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Customer Service A Hallmark Of Checkpoint Systems; A Loss Prevention Manager’s Perspective

August 16, 2017 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

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Customer Service A Hallmark Of Checkpoint Systems; A Loss Prevention Manager’s Perspective

When I use a product or find a service I truly like I not only use that service regularly but I willingly promote it too. One example is a restaurant I like to visit with my wife when I can afford to splurge a little on a dinner. EVERY time I have visited this restaurant I have always received outstanding service and food. I have never had to send my food back because it wasn’t prepared properly. I have never had poor service from a hostess, waiter or waitress at this location. Even when the place is hopping I never feel like I’m being rushed to eat and get out so the next family can be seated. Because of this service I don’t mind suggesting the restaurant as a place to go for a casual night out. This is the same way I felt about Checkpoint Systems when I was a Loss Prevention Manager. I always had great service from anyone I met from the company and because of that I experience I like to share my observations about the company and their products.

Checkpoint Systems was the company contracted by the retailer I worked for to provide our merchandise protection strategy. Starting with the electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestals at the front doors, to the Checkpoint Tags we applied to merchandise, especially in the electronics department, this company impressed me with not just the technology but also the service provided by their technicians. I was part of the store opening for this retailer and was involved with the installation of the security systems, including CCTV and the Checkpoint Security System and being new as a Loss Prevention Manager, had a lot of questions. The Checkpoint technicians were busy with their work but allowed me to tag behind them and explained what they were doing and how the system operated. As you can imagine not all of the vendors were anxious to have a shadow and especially a rookie still learning his job. Hey, I was anxious to do a good job so I didn’t see a problem with my million and one questions. Through the whole process the Checkpoint techs really stick in my mind, even today, some 22 years later.

The guys from Checkpoint Systems took time to explain how the EAS towers worked, how they could pick up the radio frequency waves emitted by Checkpoint Tags and how various things could give false alarms. They warned me about issues with foil gift wrap at Christmas, extension cords and vacuum cleaners and how they could potentially set off the pedestals. At that time I had no clue that there could be interference from products. I had worked with some EAS in my prior job as a Loss Prevention Associate but this had never been explained to me. All of this went into my notes so I could follow up on it later. I should note here that since those days, many improvements have been made in Checkpoint Security System pedestals reducing the chances of merchandise-caused alarms and ghost alarms. They even make towers now that can detect when foil lined booster bags are brought into a store as well as detection devices that can pick up EAS jammers.

After the installation was complete these professionals didn’t just leave. They spent time training me on how to test the deactivation pads at the cash stands and how to complete daily tests of the EAS towers. They left spare deactivation units and pads and showed me how to change them out in case of a failure until a technician could come to the store to repair and replace a faulty unit. The techs also spent time with our front end supervisors and me discussing the proper methods for responding to alarms and logging them on a log sheet. This information was used so we could retrain cashiers when necessary and identify possible equipment problems. They also took time to show my L.P. team and me the best methods for placing Checkpoint Tags on merchandise, I had no idea placement could make such a difference!

As a result of the EAS equipment that was installed, the training of our staff and the follow-up equipment inspections and quick responses to service calls, I saw the impact a Checkpoint Security System could have on shortage results. We made numerous recoveries of unpaid merchandise and the deterrence value to prevent shoplifting was measured by the fact that over my nearly 13 years as the L.P. Manager for this store, we only had 2 years that had over 1% merchandise shrinkage. I can only say, if you are in need of reducing shortage, Checkpoint is the solution you are looking for.

Get more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: checkpoint security system, checkpoint systems, Checkpoint tags

Checkpoint Security Systems Latest Label Leaves A Lasting Impression For ORC Groups

July 11, 2017 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

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Checkpoint Security Systems Latest Label Leaves A Lasting Impression For ORC Groups

I enjoy watching movies like “Mission Impossible” or “The Bourne” series or occasionally a James Bond film will strike my fancy. There are always the latest gadgets or spy toys used to catch the criminals. Maybe it’s a vehicle tracker or a pair of “electronic charged gloves” that allows the hero to climb up the side of a building. Sometimes the gear seems a little far- fetched and at other times you know it is real, you just wonder how often such things are used. I like to imagine using some high tech tracking device to follow bad guys and break up an international crime syndicate. On the other hand, I can tell you about a new device on the market available to retailers to help them curb theft. This one does have potential for helping investigators catch Organized Theft Rings and stop shoplifting. It kind of reminds me of those techy movies, but this involves Checkpoint security systems and new Checkpoint labels.

I know, you’re sitting there thinking this guy has gone a little off the deep end or he is just really exaggerating the value of this new device. Well, I may be a little off the deep end, but in this case I am not overstating the value of this newest weapon in the arsenal of Checkpoint labels. The item I am talking about is the 2928 S micro “SWAT” Tag, a small 1 inch diameter label that works with Checkpoint Systems electronic article surveillance (EAS) towers. With a clear viewing label, it is easy to apply to all types of merchandise but especially small health and beauty products that are a favorite with Organized Retail Crime (ORC) rings. In the past these items could be hard to protect with tags because the tags were too large or covered vital ingredient information or warning labels. The clear viewing label allows that information to be read by the customer and still provide the necessary protection to stop shoplifting of the merchandise. The thing that stands out most about this Checkpoint label is that it has “leave behind protection” and it is this feature that makes it so dangerous to ORC gangs.

Boosters come to the store to steal multiple items at a time and may be willing to risk a theft and setting off an alarm pedestal of a Checkpoint security system if they think something may have a tag. They are only concerned about whether they can remove the tag after they make their escape. While difficult to remove from a package, some thieves are willing to expend theenergy to take off traditional EAS tags in order to resell the goods. Removing labels and markings makes it difficult for store managers to say what merchandise came from their store when a warehouse or illegitimate sales operation is raided for suspected ORC activity. In this way, a business dealing in stolen goods may be selling the merchandise knowing it was stolen and there is nothing to prove where it came from. Even if a Checkpoint 2928 S micro SWAT Tag is removed from a product it leaves behind an indelible marking that can prove where the merchandise came from. Talk about spy gadgetry!

What kind of marking can identify where a product came from? The SWAT tag has a symbol in the middle of the tag that comes in a standard block lock figure, a custom QR code or a custom design you select, such as your store logo, store number or company name. When the bad guys take the tag off to clean the product what they won’t realize is that they are leaving behind the indelible marking. The symbol remains behind and is evidence that the merchandise came from somewhere else. Using your store logo as the symbol or a QR code can specify to investigators that the items were from your location. These Checkpoint labels are definitely an effective way to stop shoplifting and identify ORC activity, and potentially get your merchandise back from these criminal groups.

Let Checkpoint security systems help you improve your in-stocks, reduce shortage and ultimately improve profits. Deter organized criminal activity in your store and your neighborhood with the Checkpoint 2928 S micro SWAT tag.

Checkpoint labels are important and we can help you with them. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.

Boosters come to the store to steal multiple items at a time and may be willing to risk a theft and setting off an alarm pedestal of a Checkpoint security system if they think something may have a tag. They are only concerned about whether they can remove the tag after they make their escape. While difficult to remove from a package, some thieves are willing to expend the energy to take off traditional EAS tags in order to resell the goods. Removing labels and markings makes it difficult for store managers to say what merchandise came from their store when a warehouse or illegitimate sales operation is raided for suspected ORC activity. In this way, a business dealing in stolen goods may be selling the merchandise knowing it was stolen and there is nothing to prove where it came from. Even if a Checkpoint 2928 S micro SWAT Tag is removed from a product it leaves behind an indelible marking that can prove where the merchandise came from. Talk about spy gadgetry!

Checkpoint labels are important and we can help you with them. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Checkpoint labels, checkpoint security system, checkpoint systems, stop shoplifting

Clearing Up Misperceptions about Retail Theft Prevention Professionals

May 18, 2017 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

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Clearing Up Misperceptions about Retail Theft Prevention Professionals

Sometimes there is a misperception of Loss Prevention Associates as being insensitive or eager to put people in jail. I have heard us referred to as “wanna-be-cops”. In this article I want to address some of those misperceptions. Many retail theft prevention professionals have law enforcement backgrounds. I personally had 4 years of experience as a United States Air Force Law Enforcement Specialist. During my career in Loss Prevention I worked with two retired State Troopers, at least two prior military police that I am aware of and I hired two men and a woman with law enforcement experience while I was a Loss Prevention Manager. So, the suggestion that we are or were “wanna-be’s” can be put to rest, I would call many of us, “been there-done that’s”. Working to stop shoplifting and using retail theft prevention tools like a Checkpoint Security System is a different experience for us. While we can use some of our skill sets in the job, like interviewing suspects or safely apprehending thieves, we also get to train employees on shortage prevention and making a business profitable.

Law Enforcement and Retail Loss Prevention have their own sets of tools to get their respective jobs accomplished. Law Enforcement has dispatchers, jailers, patrol cars, weapons, investigation divisions, traffic divisions, etc. In Loss Prevention we work with digital camera systems, store exception reports, sales reports, and Checkpoint Systems and all of those components that make them up. Checkpoint tags, alarm pedestals and deactivation pads are used to deter theft from taking place and identifying theft when someone does attempt to steal merchandise. We make sure tags are properly placed on items so the bad guys see them and choose NOT to try to bother with the items in the first place. Proper placement also ensures they will be difficult to defeat or tamper with, again deterring theft from happening. We test the Checkpoint equipment to be sure that tags are properly deactivating and alarm pedestals are receiving tag signals as designed. Hardware issues are reported to Checkpoint Systems so a remote check can be made or a technician can be dispatched depending on the problem. IF we are doing our jobs well, we are deterring theft first and when necessary we catch crooks and stop shoplifting second.

I mentioned there is a train of thought that we are “insensitive” and we are just out to put people in jail who are stealing because they “needed” something or “couldn’t help it”. No, we are not insensitive. In the course of my career I had to call many mothers and fathers to pick up their youngster for shoplifting. I could have turned them over to the police to be handled in the juvenile courts but I also was aware of the problems a juvenile record could cause for a youth. Try placing the call to the single mother who is at work, trying to make ends meet and you have to ask her to leave work and come to the store to pick up her child who was supposed to be home right after school. I can’t recall the number of times I had a parent I caught shoplifting while they had their child with them. I would try to get them to call for someone to pick up the child before the police came so the child wouldn’t have to see the parent handcuffed or the child taken into protective care by the police. Insensitive were the parents who wouldn’t make that call or allow me to do it for them. It is quite an experience to respond to Checkpoint systems alarms and a mom has a baby stroller loaded with an infant and hidden merchandise with Checkpoint tags on them, all tucked under a blanket inside.

I also don’t recall many shoplifters I caught who needed the jewelry they had stolen and placed in a pocket. I recall the mother and son tearing Checkpoint tags from clothing and filling shopping bags so they could resell the merchandise. I don’t think they really needed them. I can’t forget the intoxicated golfer who stole underwear and when I got him to the office he had $300.00 cash in his pocket. No, the idea that most shoplifters steal because they “need” the stuff is false.

Hopefully this article has helped shed some light on the true professionalism of Loss Prevention associates. Our goal is retail theft prevention and helping stores to be profitable through the use of Checkpoint systems, deterrence, the apprehension of shoplifters and ongoing store employee training.

Retail Theft Prevention is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: checkpoint security system, checkpoint systems, Checkpoint tags, retail theft prevention, stop shoplifting

Wondering Where Stock Shortage Came From And How To Prevent It? A Discussion On Shrinkage And How A Checkpoint Security System Can Improve It

April 20, 2017 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

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Wondering Where Stock Shortage Came From And How To Prevent It? A Discussion On Shrinkage And How A Checkpoint Security System Can Improve It.

While the cause of shortage may vary depending on the type of retail store you own. The Global Retail Theft Barometer Report for 2014/2015 provides an overall picture for North American Retailers. Shoplifting was reported to account for approximately 36% of shortage, Dishonest Employees caused 45%, Administrative and non-crime losses 13% and vendor fraud 6% (page 53). For store owners this means that in some manner, a Checkpoint Security System can make an impact on all four areas that cause shortage for a store. I am not saying 100% of losses can be prevented by retail theft prevention, but a significant amount of it can be stopped.

When I am talking about a Checkpoint Security System, I am referring to the electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestals, Checkpoint tags, deactivation units and detachment keys. Pedestals are the towers you frequently see at the doors of many stores. Tags may be soft, adhesive style labels that stick to merchandise or hard, two-piece designs that are pinned to products. Often hard tags are used to protect softlines goods, clothes, bedding, towels, etc. and can be reused many times over. Each tag design is compatible with EAS pedestals so that protected merchandise carried too close to a tower will prompt the alarms in the tower to activate. When employees hear the alarm they react and conduct receipt checks, verifying which items are paid for and which are not. The customer is provided an opportunity to pay for merchandise or return it. In some situations shoplifters toss the item they were planning to steal when the alarm sounds and they run off.

It is clear then how a Retail Theft Prevention System can deter and prevent shoplifting, most thieves don’t want to take a chance of being caught when an alarm sounds. This means you can automatically impact 36% of our losses. But what about Administrative and non-crime losses? How can the use of Checkpoint tags make a difference in this area? Non-crime losses may include merchandise that is left in a shopping cart and missed during the checkout process. A customer loads their goods into the car and picks up the bag of dog food on the bottom rack of the cart. If the cashier wasn’t paying attention the merchandise was missed but the customer doesn’t always know it. While the missed bag of pet food was an accident, it is still a loss and creates stock shortage. By placing a soft Checkpoint tag on the bag the store would have caused a situation that activated the pedestal alarm and an employee would have caught the error during a receipt check.

Vendor fraud only accounts for about 6% of merchandise losses however even this can be improved upon when a Checkpoint Security System is in place. The majority of vendors are honest but there are some who will conduct a store visit to service their merchandise and in the process steal some of their product line. Stores I have worked in have had cosmetic, sunglasses, ball card and jewelry vendors in addition to food and greeting card vendors who regularly made visits. Though they were supposed to sign in and out and speak to a manager before leaving the store it did not always happen. Making sure all of your products are protected with Checkpoint tags ensures that a dishonest vendor who may be stealing will cause an EAS tower alarm and merchandise will be recovered. You can then partner with the vendor’s company to request a different representative service your store in the future.

Employee theft accounts for the final 45% of shortage and can be one of the more difficult areas to stop because of the various methods of theft available to employees. Dishonest team members can underring and pass merchandise, create fraudulent returns, steal cash, hide merchandise, etc., making it more challenging to identify their activity. A Checkpoint Security System can detect those staff members who do try to conceal product and walk out without paying. Remember that any reduction in shortage still adds to the profit line of the store and there are methods to deter, prevent and detect those types of employee theft that a security system cannot detect.

Retail Theft Prevention programs that include Checkpoint tags and hardware can impact all areas that cause shortage. Don’t wring your hands wondering where your merchandise went, invest in a Checkpoint Security System and make a difference starting today!

Get more information on Checkpoint Security Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

Do you ever wonder how it happens? You conduct inventory in your store, you get the results and you find out you have SHORTAGE! How did that happen? Where did all that merchandise go? In Loss Prevention we generally recognize five areas that are the cause of retail shrinkage, shoplifting, employee theft, vendor or supplier fraud and administrative losses.While the cause of shortage may vary depending on the type of retail store you own. The Global Retail Theft Barometer Report for 2014/2015 provides an overall picture for North American Retailers. Shoplifting was reported to account for approximately 36% of shortage, Dishonest Employees caused 45%, Administrative and non-crime losses 13% and vendor fraud 6% (page 53). For store owners this means that in some manner, a Checkpoint Security System can make an impact on all four areas that cause shortage for a store. I am not saying 100% of losses can be prevented by retail theft prevention, but a significant amount of it can be stopped.

Get more information on Checkpoint Security Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: checkpoint security system, Checkpoint tags, retail theft prevention

A Checkpoint Security System Can Have Visual Appeal And Still Stop Shoplifting

March 15, 2017 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

I am all about using things for multiple purposes. If someone can advertise their business on their vehicle with magnetic signs, decals, window screens, I say do it. Why buy an outfit for one event?If I invest in a suit for a special occasion you had better believe I’m going to find other reasons or places to wear it. The same can be true for retailers. You may have considered investing in a Checkpoint Security System but you don’t want those antennas at the front of your store. You like the idea of electronic article surveillance (EAS) Checkpoint tags on your merchandise, but you think they will cover up barcodes on cosmetic items. Instead of making the purchase, you keep things as they are and do nothing to stop shoplifting. Stock shortage grows but some of these aesthetic issues bother you. I would like to assure you that a Checkpoint Security System does not have to detract from your business and in fact if you invest in the Evolve P30 EAS antenna, you can enhance your store.

I know it may sound odd to those who remember the days when EAS antennas were big, clunky and to be honest, just kind of bulky and taking up room. This is no longer the case. The Evolve P30 antenna has a slim design that is not unattractive to shoppers. To make it a better value the antenna can also be used as an advertising panel, allowing you to increase visual advertising as a customer enters and exits the store. It has enhanced detection capabilities giving it an improved ability to pick up signals from Checkpoint tags, making it more difficult for criminals to hide tagged merchandise and sneak it out of a store. What about the tags themselves? Checkpoint tags have gotten smaller over the years and yet they still provide maximum product protection. For small items like cosmetics there are the 3210 EP Clear Label. These are small and yet have windows that can be placed over barcodes that permit scanning without interrupting the speed of checkout. Because the tags are small they don’t cover up the information or packaging graphics that help to drive the sales of a product.

If you have refused to this point to invest in a Checkpoint Security System due to the concerns I mentioned about aesthetics, I would challenge you to also look at the modern design of the hard tags. The tags are sleek and can be attached to suits, sports coats, designer dresses and accessories. The tags have the same ability to stop shoplifting as other tags, but these don’t detract from the clothes designs. Checkpoint tags also will not harm or damage the items they are placed on. Placed in a seam of an expensive garment, the tags provide protection to stop shoplifting but still look like they belong on this merchandise.

Finally, you may be concerned that a Checkpoint Security System deactivation pad at the Checkout lanes may detract from the appearance of your cash stands. Checkpoint has deactivation pads that may be incorporated into scan beds and there are also pads that are stand alone on the counter. The pads that are tied into a point of sale scan bed are out of sight and have no visual footprint. Stand-alone pads have small profiles, requiring little space and have no impact on the appearance of the cashier point of sale. In either case, Checkpoint Systems offer protection without negatively impacting a store’s appearance.

Retail theft prevention has to be a priority for a retailer otherwise shortage from theft can put a store out of business. Concern over the appearance of equipment used to stop shoplifting does not need to be a consideration. Find out all the benefits a Checkpoint Security System has to offer, including adding profit to your bottom line.

Get more information on a Checkpoint Security System. Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: checkpoint security system, checkpoint systems, Checkpoint tags, retail theft prevention, stop shoplifting

Checkpoint Security System; The High Cost Of Spending Nothing

February 14, 2017 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

It never ceases to amaze me when I walk through my local mall and I see a store with absolutely nothing for Retail theft prevention. There isn’t a locking peg hook, apparel soft tag, no Checkpoint security system or anything that could even remotely Stop Shoplifting. Now I’m not talking about the anchor stores and big boxes selling $6 t shirts I’m seeing this in the mid and smaller retailers, the boutique style stores with $135 pairs of jeans and $300 purses that are laying naked on the shelf.

I’ve had occasion to ask store managers and owners if they had no protection because they didn’t see much theft. You probably won’t be surprised to hear that I have never had one say this. What I do hear is that investing in Retail theft prevention like the Checkpoint security system is too expensive to be worth it. Too expensive? Really? I wasn’t a math major in college but I’m pretty sure at $135 per pair of jeans it doesn’t take more than a few booster hits to really wreck your profits and drive shrink through the roof.

I point this out and I’m usually countered by people saying that those systems don’t stop shoplifting 100% anyway so why bother? This answer always amazes me. I’ve been doing security work for over a decade and I can tell you that barbed wire and machine guns aren’t enough to Stop shoplifting 100% and neither is locks, chains and glass cases but you don’t see jewelry stores laying merchandise on nice neat shelves instead of inside locked cabinets.

Devices like the Checkpoint security system provide a strong visual signal that you want to protect your merchandise. Both professional thieves and the fence sitting general public will have to choose to challenge that system if they want to steal from you and in many cases they will avoid that risk. Successful Retail theft prevention is all about maximizing the value of the dollars spent on security by increase profits and reducing shrink.

The investment you make to Stop shoplifting may not always look like it is making you money, especially when you look at the line item expense on your P&L but come year end the systems more than pay for themselves. I’ve seen $3000 booster hits prevented by something as simple as a door alarm and an attentive associate. That was one attempt, by one booster. Doesn’t take many of those types of preventions for that investment in retail theft prevention to pay for itself.

There is more value that your investment into a Checkpoint security system that you can’t see. The people who never try to steal because they know your protected are an invisible, but gigantic part of the puzzle. We can’t say for sure how large this number is but if the industry average for loss to theft is 11%, and that is with a Retail theft prevention system in place to Stop shoplifting, it isn’t a large stretch to imagine what that loss looks like to an unprotected store.

Last, but certainly not least is that equipping your store with a Checkpoint security system may be an expense but it is paid one time. Theft can occur every day, of every week, of every month, of every year. The system you install can last you for years and once it has paid for itself in shrink reductions that investment starts making you money, week after week, season after season. If you’re not protecting your inventory you are losing money on your inventory and it’s only a matter of time before your results show the High cost of doing nothing.

Need information on Checkpoint Systems Electronic Article Surveillance? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: checkpoint security system, checkpoint systems, retail theft prevention, stop shoplifting

Unexpected Advantages Of A Checkpoint Security System – Detect Missed Bottom Of Basket Merchandise Before It Leaves The Store

December 7, 2016 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

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Unexpected Advantages Of A Checkpoint Security System – Detect Missed Bottom Of Basket Merchandise Before It Leaves The Store

When you think of Checkpoint systems, what comes to mind first? Anti-shoplifting equipment? Retail theft prevention? You would be correct in your choices, but there are other benefits of having a Checkpoint security system that might not come immediately to mind. A large portion of merchandise shortage does result from criminal activity and it is important to stop shoplifting and employee theft. However, it is important to know that shortage can be caused by operational issues. Think of a time when you had a shopping cart full of merchandise, you checked out and pushed your cart to the parking lot. After you put your bags in the trunk you realize there was an item on the bottom of the buggy, perhaps a bag of dog food, or even a small item such as a pen or cosmetic item that was not scanned. Most of us would be honest and take the merchandise back to the store and pay for it, or leave it with the customer service counter and decide it isn’t worth the time to go back through the checkout. This isn’t always the case. There are people that overlook items and once outside decide to take it and blame the cashier for not catching it. Other people see it left in a shopping cart in the parking lot and just walk off with the merchandise. Regardless of how the merchandise was missed it was still not paid for and amounts to shrinkage. A Checkpoint security system can prevent operational losses and stop shoplifting at the same time.

Checkpoint systems use radio frequency waves transmitted from Checkpoint tags and received by Checkpoint electronic article surveillance antennas to create a protective screen for stores. As merchandise is paid for at a point of sale, hard tags are removed from merchandise using a Checkpoint detachment tool and the tags are ready for reuse. Deactivation units at the point of sale deactivate Checkpoint labels so they are unable to cause antenna alarms. Protected merchandise that does not pass through a point of sale causes an antenna alarm to activate. Staff members respond to those alarms and conduct receipt checks to locate the merchandise that has not been paid for and can offer to ring it up or return it to the store if the customer chooses not to purchase it. Either way, merchandise is recovered or sold thereby accounting for it and preventing a loss.

Just how big a deal are non-crime associated losses to stores? According to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer Report, administrative and non-crime related losses accounted for 13% of shrinkage in North America, translating to approximately 4.78 BILLION dollars (pg. 53)! The report does not break down these losses any further, and we know that some of this loss is paperwork and accounting related. On the other hand we also know that some of this loss is due to unpaid merchandise unintentionally being removed from the store. If all merchandise in a store was protected with Checkpoint tags or Checkpoint labels, that merchandise would be detected by a Checkpoint security system antenna before it could get out of the door.

The primary reason to invest in Checkpoint systems should be to stop shoplifting. Checkpoint tags and Checkpoint labels deter thieves when they see merchandise is protected. They cause EAS antenna alarms when people attempt to steal merchandise and result in recovered merchandise from items abandoned by thieves or through receipt checks. Whether it is intentional or not, it is important to remember that any merchandise recovered adds to the profit line. THAT is the benefit of investing in a Checkpoint security system!

Get more information on a Checkpoint security system. Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint labels, checkpoint security system, checkpoint systems, Checkpoint tags, retail theft prevention, stop shoplifting

FLY AWAY WITH A CHECKPOINT SECURITY SYSTEM

November 10, 2016 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

To stay relevant in retail, you’ve got to change constantly to meet your customer needs. Electronics are no different. You have to keep up with changes customer preferences and tastes in order to maximize your sales. This is why retailers of all sizes seem to be stocking those hover-boards that are so wildly popular. No, not the Marty McFly kind… yet, but they’re still a ton of fun to play on. I want to show you how, with the help of Checkpoint Labels, I was able to save my company nearly $5,000 last week.

It was about 7pm and I heard Judge Judy calling my name. Not the T.V, but my ringtone for my work line. Like her, I take a no-nonsense approach to shrink. On the other end is a distraught store manager. She tells me that someone had just walked out of the store with 10 hoverboards that she had prominently displayed at the front of the store. She tried to stop the thief, but he told her that he had a gun. Moron went from a theft to an armed robbery in just 3 words. Obviously, my first concern is her well-being. Once I’m satisfied that she is going to be fine, just a bit shaken, I ask if she had secured the product with our Checkpoint Labels. I get another yes. Even though they were able to exit, I still may be able to track my product down. My work begins.

I come in the next morning and review the security footage. I immediately recognize the suspect from a law enforcement BOLO that had recently come down. I watched as he casually entered the store with a shopping cart, loaded up 10 boards and strolled out the door. He even stopped when the Checkpoint Security System alerted, but after his comment to the manager, his pace increased and he threw the loot into a waiting vehicle.

I start running every possible lead down that I can and as luck would have it, I come across a Craigslist ad posted the day after the theft. The hoverboards listed are the same style and color. I’m beaming. I know this is my guy. I call him and set up a meeting to purchase two. Deal is on; $280 cash. Little does he know at this point that I’ll be coming with police protection and that a little Checkpoint Label might just ruin his afternoon.

I immediately contact some of the city’s finest who are more than happy to lend a hand. I meet with three officers, give a rundown of what’s going on and they agree to set up a sting with me. They tell me that I first have to be 100% sure that the item belonged to my store. Lucky for me, our Checkpoint Security System will come to the rescue. Our labels had our store name and number printed on them. Once I confirm the sticker is still on the box, this guy is toast.

Right on time, McFly arrives with my two hoverboards just as promised. I inspect them, see my labels and buy the product. As soon as he pulls out of the parking lot, I give the signal to the waiting officers who conduct a traffic stop. Minutes later, he’s in cuffs, my money is back in my possession and within a few hours, I was able to recover all 10 hover boards. This would not have been possible without our Checkpoint Security System, and more importantly some well placed Checkpoint Labels.

Need information on Checkpoint Security Systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Checkpoint labels, checkpoint security system

Trying To Bypass Checkpoint Systems And Other Stories Of Dishonest Employees: Part 3

October 6, 2016 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

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Trying To Bypass Checkpoint Systems And Other Stories Of Dishonest Employees: Part 3

Not all internal/employee theft involves removing Checkpoint tags and stealing merchandise. Frequently an employee steals cash, especially if multiple employees work out of the same cash register. One of the most difficult internal investigations I had was a suspected cash theft case. Our store had been opened for less than a year and I was still a new Loss Prevention Manager for our company. At that time we only concerned ourselves with cash shortages of ten dollars or more, though we did track all shortages. I had a cashier who had been with us for quite some time and I had not had many concerns about her. I was keeping busy with several large merchandise theft cases involving an employee theft ring in our store. That group had been deactivating Checkpoint tags on merchandise and stuffing comforters with the unprotected merchandise. They were ringing up the comforters and other small items and voiding the smaller items from the transactions, bypassing our Checkpoint Security Systems. Due to the nature of that investigation, small cash shortages were not on my radar. After I closed the theft ring case I was looking for other theft activity and noticed a cash shortage trend that was tracking to one particular cashier.

I spent many hours reviewing videotapes and conducting live surveillances of this cashier but could not find any signs of wrong doing. I then started to see even ten and twenty dollar shortages appearing. At that time, our store tried to keep no more than three cashiers on a register a day, though it did not always happen. Despite this, the shortages continued to track to this one woman and I was growing concerned over the dollar amounts we were “losing”. Despite my best efforts nothing was making any sense. I never saw anything unusual, not even a possible attempt to work around the Checkpoint Security System with voids or deactivations.

One day during a live surveillance, I had one camera zoomed in on the cashier’s till and another aimed to see her at her register. The cashier had a transaction in which she took a twenty dollar bill as payment and placed it in the till, but she did not put down the clip that holds bills in place. I noticed when the next transaction took place and the drawer opened, the twenty had moved out of the slot and towards the back of the drawer. I followed the next several cash transactions and observed that with each opening and closing of the drawer, the bill moved further back until finally it had disappeared altogether. I immediately had the cashier supervisor move the cashier from the register. I opened the register and removed the entire drawer. Inside I found the ten along with several other bills stuffed behind the drawer. I then checked every register and tracked the amounts found to the shortages the cashier had appeared to cause. All of the money ended up being accounted for and my “internal case” turned out to be a non-case.

Finally, my shortest and funniest dishonest employee interview involved a new cashier who had started stealing cash shortly after being employed. It did not take me long to identify all of her theft and request permission to conduct the interview. One day I watched the cashier until she took money from her register and placed it in her pocket. Rather than ask for a manager to escort her to the office for the interview, I walked up to the cashier and told her to come with me and to keep her hands out of her pocket. She said “You got me” and I said, “I know” and we went to complete the interview. THAT was the fastest admission I ever had from an employee.

Checkpoint Security Systems along with Checkpoint Tags and labels are excellent for deterring employee theft of merchandise. They may not help with cash or financial transaction fraud but if they are preventing shoplifting and internal cases, you can focus more energy on preventing the cash theft and credit card fraud in your store.

Get more information on Checkpoint Security Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: checkpoint security system, checkpoint systems, Checkpoint tags

Trying To Bypass Checkpoint Systems And Other Stories Of Dishonest Employees: Part 2

September 7, 2016 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

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Trying To Bypass Checkpoint Systems And Other Stories Of Dishonest Employees: Part 2

Employee theft investigations were probably my most challenging and enjoyable job functions as a Loss Prevention Manager. Difficult cases could take weeks of surveillances, report monitoring, video reviews and putting in long work days. Sometimes Checkpoint Security Systems were helpful in conducting the investigations as I could watch for employees deactivating Checkpoint Tags on merchandise when no customer was nearby. I could also see if a Checkpoint antenna light flashed (our antennas had an audible alert and a visual alert built in) when an employee exited the building, confirming if they may have had stolen merchandise on their person. While the investigations could take time and be intense, the dishonest employee interviews could be short and/or occasionally humorous. In this second part of my series I will share an additional internal case that closed on a funny note.

To clarify a little first I want the readers to know what makes up Checkpoint Security Systems. Systems include electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas, Checkpoint tags and labels, deactivation units that “turn-off” the ability of a tag to set off an antenna and detachment keys to remove hard tags from merchandise. When used together these tools provide superior merchandise protection to stop shoplifting and deter theft.

One memorable case I had involved a return desk associate who had only been employed for a few weeks. Frequently I made a point to watch new employees after giving them some time to get acclimated to the new job. I also watched areas where the potential for theft and fraud was greatest. The return desk could be one of those areas. There are fewer employees or supervisors walking behind the desk so a cashier is not as concerned with intrusions as they are at the front checklanes. This service desk employee was taking back returns but I happened to notice that after she did some returns and the customer had left, she examined some items very closely, especially jewelry. Some of the items returned still had Checkpoint tags on them from when they were purchased, but the tags were no longer useful because they had been de-tuned at the time of purchase. I continued to watch this employee for the next several days she worked and began to see her remove pieces of small jewelry from a return bin and place them in her pocket. She would then go on a break or leave for the day with the pilfered merchandise.

I eventually had plenty of evidence and the approval to do a dishonest employee interview. The day I decided to interview, I watched the employee hide several pieces of jewelry, including a pair of earrings and a chain bracelet in her socks. I went to the service desk, and asked the employee to come with me to an office I had set up for the interview. I usually would have had another manager escort the employee, but in this case I did not want to give an opportunity for the merchandise to be dumped. We arrived at the office and we sat down. I introduced myself and began my interview. I normally followed a specific routine, but in this situation I stopped myself and told the employee that before we went any further I needed her to give me the earrings she had in her left sock. The woman’s mouth almost hit the floor. She stammered for a moment and when I felt she might need a little more coaxing I told her she could give me the bracelet from her other sock as well. At that point, the suspect turned over the items and I few more things I did not know she had in her pockets. The rest of the interview went smoothly with a full admission and a promissory note for the merchandise she had already taken home. She also got to wear a set of bracelets, but not the ones she wanted.

Let me close with this thought, Checkpoint Security Systems are invaluable in keeping shortage low and profits high. They do work to stop shoplifting and deter all kinds of theft. Remember, it is important to ensure all equipment works and there are procedures in place to get returned merchandise protected as soon as possible with Checkpoint tags and labels. Also, don’t neglect to monitor your return desk as well as your checklanes. Regular walks and random audits can help ensure employees aren’t tempted to engage in dishonest activity.

Checkpoint Security Systems are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547.

I eventually had plenty of evidence and the approval to do a dishonest employee interview. The day I decided to interview, I watched the employee hide several pieces of jewelry, including a pair of earrings and a chain bracelet in her socks. I went to the service desk, and asked the employee to come with me to an office I had set up for the interview. I usually would have had another manager escort the employee, but in this case I did not want to give an opportunity for the merchandise to be dumped. We arrived at the office and we sat down. I introduced myself and began my interview. I normally followed a specific routine, but in this situation I stopped myself and told the employee that before we went any further I needed her to give me the earrings she had in her left sock. The woman’s mouth almost hit the floor. She stammered for a moment and when I felt she might need a little more coaxing I told her she could give me the bracelet from her other sock as well. At that point, the suspect turned over the items and a few more things I did not know she had in her pockets. The rest of the interview went smoothly with a full admission and a promissory note for the merchandise she had already taken home. She also got to wear a set of bracelets, but not the ones she wanted.

Checkpoint Security Systems are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547.

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: checkpoint security system, checkpoint systems, Checkpoint tags, stop shoplifting