Let’s face it, shoplifting is an extremely big problem in retail stores, and it’s not showing any signs of ending anytime soon. Thieves are always going to steal from somewhere no matter what if they want something bad enough, and that’s something you can’t control. What you can control is the likelihood that they are going to steal from your store. Denying the issue isn’t going to help anything. If you want to stop shoplifting in your store, you need to take action to protect the merchandise in your store. Installing Checkpoint systems in your store gives you the advantage over your competitors who may not have them installed in their businesses.
In addition to shoplifting cases, I’ve initiated several internal theft investigations that started out by employees exiting the store with merchandise that had Checkpoint security tags attached to the merchandise. One of those cases began with one of my own staff walking out the door when they left the store at the end of their shift. When they exited the store, the alarm sounded and other employees took notice. The next day when I arrived to work, the other employees expressed their concern to me about what had occurred the previous night. They said that they saw the employee exit with nothing in their hands, and the Checkpoint Systems EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) alarm sounded at the door. On top of that, the employee didn’t stop, but walked faster after the alarm sounded.
After I reviewed video, I confirmed the story and found it to be true. Further investigation showed that the employee was stealing almost daily, and the thefts had occurred several times prior to this event. In fact, the employee in question was not only stealing when I wasn’t in the store, but while I was there as well. They would take small items throughout the day and conceal them in their clothing, and then stage the items in a hiding spot for later, which they would retrieve at the end of their shift and take it all out of the store at one time. This way it would minimize the chances that they would take by brining merchandise out of the store several times a day. I’m not sure if the employee forgot to remove the security devices from some of the items they were taking from the store, or they just didn’t think anything was going to happen when they exited, but I am very glad they made that mistake.
If I didn’t catch them when I did, the amount of loss from this case had the potential to be much greater because of the value associated with the thefts that they were committing on a regular basis. Most people look at the Checkpoint Systems EAS alarm towers at the exit doors as a way to help stop shoplifting in the store, but in this case and several others, it served as a very important tool with regard to internal theft investigations. In this case, the EAS system was an invaluable tool in identifying the theft and actually initiated the investigation itself, and there is no way to tell how long it would have taken to catch the subject without it being in place.
For more information contact us: (Checkpoint Systems) or call 1.770.426.0547
Let’s face it, shoplifting is an extremely big problem in retail stores, and it’s not showing any signs of ending anytime soon. Thieves are always going to steal from somewhere no matter what if they want something bad enough, and that’s something you can’t control. What you can control is the likelihood that they are going to steal from your store. Denying the issue isn’t going to help anything. If you want to stop shoplifting in your store, you need to take action to protect the merchandise in your store. Installing Checkpoint Systems in your store gives you the advantage over your competitors who may not have them installed in their businesses.
In addition to shoplifting cases, I’ve initiated several internal theft investigations that started out by employees exiting the store with merchandise that had Checkpoint Security Tags attached to the merchandise. One of those cases began with one of my own staff walking out the door when they left the store at the end of their shift. When they exited the store, the alarm sounded and other employees took notice. The next day when I arrived to work, the other employees expressed their concern to me about what had occurred the previous night. They said that they saw the employee exit with nothing in their hands, and the Checkpoint Systems EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) alarm sounded at the door. On top of that, the employee didn’t stop, but walked faster after the alarm sounded.
After I reviewed video, I confirmed the story and found it to be true. Further investigation showed that the employee was stealing almost daily, and the thefts had occurred several times prior to this event. In fact, the employee in question was not only stealing when I wasn’t in the store, but while I was there as well. They would take small items throughout the day and conceal them in their clothing, and then stage the items in a hiding spot for later, which they would retrieve at the end of their shift and take it all out of the store at one time. This way it would minimize the chances that they would take by brining merchandise out of the store several times a day. I’m not sure if the employee forgot to remove the security devices from some of the items they were taking from the store, or they just didn’t think anything was going to happen when they exited, but I am very glad they made that mistake.
If I didn’t catch them when I did, the amount of loss from this case had the potential to be much greater because of the value associated with the thefts that they were committing on a regular basis. Most people look at the Checkpoint Systems EAS alarm towers at the exit doors as a way to help stop shoplifting in the store, but in this case and several others, it served as a very important tool with regard to internal theft investigations. In this case, the EAS system was an invaluable tool in identifying the theft and actually initiated the investigation itself, and there is no way to tell how long it would have taken to catch the subject without it being in place.
For more information contact us: Loss Prevention Systems or call 1.770.426.0547
The news is full of recent stories of thefts from small wine and spirits shops. There are a number of different factors causing the rise in these particular types of crimes. If your store already sells these products, or is just considering adding them, take a look at Bottle Loks to minimize some of the theft risks.
First, just consider the sheer availability of these products currently on the shelves of so many different retailers. There is profit to be made, and there is enough demand to support the additional sellers. There is also enough demand from an underground market to make it a lucrative business for thieves to get involved in. Unfortunately for the honest business managers and owners, there are those out there that are looking for easy inventory to steal. In one incident two men broke into a store overnight. They disabled the security, painted over the cameras, and managed to get out with about 2500 bottles of high retail wines. Even scarier was the fact that this was the second time these guys had done this.
There was another smaller incident of five men going into a store together, creating a scene to distract the clerks, and managing to get out with about 25 bottles. Even that added up to an over $1200 loss. The store employees reported the theft later that night, only because they finally noticed the empty shelves where the bottles had been displayed.
In both these cases, the thefts could have possibly been avoided if the store had been utilizing Bottle Loks. These caps fit securely over the tops of almost any size bottle. Studies have shown the bottle will break before the cap will come off. Of course, they can be removed easily by the clerk after the bottles are purchased. They also come in multiple alarm levels so your staff can choose which ones are appropriate for certain bottles depending on high retail or trends and popularity.
In a case of an after hours theft, Bottle Loks can help deter the crime during the planning stages. In most cases, many thieves have been known to come in and “shop” the store before the actual break in. They want to get the layout of the store, identify the camera locations, and all exits. Imagine if they come in to gather this information just to find that the bottles they are looking for are equipped with these secure caps. The fact that Bottle Loks have the word “alarm” printed on them let the would-be thieves know that this particular business takes asset protection seriously. While most honest business owners and managers hate to hear about any type of theft like this, it has to take some of the sting out of it when it happens to your competitor and not your store.
Don’t be the next news story in the rising wine and spirits theft industry. Take a look at the available options and choose the best ways to secure your inventory.
For more information contact us: Bottlelock.net or call 1.770.426.0547
The news is full of recent stories of thefts from small wine and spirits shops. There are a number of different factors causing the rise in these particular types of crimes. If your store already sells these products, or is just considering adding them, take a look at Bottle Loks to minimize some of the theft risks.
First, just consider the sheer availability of these products currently on the shelves of so many different retailers. There is profit to be made, and there is enough demand to support the additional sellers. There is also enough demand from an underground market to make it a lucrative business for thieves to get involved in. Unfortunately for the honest business managers and owners, there are those out there that are looking for easy inventory to steal. In one incident two men broke into a store overnight. They disabled the security, painted over the cameras, and managed to get out with about 2500 bottles of high end retail wines. Even scarier was the fact that this was the second time these guys had done this. There was another smaller incident of five men going into a store together, creating a scene to distract the clerks, and managing to get out with about 25 bottles. Even that added up to an over $1200 loss. The store employees reported the theft later that night, only because they finally noticed the empty shelves where the bottles had been displayed.
In both these cases, the thefts could have possibly been avoided if the store had been utilizing Bottle Loks. These caps fit securely over the tops of almost any size bottle. Studies have shown the bottle will break before the cap will come off. Of course, they can be removed easily by the clerk after the bottles are purchased. They also come in multiple alarm levels so your staff can choose which ones are appropriate for certain bottles depending on high retail or trends and popularity.
In a case of an after hours theft, Bottle Loks can help deter the crime during the planning stages. In most cases, many thieves have been known to come in and “shop” the store before the actual break in. They want to get the layout of the store, identify the camera locations, and all exits. Imagine if they come in to gather this information just to find that the bottles they are looking for are equipped with these secure caps. The fact that Bottle Loks have the word “alarm” printed on them let the would-be thieves know that this particular business takes asset protection seriously. While most honest business owners and managers hate to hear about any type of theft like this, it has to take some of the sting out of it when it happens to your competitor and not your store.
Don’t be the next news story in the rising wine and spirits theft industry. Take a look at the available options and choose the best ways to secure your inventory.
For more information contact us: Bottlelock.net or call 1.770.426.0547
Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small-Business Saturday, Christmas, and New Years have all come and gone. Hopefully, the holidays have lived up to their reputation this year, and have brought your business a great deal of profit. Now it is time to breathe a sigh of relief, put your stores back together, and get back to the basics. During the busy season, many of us relax our standards on merchandise protection either because we haven’t had the resources to give it the attention it needs, or because we wanted to make the merchandise easily accessible to our customers. Either way, it is time to go back through the store and ensure that everything is protected and that all of our processes are back in place to ensure retail theft prevention in our stores.
First and foremost, it is important to check the current status of merchandise security and assess any potential damage from the hectic season. Are high-risk items accounted for? What items are now missing that are not accounted for in sales? What items are at a higher risk than was previously believed? Where are high-risk items being stored on the floor and in the back? Are they secured like they are supposed to be? This is a list of just a few questions you should be asking yourself when recovering from the holiday season. You should also evaluate how much loss you incurred in anti-shoplifting devices like Checkpoint security tags, spider wraps, and other devices. This will allow you to order more if necessary, and make sure that your merchandise gets protected.
While it is still fresh in your mind, after evaluating the damages of the season, it is a good idea to implement changes to how you will handle the holidays for the next season. Did you run out of equipment that was needed during the middle of the hectic season? Did any of your equipment break during the season that now needs to be repaired or replaced? It is much like assessing the damage to your ship after a brutal storm (one that hopefully washed up thousands of fish into your nets). Part of this assessment should also be sizing up and evaluating your crew.
Of your employees, who shined the most? Who maybe needs to have a bit more training? For seasonal employees who did a wonderful job, maybe you should consider hanging onto them. Make sure that your crew remains “undamaged” and coach and hire as you see fit. Having the right employees on board can do a lot for retail theft prevention. If you found any bad apples stealing during the holiday season, it is obvious that you should probably throw them out. Keep the good ones around and train them up to be effective theft-deterrents and customer service representatives. Always remember to treat your crew how you would expect to be treated. After all, when being the captain of the ship, there is little worse than mutiny!
In addition to assessing and repairing any damage, it is a great time to evaluate upgrade options. Perhaps you have discovered from the holiday season that your security system needs an upgrade. This may include new surveillance systems, a checkpoint security system, or maybe even new security staff. Make sure to reassess and see what additions can be made to prevent retail theft and optimize your profits.
For more information contact us: Retail Theft Prevention or call 1.770.426.0547
Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small-Business Saturday, Christmas, and New Years have all come and gone. Hopefully, the holidays have lived up to their reputation this year, and have brought your business a great deal of profit. Now it is time to breathe a sigh of relief, put your stores back together, and get back to the basics. During the busy season, many of us relax our standards on merchandise protection either because we haven’t had the resources to give it the attention it needs, or because we wanted to make the merchandise easily accessible to our customers. Either way, it is time to go back through the store and ensure that everything is protected and that all of our processes are back in place to ensure retail theft prevention in our stores.
First and foremost, it is important to check the current status of merchandise security and assess any potential damage from the hectic season. Are high-risk items accounted for? What items are now missing that are not accounted for in sales? What items are at a higher risk than was previously believed? Where are high-risk items being stored on the floor and in the back? Are they secured like they are supposed to be? This is a list of just a few questions you should be asking yourself when recovering from the holiday season. You should also evaluate how much loss you incurred in anti-shoplifting devices like Checkpoint Security Tags, Spider Wraps, and other devices. This will allow you to order more if necessary, and make sure that your merchandise gets protected.
While it is still fresh in your mind, after evaluating the damages of the season, it is a good idea to implement changes to how you will handle the holidays for the next season. Did you run out of equipment that was needed during the middle of the hectic season? Did any of your equipment break during the season that now needs to be repaired or replaced? It is much like assessing the damage to your ship after a brutal storm (one that hopefully washed up thousands of fish into your nets). Part of this assessment should also be sizing up and evaluating your crew.
Of your employees, who shined the most? Who maybe needs to have a bit more training? For seasonal employees who did a wonderful job, maybe you should consider hanging onto them. Make sure that your crew remains “undamaged” and coach and hire as you see fit. Having the right employees on board can do a lot for retail theft prevention. If you found any bad apples stealing during the holiday season, it is obvious that you should probably throw them out. Keep the good ones around and train them up to be effective theft-deterrents and customer service representatives. Always remember to treat your crew how you would expect to be treated. After all, when being the captain of the ship, there is little worse than mutiny!
In addition to assessing and repairing any damage, it is a great time to evaluate upgrade options. Perhaps you have discovered from the holiday season that your security system needs an upgrade. This may include new surveillance systems, a Checkpoint Security System, or maybe even new security staff. Make sure to reassess and see what additions can be made to prevent retail theft and optimize your profits.
For more information contact us: Retail Theft Prevention or call 1.770.426.0547
In my state, the managers of stores that sell wine and spirits must participate in a short training session, get fingerprinted, and pass a background check before the store can get it’s alcohol license. These same guidelines are required for restaurants, bars, and clubs as well, plus additional training to identify already intoxicated patrons, and underage customers. An alcohol license is a big deal; it can mean the difference in staying in business or not. Bottle Service is a great perk offered at many establishments, and it has proven to be a very profitable option.
With Bottle Service, the customers pay a certain price for a predetermined number of bottles, glasses, and mixers. A waitress is assigned to one or more small groups, and their job is to keep them happy. The point is for the party to have a good time, and to feel they are saving money instead of buying all the individual drinks, and to have that night to be treated as VIPs. The downside is, if the bottle are left on the tables, customers will be pouring their own drinks. One problem, is that if left to their own devices, customers that opt for Bottle Service could be mixing their own drinks very strong, and getting themselves very drunk, very quickly. Plus, unless all in the party are 21, there is the very real danger of illegal underage drinking. That is a nightly news story your business does not want to be any part of.
This is why Alpha came up with the EASy Bottle Lock. The bottles can still be left on the tables, still giving off the fun atmosphere. But the customers cannot just pour their own drinks. The waitress can be summoned, or however they decide to work the system, and refresh the drinks as needed. Plus he or she can keep a close eye on the members of the group, and ensure the night ends safely for all of them. The waitress has the key, a lightweight gadget they can clip somewhere on their clothing, and they can take care of the patron’s needs very quickly, while keeping all the bottles secure when left unattended. If a new person joins the party, they can be carded with little interruption, and served accordingly.
Bottle Service is a fantastic option for a group coming in to celebrate together. As long as the bar staff keeps their customer’s safety and the bottle’s security as their number one priority, the group can have the fun, and the bar can reap the profits and return business.
The liability that goes along with any business that sells alcohol is substantial. Bars, clubs, and even small stores that sell to someone that was already intoxicated can be held responsible if something happens to the person later, such as a car wreck, if it can be proven they should have known and refused the sale. Responsible Bottle Service is the answer to having this group party option for customers, and knowing you and your staff did everything they could to keep everyone safe.
For more information contact us: 1.770.426.0547 or Bottle-Services.net
In my state, the managers of stores that sell wine and spirits must participate in a short training session, get fingerprinted, and pass a background check before the store can get it’s alcohol license. These same guidelines are required for restaurants, bars, and clubs as well, plus additional training to identify already intoxicated patrons, and underage customers. An alcohol license is a big deal; it can mean the difference in staying in business or not. Bottle Service is a great perk offered at many establishments, and it has proven to be a very profitable option.
With Bottle Service, the customers pay a certain price for a predetermined number of bottles, glasses, and mixers. A waitress is assigned to one or more small groups, and their job is to keep them happy. The point is for the party to have a good time, and to feel they are saving money instead of buying all the individual drinks, and to have that night to be treated as VIPs. The downside is, if the bottle are left on the tables, customers will be pouring their own drinks. One problem, is that if left to their own devices, customers that opt for Bottle Service could be mixing their own drinks very strong, and getting themselves very drunk, very quickly. Plus, unless all in the party are 21, there is the very real danger of illegal underage drinking. That is a nightly news story your business does not want to be any part of.
This is why Alpha came up with the EASy Bottle Lock. The bottles can still be left on the tables, still giving off the fun atmosphere. But the customers cannot just pour their own drinks. The waitress can be summoned, or however they decide to work the system, and refresh the drinks as needed. Plus he or she can keep a close eye on the members of the group, and ensure the night ends safely for all of them. The waitress has the key, a lightweight gadget they can clip somewhere on their clothing, and they can take care of the patron’s needs very quickly, while keeping all the bottles secure when left unattended. If a new person joins the party, they can be carded with little interruption, and served accordingly.
Bottle Service is a fantastic option for a group coming in to celebrate together. As long as the bar staff keeps their customer’s safety and the bottle’s security as their number one priority, the group can have the fun, and the bar can reap the profits and return business.
The liability that goes along with any business that sells alcohol is substantial. Bars, clubs, and even small stores that sell to someone that was already intoxicated can be held responsible if something happens to the person later, such as a car wreck, if it can be proven they should have known and refused the sale. Responsible Bottle Service is the answer to having this group party option for customers, and knowing you and your staff did everything they could to keep everyone safe.
For more information contact us: 1.770.426.0547 or Bottle-Services.net
Shoplifting is one of those nuisances that all business owners and managers have to deal with. Typically speaking, we do everything we can to keep the shoplifters at a disadvantage not only to discourage them from shoplifting in the first place, but also so that we can identify a shoplifting as it is occurring and to prevent shoplifting from ever happening. One thing you may or may not realize is that you are giving your customers very powerful tools for shoplifting on a daily basis and the worst thing is that they are free! These tools of shoplifting are inevitable in some instances, but there are ways to minimize their access to shoplifters, and to minimize their usefulness to thieves.
So what are these free and valuable tools for shoplifting? They are the various items given to customers when they purchase merchandise that makes them appear to be legitimate shoppers: shopping bags, shopping carts and baskets, security tape, proof of purchase (or POP) labels, and receipts. Now obviously, you shouldn’t simply eliminate the use of these items in your stores. In most cases, they provide much more good than harm. But it is important to know how these items can be abused, and what to do to prevent abuse and prevent shoplifting with these items.
Shopping carts and baskets (including tote bags) are frequently used by shoppers to make their experience convenient. To prevent loss of your hand-baskets and shopping totes, consider attaching an Alpha security device, like an EAS hard tag (if you have electronic article surveillance) to sound at the door if someone leaves with these. They typically stay in the store and are left at checkout. If someone is leaving with them, they are likely attempting to shoplift. This is not the same case for shopping carts, however. Just remain aware of shoppers using shopping carts that are piling them high with high-risk merchandise items.
Many stores use security tape or POP labels as a means of secondary proof of purchase, especially on larger items, or items that are difficult to place in a shopping bag. If these items are left open and unattended on the sales floor, they are an invitation to shoplifters. If they can access these items more readily in a store, they are likely to abuse them, and place them on items that they intend to shoplift. Likewise, giving away shopping bags to customers that have not purchased any merchandise can be a risky practice. Shopping bags are even more inviting to shoplifters, as they both conceal merchandise, and make it appear as though they have been legitimately purchased. These should also be kept out of the open and carefully controlled also. You never know who you are giving them to!
While working retail loss prevention, I remember seeing a shoplifter roll up her jacket sleeves, revealing some security tape that was wrapped around her arm. She immediately placed it over a comforter set that she had just selected from the shelf, and then proceeded to walk out of the store without paying for it.
Changing your shopping bags and colors of security tape on a regular basis also helps. This way, older shopping bags and other colors of security tape are more easily recognized as illegitimate. Giving away shopping bags and security tape to paying customers is inevitable but controlling how long different types of security tape and shopping bags are used will make these potential shoplifting tools much less useful to malicious thieves and deter shoplifting.
For more information contact us: Prevent Shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547
Shoplifting is one of those nuisances that all business owners and managers have to deal with. Typically speaking, we do everything we can to keep the shoplifters at a disadvantage not only to discourage them from shoplifting in the first place, but also so that we can identify a shoplifting as it is occurring and to prevent shoplifting from ever happening. One thing you may or may not realize is that you are giving your customers very powerful tools for shoplifting on a daily basis and the worst thing is that they are free! These tools of shoplifting are inevitable in some instances, but there are ways to minimize their access to shoplifters, and to minimize their usefulness to thieves.
So what are these free and valuable tools for shoplifting? They are the various items given to customers when they purchase merchandise that makes them appear to be legitimate shoppers: shopping bags, shopping carts and baskets, security tape, proof of purchase (or POP) labels, and receipts. Now obviously, you shouldn’t simply eliminate the use of these items in your stores. In most cases, they provide much more good than harm. But it is important to know how these items can be abused, and what to do to prevent abuse and prevent shoplifting with these items.
Shopping carts and baskets (including tote bags) are frequently used by shoppers to make their experience convenient. To prevent loss of your hand-baskets and shopping totes, consider attaching an Alpha security device, like an EAS hard tag (if you have electronic article surveillance) to sound at the door if someone leaves with these. They typically stay in the store and are left at checkout. If someone is leaving with them, they are likely attempting to shoplift. This is not the same case for shopping carts, however. Just remain aware of shoppers using shopping carts that are piling them high with high-risk merchandise items.
Many stores use security tape or POP labels as a means of secondary proof of purchase, especially on larger items, or items that are difficult to place in a shopping bag. If these items are left open and unattended on the sales floor, they are an invitation to shoplifters. If they can access these items more readily in a store, they are likely to abuse them, and place them on items that they intend to shoplift. Likewise, giving away shopping bags to customers that have not purchased any merchandise can be a risky practice. Shopping bags are even more inviting to shoplifters, as they both conceal merchandise, and make it appear as though they have been legitimately purchased. These should also be kept out of the open and carefully controlled also. You never know who you are giving them to!
While working retail loss prevention, I remember seeing a shoplifter roll up her jacket sleeves, revealing some security tape that was wrapped around her arm. She immediately placed it over a comforter set that she had just selected from the shelf, and then proceeded to walk out of the store without paying for it.
Changing your shopping bags and colors of security tape on a regular basis also helps. This way, older shopping bags and other colors of security tape are more easily recognized as illegitimate. Giving away shopping bags and security tape to paying customers is inevitable but controlling how long different types of security tape and shopping bags are used will make these potential shoplifting tools much less useful to malicious thieves and deter shoplifting.
For more information contact us: Prevent Shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547
