couldn’t. My favorite feature of this solution is that a shoplifter attempting to defeat it will break the jewelry before they can remove it. If my store had the Jewel Lok, we wouldn’t have a collection of that subject’s earrings we’re going to return to her when we finally get her someday.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices like the jewel lok that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Jewel Lok, Prevent Shoplifting, Retail Anti Theft Devices

On the Flip Side

March 2, 2012 by Staff Editor

After spending years trying to prevent losses and instill superior clothing security in my stores, I recently had the chance to be on the flip side. I had a partnership with one of the other managers at a neighboring retailer. We called each other frequently to discuss trends and share ORT information. One day he asked me to help him do some shoplifter awareness training for his store. I would come in as a customer and start stealing. It would be a test to see how many associates were aware of what was going on in their departments.

So on the scheduled time and date I entered. One of the first things I did was to go to their accessories department and pick out a large bag. I was able to find one without any Checkpoint tags on it. As I rode up an escalator to the clothing upstairs, I pulled the tag off. Now it looked to everyone on the second level that the bag was mine.

I then spent the next thirty minutes stuffing the bag with as much merchandise as what I could fit. I tried to use as many shoplifter-warning signs that I could think of. Selecting multiple items without regard to size or color. I looked through items to find which one did not have any sort of clothing security tag. I wanted to get out the doors without sounding the clothing alarm.

By the time I was done, I had been to the top five shrink areas and made it out the door with approximately $4000.00. In a recap later, my colleague told me about some of the phone calls from associates when they saw me stealing. I don’t feel too bad about being a poor shoplifter. The associates learned a lot that day. Not just about how a shoplifter operates, but also how important clothing security and Checkpoint tags are.

Please note: This training exercise was conducted in an extremely controlled environment. We had approval from both corporate headquarters and both parties signed a written agreement. The associates were aware that the test would be conducted on that day, and the entire test was filmed. All merchandise was returned in new condition as soon as I exited the store.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

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

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Checkpoint tags, clothing alarm, Clothing Security, clothing security tags, security tags on clothes

Clothing security is a must for warm weather apparel.

March 2, 2012 by Staff Editor

Even though it’s still cold outside, many clothing retailers are marking down the cold weather product and making way for the new spring collections. For most it is also the beginning of the new fiscal year so the time to add clothing security, such as clothing security tags and a clothing alarm, is now. Here are the reasons why.

First, putting security tags on clothes is not really an option if you want to keep profits high. Shoplifting is at an all-time high and not store is immune. To add to the already theft laden market, warm weather clothes are the easiest to steal. It is pretty conspicuous when someone puts on a second jacket and tries to walk out. It is also obvious when large sweaters are stuffed under someone’s shirt. What is not obvious is when that women puts on a high dollar bikini and walks out. The customer who pockets the new sunglasses or steals a pair of shorts is not obvious. The smaller / skimpier products are just plain easier to steal and must be protected.

Since we have to put security tags on clothes I suggest using Checkpoint tags. Checkpoint tags are cost effective. Checkpoint tags are also reliable and known to shoplifters so they are a great theft deterrent. You will also need a clothing alarm from Checkpoint as well so that when the customer tries to walk out with concealed product you will be alerted and can respond to the potential theft.

The second reason to get your clothing security now is that it is the beginning of the year. The price of this investment isn’t going to change so by making this acquisition at the beginning of the year you get to reap the benefits of your investment for the full year instead of only part of the year. It just makes sense to get your full money’s worth by buying sooner rather than later.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

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

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Checkpoint tags, clothing alarm, Clothing Security, clothing security tags, security tags on clothes

Everyone has Questions

March 2, 2012 by Staff Editor

I have spent a fair amount of time moving around the country. Each move presents me with the fabulous opportunity to go to the DMV to change my drivers license. The last trip I took, I was presented with a series of questions that really started to make me think. They asked about any outstanding violations or warrants and a few other related questions.

I thought about how easy it would be for someone to lie because there didn’t seem to be a validation process in place. It’s very similar to hiring an employee and not running any sort of pre employment screening or criminal background check.

I know some companies I have been hired on to have done a great job with their pre employment screening. Running a criminal background check was only the first part. They called my references, both personal and professional and validated past salaries.

I know that some companies never questioned anything. How easy would it be for someone to give false information? That doesn’t mean they are hardened criminals out to steal you blind. Maybe they just want an extra five or ten thousand a year in salary. A background check might show that they were making less at their previous employer, thus saving you some money.

Background checks are there for a reason. Because they are so readily available, it’s a shame not to use them. It’s time to ask, how much am I loosing by not running a check; how much will I gain?

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: background check company, Background checks, criminal background check, employee background checks, pre employment screening

What is Exception Based Reporting?

March 2, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Exception Based Reporting can be loss prevention’s best friend. The principal behind the software is to weed out the transactions that are most indicative to internal theft to give you a platter full of possible leads. The key then is to identify which of those transactions is actually employee theft.

Many of the transactions that populate will be due to training errors or transactions where the employee was simply trying to do what is best for the customer. Obviously we do not want to punish our employees for those sorts of situations; however this tool can be used as a good way to identify possible training flaws as well. Once we have narrowed it down to the best internal theft candidates we can begin our employee theft investigation. Using the tools this software has to offer we can conduct searches of the employee’s purchase and return history, giving us a snapshot of any potential transactions were the employee may have received unauthorized discounts from another employee.

We can see if the employee is returning more merchandise than they are buying, which can be an indicator that the employee may be stealing merchandise to return it for a profit. These are just a few of the many employee theft situations that we can identify. Once we have exhausted the employee’s purchase and return history we can investigate the employee’s point of sale history. We can track credit card numbers and other tenders to identify if the employee is completing a large amount of transactions for any particular customers. This can help to identify situations where the employee is under ringing or passing off merchandise to friends. We can identify trends in discounts given to customers or instances where the employee is giving dollar off discounts in order to pocket cash from a transaction. Again, these are just a few examples of the many employee theft investigations that we can conduct to help identify internal theft. With use in conjunction with video review Exception Based Reporting can be a hugely beneficial tool with your employee theft investigations.

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

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: employee theft, employee theft investigation, internal theft