Shoplifting can entertain and teach!

Over the years I have run into some pretty weird situations with shoplifters. In a company’s effort to prevent shoplifting we must apprehend the thieves that are stealing.

In one situation I stopped and detained a middle aged woman for shoplifting about $300 worth of new tennis shoes that I had witnessed her switch tags on to a lower priced shoe. She 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 then reminded her that she had the right to remain silent and that they would prefer that she exercise that right.

Another time I apprehended a guy who had stolen a framed picture of Christ. He did not fight me, resist, run or anything 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 a picture of Christ and I am the sinner!

Another all-time favorite 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.

I have found over the years that you can prevent shoplifting and be entertained at the same time. My Loss Prevention Seminars and Loss Prevention Workshops explore these types of incidents and many other situations.

For more information on Loss Prevention Seminars, Loss Prevention Training, or Loss Prevention Workshop contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

Visit the Loss Prevention Systems website for more information on Retail Employee Theft and Retail Shoplifting problems and view the Retail Loss Prevention Seminars, Retail Loss Prevention Training and Retail Loss Prevention Workshop we offer to help with your Employee Theft and Shoplifting problems.