“Oh yeah, that’s Moose” says the nice police officer. Finally, a name. Those four words were some sweet music to my ears. When you are in retail and you are experiencing theft over and over again, it can really start to wear you down. You have tested your Checkpoint System, tagged everything that is being targeted. You know that you and your whole staff are doing everything possible to protect your assets, and it is still walking right out the door. It is obviously frustrating, and it can make you watch everybody that walks in the door, waiting and daring them to steal something. I, for one, can become quite unpleasant to work with, and find myself being referred to as the LP Nazi, when I am in a slump like this.
I thought I was the only one falling victim to this little group of boosters that had been hitting us regularly. They have got us for hair regrowth formulas and expensive electric toothbrushes. The good thing is I know they fear getting caught, because they have worked hard at and managed to remove the Alpha Spider Wraps from these items, plus they made sure the Checkpoint labels got removed and discarded as well. Several times it was the same woman, but everything else has varied. She wore her hair different, carried another colored purse, came in a car once and a truck another time, and the last time she brought a guy with her. But then I got word that the group had hit another one of our locations. I had made reports each time, and a deputy called from a neighboring county to ask questions about my incidents.
It turned out they had been actively stealing from four other stores that he knew of, and the great news was they got less from me than any other place. They have gotten a total of about $200 or so from us,on their multiple visits, but got over $600 in one place this past weekend alone, in less than ten minutes. This other store sells similar merchandise, but they do not utilize the same tools that we do. They don’t have a Checkpoint System in place, so nothing is tagged, and nothing is off limits to the boosters.
The thieves got teeth whitening strip kits, expensive facial care items, and more. The thing that connected our theft reports was the getaway truck though. I made sure I watched the video and got every detail possible, and included it all in my report. The paint fading on the hood, the geometrical designs painted on the top of the cab, the handicap placard hanging in the window… I watched it back and forth and in slow motion until I got every identifying mark on that vehicle.
So the officer called me today, and he came and reviewed my videos I had made and saved after making my incident reports. He said that the truck looked vaguely familiar, and then he had the “eureka” moment when he watched the man walked in a few seconds after the woman did that last time. “Oh yeah, that’s Moose.” He told me the man’s real name, and said he would go get the warrants prepared for his arrest. He also said that he had been caught and jailed many times for theft, and he would likely talk to save his own skin. When I showed the deputy how they removed the anti-shoplifting tools from the merchandise before attempting to leave, he said he wasn’t surprised. He said Moose can’t really run due to an old injury, so he cannot take any chances on being detected as he makes his exit.
I hope to update this story with the awesome and exciting sequel about how we shut down the next big ORC group. Truthfully though, I will be content if Moose does roll over on the other members, and they all just go to jail for a while. I can at least sleep a little better knowing my Checkpoint System is doing it’s job, which is deterring as much theft as possible. Knowing my competition is lacking this extremely important anti-shoplifting device, and knowing they are losing a whole lot more than my store, is pretty good too I guess.
For more information on Checkpoint Systems, anti-shoplifting and retail theft prevention contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 or Antishoplifting.net
In any retail store, you have to have a good plan in place to help prevent shoplifting if you want to stay profitable. When you place items on display for customers to be able to look at before making a purchase, there is always a risk that someone will take one of those products without paying for it. With this in mind, of course you have to do something to prevent shoplifting from occurring in your store. Your plan should obviously include the use of retail anti-theft devices, like the Alpha Spider Wrap, but you also have to ensure your team is properly trained on the proper use of these devices if you want to see a return on your investment. If your employees aren’t all on board with the program you have place, it may all be for nothing.
If the training for the use of retail anti-theft devices isn’t kept up, your new hire employees will likely not understand how to use them as they were intended. For example, if you put five of an item on the same shelf, and ensure that they are all protected, that’s great, but the challenge is with keeping all of the product protected. When the next employee comes along to restock the product without placing retail anti-theft devices on all of the items, which one do you think the shoplifter is going to steal? Of course, the shoplifter will go for the unprotected item because it will be so much easier for them to get the merchandise and get out of the store unnoticed. It’s very simple, if there are two items next to each other and one has an Alpha Spider Wrap attached, and the other doesn’t, the one without it is getting stolen. You have to be consistent if you want your plan to have any chance of being successful.
I can remember several shoplifting cases in which merchandise protection consistency would have saved the store a lot of money and stress. At a store I previously worked for, we were using several different types of merchandise protection devices in the store as a way to help prevent shoplifting in the store, but we were still experiencing quite a bit of theft. There was on shoplifter I recall that would come into the store looking to steal merchandise like electric shavers and electric toothbrushes. He would go into the department and look for merchandise that could be easily resold, and wasn’t protected. One more occasions than one, he found items that should have had protection devices on them, but unfortunately for the store, did not.
The day we finally caught him was no exception. The guy came into the store and headed straight for the electric shavers. Once he entered the aisle, he selected one that didn’t have an Alpha Spider Wrap attached to it, but this time I was waiting for him to come into the store. I saw him take the shaver out of its package, put it into the front of his pants, and pull down his shirt. He was definitely surprised to see us when we finally caught him leaving the store with our products, because he had gotten away with it in the past. We were lucky enough to be there and actually see the theft happen that day, but it could have been a much different outcome. The lesson here is that if you are going to use retail anti-theft devices, be consistent and do it right.
For more information about retail anti-theft devices contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
RWHBLOG18
Drunk Driving Kills – But Not on My Watch from my Nightclub Using EASy Bottle!
Drunk driving kills and we all know it. If you are in the nightclub of high-end social entertainment business, you not only know it but are very concerned about the potential liability that it causes you. You are especially wary if you provide bottle service to your patrons at their tables. Undoubtedly you have instructed your service staff to watch for intoxicated patrons and make sure they do not leave with bottles. Maybe you have even gone to the extent to spend thousands of dollars per table putting in secure bottle lockers into your tables on the floor. You may have thought that these were your only options. I have come to realize that there is another option.
During my career, I have had the misfortune of having to investigate fatality drunk driving automobile collisions resulting from a severely intoxicated person leaving the bar or nightclub after having drank to obvious impairment and not being stopped by the bar or club management. They may have even left with the bottle from the club and took one for the road.” It is the responsibility of every person in the alcoholic beverage service industry to ensure that their patrons do not leave with alcohol or severely under the influence. I have also met and come to respect those members of the nightclub service community who do take that responsibility seriously and monitor the alcoholic beverage intake of their patrons and ensure that they are not permitted to leave with a bottle should the club have bottle service.
My interest was sparked due to my history in accident investigation when I saw the EASy bottle locking bottle cap by Alpha Products, a division of Checkpoint Security Systems. I understand your need to provide a bottle service to the patrons’ tables and give your club the look of a high-end establishment that treats its customers as V.I.P.s. Therefore, any solution must allow you to still have the bottles at the table but it should not look like Fort Knox and the tables should be standard tables so your expenses are not hiked unnecessarily. That is where the EASy bottle comes into play. It is a four-pronged key that inserts into the top of a bottle lock that secures the cap to the bottle. The patron will break the bottle before they are able to remove the cap. The key can also be kept on the person as opposed to previous keys in different models, this key is very lightweight and is not a problem to fit into the fashionable attire of your waitresses. It also comes with a retractor that can be worn on the person so the waitress does not have a concern about losing the key or placing it on the table where the patrons can help themselves to the bottle, which is what we are trying to avoid.
The EASy bottle system allows for your patrons to have that V.I.P. feel of a bottle service at the table without you having the worries of them serving themselves, often against the law in many states, or taking the bottle with them. Your service staff can then monitor the consumption of alcohol by patrons and assist them in getting transportation or disallow further service, protecting you from the liability and the tragedy of having one of your patrons involved in a drunk-driving motor vehicle accident.
Your nightclub will then continue to be a responsible high-end establishment that recognizes that patrons sometimes drink to excess if left to their own devices. You will acknowledge that intoxicated individuals often don’t know when to stop or when to take alternative transportation so you do your part to assist them in making those decisions. You know that drunk-driving kills – but it’s not going to happen on your watch from your place!
For more information on Bottle Service contact us at www.bottle-services.net or call
1.770.426.0547.
Drunk driving kills and we all know it. If you are in the nightclub of high-end social entertainment business, you not only know it but are very concerned about the potential liability that it causes you. You are especially wary if you provide bottle service to your patrons at their tables. Undoubtedly you have instructed your service staff to watch for intoxicated patrons and make sure they do not leave with bottles. Maybe you have even gone to the extent to spend thousands of dollars per table putting in secure bottle lockers into your tables on the floor. You may have thought that these were your only options. I have come to realize that there is another option.
During my career, I have had the misfortune of having to investigate fatality drunk driving automobile collisions resulting from a severely intoxicated person leaving the bar or nightclub after having drank to obvious impairment and not being stopped by the bar or club management. They may have even left with the bottle from the club and took one for the road.” It is the responsibility of every person in the alcoholic beverage service industry to ensure that their patrons do not leave with alcohol or severely under the influence. I have also met and come to respect those members of the nightclub service community who do take that responsibility seriously and monitor the alcoholic beverage intake of their patrons and ensure that they are not permitted to leave with a bottle should the club have bottle service.
My interest was sparked due to my history in accident investigation when I saw the EASy bottle locking bottle cap by Alpha Products, a division of Checkpoint Security Systems. I understand your need to provide a bottle service to the patrons’ tables and give your club the look of a high-end establishment that treats its customers as V.I.P.s. Therefore, any solution must allow you to still have the bottles at the table but it should not look like Fort Knox and the tables should be standard tables so your expenses are not hiked unnecessarily. That is where the EASy bottle comes into play. It is a four-pronged key that inserts into the top of a bottle lock that secures the cap to the bottle. The patron will break the bottle before they are able to remove the cap. The key can also be kept on the person as opposed to previous keys in different models, this key is very lightweight and is not a problem to fit into the fashionable attire of your waitresses. It also comes with a retractor that can be worn on the person so the waitress does not have a concern about losing the key or placing it on the table where the patrons can help themselves to the bottle, which is what we are trying to avoid.
The EASy bottle system allows for your patrons to have that V.I.P. feel of a bottle service at the table without you having the worries of them serving themselves, often against the law in many states, or taking the bottle with them. Your service staff can then monitor the consumption of alcohol by patrons and assist them in getting transportation or disallow further service, protecting you from the liability and the tragedy of having one of your patrons involved in a drunk-driving motor vehicle accident.
Your nightclub will then continue to be a responsible high-end establishment that recognizes that patrons sometimes drink to excess if left to their own devices. You will acknowledge that intoxicated individuals often don’t know when to stop or when to take alternative transportation so you do your part to assist them in making those decisions. You know that drunk-driving kills – but it’s not going to happen on your watch from your place!
For more information on Bottle Service contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 or at www.bottle-services.net
background checks-2, pre employment screenings-3, background check company-2
That Moment You See The One You Fired For Stealing
In today’s culture, employee background checks are almost more common than drug screenings. A pre employment screening can uncover some nasty little secrets a potential employee hopes you don’t find. I’m not just talking about criminal charges either. I work for a small retail pharmacy, and when we terminate people for theft reasons, we report them to an outside company. Their name is listed on this database for seven years, and many other retailers utilize it too. Reference checks are obviously important, but most of those are set up in advance. I always let my references know ahead of time that they may receive a call about me. I don’t want my friends and colleagues to be caught off guard, and I want them to be thinking of our experiences if they get a call.
I walked into a local retail store just two weekends ago. As I was walking around browsing in this store, I came upon a person I had not seen in about two years. She was certainly not someone I ever expected to see working in another store in our area, and she seemed to be in some sort of management position there. If they did perform some form of pre employment screening, they must not have used a very reliable background check company. This particular lady was a slick thief too. She was going to our different locations working her magic little coupon fraud scam, and it worked for over a year. She defrauded our company out of about $4,500 in that time frame. She was also taking advantage of the rewards program we offer. She would use her own phone number in place of the customer’s number so she could skim off their rewards. They added up significantly too, and she racked up on a lot of freebies just using that. When we interviewed her, she claimed she was just helping the customers. She said they didn’t have our card on their keyring, so since her phone number worked, they got the sale prices they were expecting. All throughout the interview, she never once took responsibility for her actions. Everything she did was for the benefit of others, or she simply denied knowing that her actions were illegal, unethical or immoral. It’s like she thought if she just sat there and continued making denials, we would just “let it go”. That’s when I pulled out her employee file, and brought out all her required forms and policies sheets with her signatures. There was the one that said employees were to NEVER use their own phone numbers, and the one that explained the proper use of coupons. Boom. Buh-bye.
So, when I walk into this store, she immediately comes over and starts chatting me up. I wanted so badly to ask how in the world she was able to weasel her way in and be a key carrier for this place; do these people not believe in background checks? It just does not add up. I never thought she would be back in any retail establishment again. I don’t begrudge the fact that she is working another job, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that I know that she is capable of manufacturing scams, and a quality background check company should have caught her termination for a gross policy violation. Maybe she learned her lesson and has changed; I hope so. Leopards can’t change their spots though. I figure they must not perform pre employment screenings at that place. In 2015 that is hard to swallow, but that’s their business, not mine.
For more information on background checks, contact us at: 1.770.426.0547 or Backgroundcheckexperts.net
In today’s culture, employee background checks are almost more common than drug screenings. A pre employment screening can uncover some nasty little secrets a potential employee hopes you don’t find. I’m not just talking about criminal charges either. I work for a small retail pharmacy, and when we terminate people for theft reasons, we report them to an outside company. Their name is listed on this database for seven years, and many other retailers utilize it too. Reference checks are obviously important, but most of those are set up in advance. I always let my references know ahead of time that they may receive a call about me. I don’t want my friends and colleagues to be caught off guard, and I want them to be thinking of our experiences if they get a call.
I walked into a local retail store just two weekends ago. As I was walking around browsing in this store, I came upon a person I had not seen in about two years. She was certainly not someone I ever expected to see working in another store in our area, and she seemed to be in some sort of management position there. If they did perform some form of pre employment screening, they must not have used a very reliable background check company. This particular lady was a slick thief too. She was going to our different locations working her magic little coupon fraud scam, and it worked for over a year. She defrauded our company out of about $4,500 in that time frame. She was also taking advantage of the rewards program we offer. She would use her own phone number in place of the customer’s number so she could skim off their rewards. They added up significantly too, and she racked up on a lot of freebies just using that. When we interviewed her, she claimed she was just helping the customers. She said they didn’t have our card on their keyring, so since her phone number worked, they got the sale prices they were expecting. All throughout the interview, she never once took responsibility for her actions. Everything she did was for the benefit of others, or she simply denied knowing that her actions were illegal, unethical or immoral. It’s like she thought if she just sat there and continued making denials, we would just “let it go”. That’s when I pulled out her employee file, and brought out all her required forms and policies sheets with her signatures. There was the one that said employees were to NEVER use their own phone numbers, and the one that explained the proper use of coupons. Boom. Buh-bye.
So, when I walk into this store, she immediately comes over and starts chatting me up. I wanted so badly to ask how in the world she was able to weasel her way in and be a key carrier for this place; do these people not believe in background checks? It just does not add up. I never thought she would be back in any retail establishment again. I don’t begrudge the fact that she is working another job, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that I know that she is capable of manufacturing scams, and a quality background check company should have caught her termination for a gross policy violation. Maybe she learned her lesson and has changed; I hope so. Leopards can’t change their spots though. I figure they must not perform pre employment screenings at that place. In 2015 that is hard to swallow, but that’s their business, not mine.
For more information on background checks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Checkpoint Systems-4 , Stop Shoplifting-2 , Checkpoint Labels-2 , Checkpoint Tags-1
Due To Shoplifting, No Large Bags Allowed!
This was a sign I saw emblazoned on the front door of a local business just a couple days ago. It’s a new addition; I guess even our small town is not immune to theft. Of course, their answer to how to stop shoplifting- a sign banning large bags, isn’t exactly what I would call the best option. This is an antique store, not really the type of business that comes to my mind when I think of stores that need help with loss prevention measures. I work for a small retail pharmacy and we deal with rampant theft on a daily basis, so I definitely know their frustrations. Women carrying those “big shoplifter bags” are the arch nemesis for all of us I suppose!
The big difference in all the businesses that suffer from theft issues is what they do about it. I’ve been in stores that have these big threatening signs. “Smile, you’re on camera” “Shoplifters will be prosecuted” “No large bags” Those are some of the more common ones that are at least professionally worded. Some stores go way over board, making idle ridiculous threats. In my store, we only post the required signs alerting people that we do have cameras in use. Signs sell stuff, but they don’t really do a lot to stop shoplifting. Checkpoint Systems does, however, actually get the job done. Deterrence is the biggest key in putting thieves in their place.
Some people are going to steal no matter what. That is a small percentage of the population though. Most theft occurs when normal people walk in and see an opportunity. It is generally a basic example of greed, not need. With Checkpoint Systems, you take that opportunity away from them. The tools that work with the system, Checkpoint Labels and Checkpoint Tags, are the best ways to stop people from getting out the door with unpaid merchandise. Even the blogs that specialize in giving advice on how to get away with stealing tell people to steer clear of stores that utilize the tags. They tell them not to take the chance, because they will more than likely be caught and arrested. The tags can be hidden inside seams and pockets, and are not easily detected. When people come in the front door and see the Checkpoint Systems pedestals up there, they know that they can possibly be caught. I’ve dealt with all kinds of thieves. I’ve had the minors stealing junk, that I have had to detain and release to their parents. I’ve had the little old lady putting things in her purse, gets caught, and sends her preacher up to the store later to try and talk me out of a court date. I even caught another business owner from our town stealing over the counter sleep medications. When I confronted him at the front door, I made sure his wife was standing there with him. At first he tried denying it, but I showed him the picture I had just taken with my phone right off my camera monitors. That shut him up fast, and his wife was outraged! She yelled at him and told me they were a good family, and how sorry she was. I didn’t even call the police on that guy; I figured he would pay enough when he got home.
Checkpoint Systems puts a stop to so many thieves taking a chance on stealing from us, that it makes me wonder why more businesses don’t make that investment. The return is immediate, and Checkpoint Labels are easy to use. It takes little to no training and empowers your employees to make a real difference in your bottom line. The whole system is so much more effective than those pesky signs.
For more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us: 1.770.426.0547 or Antishoplifting.net
This was a sign I saw emblazoned on the front door of a local business just a couple days ago. It’s a new addition; I guess even our small town is not immune to theft. Of course, their answer to how to stop shoplifting– a sign banning large bags, isn’t exactly what I would call the best option. This is an antique store, not really the type of business that comes to my mind when I think of stores that need help with loss prevention measures. I work for a small retail pharmacy and we deal with rampant theft on a daily basis, so I definitely know their frustrations. Women carrying those “big shoplifter bags” are the arch nemesis for all of us I suppose!
The big difference in all the businesses that suffer from theft issues is what they do about it. I’ve been in stores that have these big threatening signs. “Smile, you’re on camera” “Shoplifters will be prosecuted” “No large bags”. Those are some of the more common ones that are at least professionally worded. Some stores go way over board, making idle ridiculous threats. In my store, we only post the required signs alerting people that we do have cameras in use. Signs sell stuff, but they don’t really do a lot to stop shoplifting. Checkpoint Systems does, however, actually get the job done. Deterrence is the biggest key in putting thieves in their place.
Some people are going to steal no matter what. That is a small percentage of the population though. Most theft occurs when normal people walk in and see an opportunity. It is generally a basic example of greed, not need. With Checkpoint Systems, you take that opportunity away from them. The tools that work with the system, Checkpoint Labels and Checkpoint Tags, are the best ways to stop people from getting out the door with unpaid merchandise. Even the blogs that specialize in giving advice on how to get away with stealing tell people to steer clear of stores that utilize the tags. They tell them not to take the chance, because they will more than likely be caught and arrested. The tags can be hidden inside seams and pockets, and are not easily detected. When people come in the front door and see the Checkpoint Systems pedestals up there, they know that they can possibly be caught. I’ve dealt with all kinds of thieves. I’ve had the minors stealing junk, that I have had to detain and release to their parents. I’ve had the little old lady putting things in her purse, gets caught, and sends her preacher up to the store later to try and talk me out of a court date. I even caught another business owner from our town stealing over the counter sleep medications. When I confronted him at the front door, I made sure his wife was standing there with him. At first he tried denying it, but I showed him the picture I had just taken with my phone right off my camera monitors. That shut him up fast, and his wife was outraged! She yelled at him and told me they were a good family, and how sorry she was. I didn’t even call the police on that guy; I figured he would pay enough when he got home.
Checkpoint Systems puts a stop to so many thieves taking a chance on stealing from us, that it makes me wonder why more businesses don’t make that investment. The return is immediate, and Checkpoint Labels are easy to use. It takes little to no training and empowers your employees to make a real difference in your bottom line. The whole system is so much more effective than those pesky signs.
For more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 or Antishoplifting.net
