Are your products being stolen?

In order to decrease a store’s loss (shrink) you must be able to identify and react to shoplifters. You can improve your ability to do this by removing any bias or preconceived notion as to what a shoplifter looks like. Having preconceived ideas about shoplifters only limits how many of them you will catch. Do you really think that the homeless guy dressed in rags and stumbling around the store is the type of target that is causing the majority of your loss? NO! He is the easy target that might lift an item or two but anyone can spot him, you’re a trained professional right?. As a retail store owner it makes sense to be aware, you need to cut through the exterior and look for the behavior. People are creatures of habit, ask any police officer and he will tell you he has seen and heard the same thing from people over and over again. Shoplifters are no different. There are several different types of shoplifters to be aware of.

First and most common there is the Opportunist who see’s an item they want and an opportunity to take it. This opportunity could present itself as a secluded corner of the store where no staff are located, a fitting room where shoplifters feel comfortable they cannot be see or an item without a security device attached. Opportunist can be juvenile or adult and will usually want the items they are stealing for themselves. In my experience this type of shoplifter will usually comply when confronted, however not always. This type of shoplifter can be easily deterred, a simple “Hello, can I help you? ” is enough to prevent the theft and remove the opportunity. Good customer service does more than satisfy the paying customers it deter’s theft. Train your staff to clean out fitting rooms regularly and make sure they greet customers always. You will be happy with the results.

Next there is the Shoplifter who steals to support a drug habit. Be very cautious of this type of shoplifter, they can be very dangerous. You can spot this type due to their inability to stay still, they are usually constantly moving about almost appearing to have a nervous tick. They usually appear very thin and pale ( they have not been taken the best care of themselves lately). This shoplifter can be dangerous because they are desperate, they will do and say anything to get their next fix. You need to use extra care when approaching and apprehending this type of target. Remember no item is worth your life so gauge the situation and control every aspect of the apprehension. If things get harry disengage, they’re is no disgrace in being smart! Any sign of a needle and make like a track star quick. This type of shoplifter has bigger problems than misdemeanor larceny, they need serious help. Prosecution is a must and hopefully the court system will mandate the necessary rehabilitation program.

Then there is the Professional. This is the LP Detectives worst nightmare. These buggers are hard to spot and are usually very good at what they do, shoplifting!. Organized and smart they work in groups as large as 8 to 10 sometimes. The professional will employ counter-surveillance techniques against the store security. This could include methods of communication between members, either through hand signals or walkie talkies. They will deploy decoys to take the heat off of the real offenders, this is very common. These guys can get out of your store with ten’s of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise before you even know what’s happened. They will re-stock displays so that there is a delay in noticing the missing product. Most groups of this nature will prepare prior to entering the store, they have a game plan. Members will not carry ID or car keys and if you are lucky enough to detain them the information they give you is going to be false. At this point you are probably asking how can you stop these guys? Here is what I have learned and yes I have caught and prosecuted several of these professional groups. Believe it or not, when it comes to professionals it’s what’s happening outside your store that counts. Professionals are stealing to turn around and sell the product right. They have to hit lots of stores to acquire the quantities and types of merchandise they want. Usually these groups will travel up and down the coast hitting store after store. This means what to you? Most likely the shoplifters will have out of state plates, they will also need a vehicle to carry all that stolen loot. The vehicle 9 times out of 10 will be a van. I have seen this so many times that I consider it the standard. You will still want to look within your store for suspicious behaviors, but it does not hurt to have a detective canvas the parking lot once in a while for suspicious vehicles. If your lucky maybe your mall security might already be doing this and notify you. You can then place the vehicle under surveillance. These types of shoplifters make several trips in and out of stores before they are done. If they drop off merchandise to the vehicle you can then stay on them when they re-enter. Be prepared to swoop down quickly. This type of shoplifter usually splits up when leaving the store. If possible apprehend them at the point of concealment, If not you are almost certain to lose a few shoplifters as they scurry away in different directions. Have a good plan of action in place. When these guys arrive time is limited so be ready!

You will also encounter the Kleptomaniac however you probably won’t realize this unless they tell you they have a problem. You are going to assume you caught an opportunist and the shoplifter most likely will not be forth coming about the numerous times they have hit your store. The kleptomaniac has most likely been caught before and they know how to work the system. These guys will also usually comply during the apprehension and rarely use force to resist, they might play dumb at first but they know using force will cause them bigger problems and the chances of release become very slim. Most stores have the discretion to prosecute or release and these guys know it. They will cry and give you the sob story and hope you fall for it. One common factor between this type of shoplifter is the calm at which they perform their trade, they have done this so many times that it becomes second hat to them. You could say they are almost smooth with their actions and will rival even the best of magicians for making valuable stuff disappear into thin air. This type will try to ditch 100% of the time so monitor them carefully during the escort. Be aware that like the drug addict they have an addiction, they need help and most want that help desperately. There are organizations set up to help them, having literature or a contact number on hand could be mutually beneficial to the store and the offender.

All of these types of shoplifters share a common thread, behaviors. Some will display these more than others but if you look closely you will see they are still there. Watch a targets eyes because they can tell you all sorts of stuff. Does the target appear nervous or shaky? is this a medical condition or is it something else? Does the target avoid other customers or store staff? Are they taking product from it’s original department to another? This is a clear indicator especially with small items like jewelry. Is the target wearing a winter jacket in summer? Does the target have a shopping bag from a store not associated with your area? Are they sweating for no reason? Is the target grabbing product with no concern for cost? The list goes on and on. Want to catch more shoplifters? Start monitoring behavior and then lock in on those tell tale signs!