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Who Pays?
Everyone pays for shoplifting -- businessmen suffer lower profits and consumers
ultimately pay higher prices. More importantly, shoplifting is stealing and stealing
is a criminal act.
Theft of a $2.00 item from a store operating on a 10% profit margin requires the sale
of $20.00 in merchandise to make up for the loss. Supermarkets and others operating
on low margins of 1% must sell $300.00 in merchandise, just to cover the cost of a $3.00
item.
Who Are Shoplifters?
Professional shoplifters are skilled thieves who have specialized
techniques. The pro is the hardest to deter and the most difficult to detect.
The professional's targets are usually expensive items.
Shoplifting isn't limited to professionals. The general public --
solid citizens who are bored or need to stretch their budgets -- frequently shoplift.
Juveniles make up nearly half of all shoplifters. Many do it just
for kicks. Some teenagers even shoplift in gangs, and compete to see who can steal
the most.
Narcotic and drug addicts shoplift to support a habit. They are
often desperate.
Kleptomaniacs are persons who steal because of psychological compulsion.
Stopping the kleptomaniac is a service to both the offender and the community.
Alert Employees
Employee training must include the following steps to prevent shoplifting:
- Greet customers as they enter the store. Courtesy and attention are good for
business and bad for the shoplifter. Shoplifters shun attention.
- Watch the customer. Darting eyes and nervous hands are frequent clues.
- Keep a watchful eye for people just wandering about the store.
- Be on the lookout for persons who enter the store carrying large packages, big purses,
shopping bags, or wear unusually bulky clothing.
- Be wary of distracting situations. Pros often work in pairs -- one distracts the
employee, while the other shoplifts
- Avoid placing more than one valuable item on the counter at a time, when showing it to
the customer
- Never leave display cases unlocked.
- Do not allow customers to take more than one article of clothing into a dressing room at
one time
- Always remove empty hangers from clothing racks after the article has been purchased.
In this way, an empty hanger becomes a signal that a shoplifter is at work.
Preventative Measures
- Advertise against shoplifting. Post warning signs, indicating a
rigorous shoplifting policy
- Avoid tall display counters that obstruct your view. Present
merchandise in such a way that customers can easily see it and you can easily see the
customer
- Avoid narrow, cluttered aisles. Thieves prefer working under the
cover of a crowd.
- Keep valuable merchandise away from store exits. Valuables should
be kept in locked displays or behind counters. Arrange unprotected valuables neatly,
so that any missing item will be quickly noticed
- If the merchandise you are selling comes in pairs, only display one of a
pair
- Where possible, fasten down small appliances used for display purposes.
"Dummy" displays are most preferable.
- Discourage loitering. When the store is crowded, encourage
employees to circulate and offer help.
- If you suspect a shoplifter, pay this individual a lot of attention.
A customer will be flattered, a thief is likely to rush off
Store Security System
Use the personnel and material at hand to develop a sound system
of security within your store.
- Divide your store into sections and assign certain employees to each
section. Develop a warning system so that employees can be alerted when the presence
of a thief is suspected.
- Never leave a section unattended. Always lock away expensive
merchandise
- Give customers receipts for all purchases and spot check receipts at the
exists
- Locate mirrors so that several areas of the store can be seen at one
glance
A printable version of this document is also available to view and
download. To find out more, click HERE
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