Checkpoint Systems EAS alarm reports are broken down by hour of the day, and by day of the week for each location. The VisiPlus people traffic counter also reports its data by hour of the day, and by day of the week. When compared side by side, you can get a better understanding of theft activity in your stores, and also how to better staff your locations- even if it is just temporarily.
We found during a recent investigation that several of our stores were all starting to experience shortages of a specific item. Since this item was not one we had previously had issues with, we wondered if there was a particular group of shoplifters that were targeting us.
We started by having each store conduct an AM and a PM cycle count of the item. After a few days, we saw that the item had disappeared by the time we did our PM count. What was interesting was that all of our stores experienced the losses on the same day.
We tracked the item for another week, and sure enough, we incurred more losses on the same day of the week as the previous week- in all of our stores.
We decided that we needed to find a way to narrow down the losses to a more specific time of day- in the hopes of catching the shoplifters. We pulled our Checkpoint Systems reports and our VisiPlus people traffic counter reports. By comparing both reports from the day of the week we saw the losses, we noticed an influx in both alarms and in customers during a specific hour of the day.
We also noticed by comparing our other store’s VisiPlus people traffic counter reports and their Checkpoint Systems alarm reports, that we could track the starting point for this particular shoplifting ring. We calculated the drive time to the nearest store, and sure enough, that store had the same traffic and alarm increase during that time frame.
We went from store to store and compared how long it would take to drive to the next store, and matched that time with the times on the reports. We had discovered the shoplifter’s road map and plan of action.
The next week we were ready for them. Each store was staffed at the designated times based on the VisiPlus and Checkpoint Systems reports. Like clockwork, we found the shoplifters by watching who was taking the merchandise in question, and had them arrested as they attempted to steal from each of our stores.
Checkpoint Systems EAS alarm reports are broken down by hour of the day, and by day of the week for each location. The VisiPlus people traffic counter also reports its data by hour of the day, and by day of the week. When compared side by side, you can get a better understanding of theft activity in your stores, and also how to better staff your locations- even if it is just temporarily.
We found during a recent investigation that several of our stores were all starting to experience shortages of a specific item. Since this item was not one we had previously had issues with, we wondered if there was a particular group of shoplifters that were targeting us.
We started by having each store conduct an AM and a PM cycle count of the item. After a few days, we saw that the item had disappeared by the time we did our PM count. What was interesting was that all of our stores experienced the losses on the same day.
We tracked the item for another week, and sure enough, we incurred more losses on the same day of the week as the previous week- in all of our stores.
We decided that we needed to find a way to narrow down the losses to a more specific time of day- in the hopes of catching the shoplifters. We pulled our Checkpoint Systems reports and our VisiPlus people traffic counter reports. By comparing both reports from the day of the week we saw the losses, we noticed an influx in both alarms and in customers during a specific hour of the day.
We also noticed by comparing our other store’s VisiPlus people traffic counter reports and their Checkpoint Systems alarm reports, that we could track the starting point for this particular shoplifting ring. We calculated the drive time to the nearest store, and sure enough, that store had the same traffic and alarm increase during that time frame.
We went from store to store and compared how long it would take to drive to the next store, and matched that time with the times on the reports. We had discovered the shoplifter’s road map and plan of action.
The next week we were ready for them. Each store was staffed at the designated times based on the VisiPlus and Checkpoint Systems reports. Like clockwork, we found the shoplifters by watching who was taking the merchandise in question, and had them arrested as they attempted to steal from each of our stores.
We all know the story of Robin Hood and how he stole from the rich to give to the poor. He made his intentions very clear. He was taking back what rightfully belonged to the impoverished and mistreated people. He would never have stolen from his best mates, his family, or the lovely Maid Marian, as he was stealing back only what was owed to the people. He did not steal out of greed or desire. Robin Hood epitomized the ideal of honor amongst thieves.
Employee theft, from the eyes of the employees, is often regarded as a similar honorable action. Most employees who steal do not do so purely out of greed or desire. Even more employees would be insulted if asked if they would steal from a coworker. There is a certain detachment and justification that an employee mentally has when they steal from their employer.
The most common excuse an employee gives for why they steal is “because they owe me”. It is closely followed by “I am having financial hardship”. In both scenarios, the employee has justified why it is now ok to steal from their employer, when they would not even consider stealing from a co-worker.
The company is a larger entity. It is easier to dehumanize, where a co-worker is a name and a face and a personality. There is a lack of honor in stealing from someone personally. There is a different amount of honor retained if the victim is not a specific person, but rather the “company” or the “store”.
There are some people out there who have no qualms about stealing from their coworkers- especially when it comes to something valuable, or potentially untraceable such as cash. As such, it is important to provide your employees with a secure area to keep their belongings while they are on the clock working for you.
These theft incidents are fewer and less severe than the losses employees create when they steal cash or merchandise from their place of employment. The average admission to employee theft is well over a thousand dollars. When left undetected, it is not uncommon for an employee to be guilty of stealing tens of thousands of dollars over the course of a several year employment.
That is the key right there. Employees who steal typically do not get away with a theft once and then never do it again. Employees will continue to steal. They will refine their methods; they will increase in both frequency and dollar amount taken. Employees typically will only stop stealing from your business if one of two things happen; they quit, or they get noticed. The chance that an employee who is siphoning off several hundred or thousands of dollars in undetected compensation is very unlikely to want to leave the scheme they have set up.
That means it is up to the store to detect what is going on. Since the employee stealing is probably not going to steal from a coworker, you might not get that glaring red flag that something is going on. The employee will do their best to fly under the radar and take only what they feel like they are owed to them- the modern day Robin Hood.
For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.
We all know the story of Robin Hood and how he stole from the rich to give to the poor. He made his intentions very clear. He was taking back what rightfully belonged to the impoverished and mistreated people. He would never have stolen from his best mates, his family, or the lovely Maid Marian, as he was stealing back only what was owed to the people. He did not steal out of greed or desire. Robin Hood epitomized the ideal of honor amongst thieves.
Employee theft, from the eyes of the employees, is often regarded as a similar honorable action. Most employees who steal do not do so purely out of greed or desire. Even more employees would be insulted if asked if they would steal from a coworker. There is a certain detachment and justification that an employee mentally has when they steal from their employer.
The most common excuse an employee gives for why they steal is “because they owe me”. It is closely followed by “I am having financial hardship”. In both scenarios, the employee has justified why it is now ok to steal from their employer, when they would not even consider stealing from a co-worker.
The company is a larger entity. It is easier to dehumanize, where a co-worker is a name and a face and a personality. There is a lack of honor in stealing from someone personally. There is a different amount of honor retained if the victim is not a specific person, but rather the “company” or the “store”.
There are some people out there who have no qualms about stealing from their coworkers- especially when it comes to something valuable, or potentially untraceable such as cash. As such, it is important to provide your employees with a secure area to keep their belongings while they are on the clock working for you.
These theft incidents are fewer and less severe than the losses employees create when they steal cash or merchandise from their place of employment. The average admission to employee theft is well over a thousand dollars. When left undetected, it is not uncommon for an employee to be guilty of stealing tens of thousands of dollars over the course of a several year employment.
That is the key right there. Employees who steal typically do not get away with a theft once and then never do it again. Employees will continue to steal. They will refine their methods; they will increase in both frequency and dollar amount taken. Employees typically will only stop stealing from your business if one of two things happen; they quit, or they get noticed. The chance that an employee who is siphoning off several hundred or thousands of dollars in undetected compensation is very unlikely to want to leave the scheme they have set up.
That means it is up to the store to detect what is going on. Since the employee stealing is probably not going to steal from a coworker, you might not get that glaring red flag that something is going on. The employee will do their best to fly under the radar and take only what they feel like they are owed to them- the modern day Robin Hood.
For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.
California has legislation that will ban the practice of giving single use, plastic bags to carry purchased products from a store. Instead, grocers an the like will be required to have reusable shopping bags available for customer purchase, or charge a minimal fee per paper bag used to carry purchases. While there are many concerns posed to this new regulation, one of them is whether making customers carry their own bags around the store with them will lead to an increase in shoplifting incidents.
The concept of a reusable shopping bag is not new. Many grocers and retailers have been hopping on the “green” bandwagon for many years now. Some grocers in other states have even given a bag discount to shoppers who use their own bag instead of a paper or plastic one for the store. These stores who have voluntarily been encouraging their shoppers to bring reusable bags with them have not publicly reported an increase to their shrink numbers as a result, but that does not mean that those incidents are not happening.
As more retailers sell reusable bags, customers are bringing those same bags along with them on other shopping trips. Even if your particular store does not sell or encourage reusable bags, you can plan on their usage at some point in your store as their popularity with shoppers increases.
This is a prime example of how retail theft prevention needs to be more than a simple EAS device. It needs to stay on top of current trends to understand how different methods of loss can affect your store so you can be prepared to stop shoplifting.
To tackle the issue of shoplifters utilizing a shopping bag to conceal and steal merchandise, one must understand that this is not a new concept. Shoplifters have been using their own backpacks, purses, and duffels to steal product well before reusable bags became popular. Another trick was for shoplifters to take store plastic bags from cash wrap and then stuff merchandise into those- making it seem like they had actually purchased the items inside.
The flip side is that many legitimate customers come back into a store with a store plastic bag with merchandise to be returned. Sometimes the customer will take the bag and the product through the sales floor to find the merchandise they would like to exchange it with.
Because of this and other customer service issues, simply prohibiting customers from walking around the store with bags is not only a logistical nightmare but is not a practical or efficient was to stop shoplifting. In fact you will probably loose more paying customers by offending them, than you will deter shoplifters.
Actual shoplifters are sneaky, and will only hide their bags until they need to conceal merchandise within them, if all bags are prohibited on the sales floor. A better option is to allow customers to keep their bags with them, but maintain vigilance on how they are used. A warning flag would be if the customers are opening their bags or putting things inside of them. Most typical shoppers will keep all of their bags folded up together (or folded inside one of their bags) until it is time to check out.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Anti-Shoplifting devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop shoplifting in your store.
For more information on Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint Labels, a Checkpoint Security System, Checkpoint Security Tags, Checkpoint Systems, or Checkpoint Tags and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at Retail theft prevention to Stop Shoplifting in your store or call 1.770.426.0547
California has legislation that will ban the practice of giving single use, plastic bags to carry purchased products from a store. Instead, grocers an the like will be required to have reusable shopping bags available for customer purchase, or charge a minimal fee per paper bag used to carry purchases. While there are many concerns posed to this new regulation, one of them is whether making customers carry their own bags around the store with them will lead to an increase in shoplifting incidents.
The concept of a reusable shopping bag is not new. Many grocers and retailers have been hopping on the “green” bandwagon for many years now. Some grocers in other states have even given a bag discount to shoppers who use their own bag instead of a paper or plastic one for the store. These stores who have voluntarily been encouraging their shoppers to bring reusable bags with them have not publicly reported an increase to their shrink numbers as a result, but that does not mean that those incidents are not happening.
As more retailers sell reusable bags, customers are bringing those same bags along with them on other shopping trips. Even if your particular store does not sell or encourage reusable bags, you can plan on their usage at some point in your store as their popularity with shoppers increases.
This is a prime example of how retail theft prevention needs to be more than a simple EAS device. It needs to stay on top of current trends to understand how different methods of loss can affect your store so you can be prepared to stop shoplifting.
To tackle the issue of shoplifters utilizing a shopping bag to conceal and steal merchandise, one must understand that this is not a new concept. Shoplifters have been using their own backpacks, purses, and duffels to steal product well before reusable bags became popular. Another trick was for shoplifters to take store plastic bags from cash wrap and then stuff merchandise into those- making it seem like they had actually purchased the items inside.
The flip side is that many legitimate customers come back into a store with a store plastic bag with merchandise to be returned. Sometimes the customer will take the bag and the product through the sales floor to find the merchandise they would like to exchange it with.
Because of this and other customer service issues, simply prohibiting customers from walking around the store with bags is not only a logistical nightmare but is not a practical or efficient was to stop shoplifting. In fact you will probably loose more paying customers by offending them, than you will deter shoplifters.
Actual shoplifters are sneaky, and will only hide their bags until they need to conceal merchandise within them, if all bags are prohibited on the sales floor. A better option is to allow customers to keep their bags with them, but maintain vigilance on how they are used. A warning flag would be if the customers are opening their bags or putting things inside of them. Most typical shoppers will keep all of their bags folded up together (or folded inside one of their bags) until it is time to check out.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Anti-Shoplifting devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop shoplifting in your store.
For more information on Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint Labels, a Checkpoint Security System, Checkpoint Security Tags, Checkpoint Systems, or Checkpoint Tags and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at Retail theft prevention to Stop Shoplifting in your store or call 1.770.426.0547
Employee background checks are a fair way to validate information from a potential job applicant. Because there is no bias into the information found, this data can provide a better insight into the true nature of a job applicant. Typically, these checks will validate things like education and degree completion, employment with a specific company, and length of employment and job position. There might also be a criminal background check that looks for convictions (not arrests) within a court of law.
When this information can be determined, employers have another resource to determine if they want to hire a particular candidate. It also provides an incentive for a job candidate to be honest about whom they claim to be, as an employee background check should uncover any discrepancies.
So what happens if you cannot validate an applicant’s claims? As thorough as most checks are, sometimes there are pieces of information that cannot be substantiated. It is a result of a lack of data that has been reported. While many larger companies report employment histories to reporting agencies, some smaller businesses do not report.
Additionally, employees who have had their employment terminated for theft, but are not prosecuted, may not show up on reports for theft. It may show that the employment was terminated, but the reason might not be disclosed. In fact, for many companies, the actual reason for employee separation may not be revealed.
Previous employers have been successfully sued in the past for disclosing negative information about an employee. The judgments usually state that the employee is unfairly discriminated against when they seek future employment. The end result is that the next employer may know that the employee was terminated, but has no idea if it was for something as innocuous as absences, or something bigger like violence or theft.
Just because a previous employer does not, or will not report specifics about an employee does not mean you have no recourse to protect yourself and your business from a potentially bad hire. You may ask the employee why they left a certain company. You can ask them to disclose what they liked or disliked about their last job- that may lead to their sharing of information that gives you a better understanding of what was going on behind the scenes.
I recently had an applicant come in who had switched jobs every six months or so. After a combination of interviews and employee background checks it was revealed that the employee had been caught stealing at a previous job, and they were making him pay back the restitution. This employee then started stealing at several of his next employers to pay back the original employer’s restitution.
We had a hard time determining any information at first. The employee had worked for several small businesses that did not have any reporting systems in place. It wasn’t until we found the tiniest blip on the radar from the employee he stole from first. The only way we figured out what was going on was because his checks were being garnished for the restitution.
Even if we had not been able to uncover the previous thefts, we might still have turned down this applicant because of his quick turn around at his employers. We were looking for an employee who could reasonably give us a year’s worth of employment, not a month or two.
To purchase Pre-Employment Screening Services or for more information on background check experts, background checks, criminal background checks, employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547
Employee background checks are a fair way to validate information from a potential job applicant. Because there is no bias into the information found, this data can provide a better insight into the true nature of a job applicant. Typically, these checks will validate things like education and degree completion, employment with a specific company, and length of employment and job position. There might also be a criminal background check that looks for convictions (not arrests) within a court of law.
When this information can be determined, employers have another resource to determine if they want to hire a particular candidate. It also provides an incentive for a job candidate to be honest about whom they claim to be, as an employee background check should uncover any discrepancies.
So what happens if you cannot validate an applicant’s claims? As thorough as most checks are, sometimes there are pieces of information that cannot be substantiated. It is a result of a lack of data that has been reported. While many larger companies report employment histories to reporting agencies, some smaller businesses do not report.
Additionally, employees who have had their employment terminated for theft, but are not prosecuted, may not show up on reports for theft. It may show that the employment was terminated, but the reason might not be disclosed. In fact, for many companies, the actual reason for employee separation may not be revealed.
Previous employers have been successfully sued in the past for disclosing negative information about an employee. The judgments usually state that the employee is unfairly discriminated against when they seek future employment. The end result is that the next employer may know that the employee was terminated, but has no idea if it was for something as innocuous as absences, or something bigger like violence or theft.
Just because a previous employer does not, or will not report specifics about an employee does not mean you have no recourse to protect yourself and your business from a potentially bad hire. You may ask the employee why they left a certain company. You can ask them to disclose what they liked or disliked about their last job- that may lead to their sharing of information that gives you a better understanding of what was going on behind the scenes.
I recently had an applicant come in who had switched jobs every six months or so. After a combination of interviews and employee background checks it was revealed that the employee had been caught stealing at a previous job, and they were making him pay back the restitution.This employee then started stealing at several of his next employers to pay back the original employer’s restitution.
We had a hard time determining any information at first. The employee had worked for several small businesses that did not have any reporting systems in place. It wasn’t until we found the tiniest blip on the radar from the employee he stole from first. The only way we figured out what was going on was because his checks were being garnished for the restitution.
Even if we had not been able to uncover the previous thefts, we might still have turned down this applicant because of his quick turn around at his employers. We were looking for an employee who could reasonably give us a year’s worth of employment, not a month or two.
To purchase Pre-Employment Screening Services or for more information on background check experts, background checks, criminal background checks, employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547
One of the inevitable facts of owning or managing a retail store is that at some point you will be a victim of either shoplifting or employee theft. How you handle your assets during these losses, as well as what did you do to prevent them (previously or in the future), will be the determining factor as to whether or not you are set up for failure.
What many businesses run into is a lack of information as to how to effectively reduce the risk of shoplifting, or employee theft before it happens. Not every store has a budget for expensive EAS systems and the maintenance package to keep them running. Training employees to stop shoplifters can also be a no-go, depending upon the skill set of your average employees. Many small businesses cannot afford to hire employees who have reliable, complex decision making skills. Trusting them to manage a high impact situation is out of the question. Having a full time, dedicated loss prevention employee can also be a non-option due to payroll restraints.
That doesn’t mean that there are not other options to help you protect your assets and investments, as well as the reputation of your store. Loss prevention workshops are designed to help you find small business solutions that fit into your budget and your store’s specific needs.
This loss prevention training is essential for anyone in your organizational structure that would be in a position to execute loss prevention strategies. This could be any managers and key carriers. This could also be a great training for any employee working in your store.
Cashiers are usually the first and last person a customer sees because the cash wrap stands are positioned near entrance and exit doors. Training your cashiers on how customer service is an effective extension of loss prevention can help reduce your in store crimes, plus increase your customer loyalty.
If the employees working your sales floor understand that a clean, stocked and organized store makes it easier to spot missing merchandise, therefore increasing a shoplifter’s risk of getting caught, the employees might be more willing to do their jobs properly.
Even making small moves to inventory layouts within a store can make a reduction in the quantity of theft losses on a particular item. If you have an issue with a product, move it closer to a cash register where someone is frequently around to deter theft.
Having a set shelf quantity of an item can also help monitor a high theft item to determine where it is going an when. Instead of filling a hook or a shelf with all available product, limit it to only four or five pieces. Train your employees to count every time they pass the item. If one is missing, and has not been sold, you can narrow down the time since someone last saw it.
These are a few loss prevention techniques that would come from a training workshop that can effectively reduce inventory and asset losses, without ever having to make an apprehension of a shoplifter. These tactics do not require decision-making skills above the normal scope of an employee’s job description. They also do not require additional payroll expenses to ensure the programs execution.
Having a clearer understanding how each individual employee can make a positive impact of theft reduction, while continuing to operate within the standard job description strengthens your store’s defenses against theft and losses.
For more information on Loss Prevention Seminars, Loss Prevention Training, or Loss Prevention Workshop contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Systems website for more information on Retail Employee Theft and Retail Shoplifting problems and view the Retail Loss Prevention Seminars, Retail Loss Prevention Training and Retail Loss Prevention Workshop we offer to help with your Employee Theft and Shoplifting problems.
One of the inevitable facts of owning or managing a retail store is that at some point you will be a victim of either shoplifting or employee theft. How you handle your assets during these losses, as well as what did you do to prevent them (previously or in the future), will be the determining factor as to whether or not you are set up for failure.
What many businesses run into is a lack of information as to how to effectively reduce the risk of shoplifting, or employee theft before it happens. Not every store has a budget for expensive EAS systems and the maintenance package to keep them running. Training employees to stop shoplifters can also be a no-go, depending upon the skill set of your average employees. Many small businesses cannot afford to hire employees who have reliable, complex decision making skills. Trusting them to manage a high impact situation is out of the question. Having a full time, dedicated loss prevention employee can also be a non-option due to payroll restraints.
That doesn’t mean that there are not other options to help you protect your assets and investments, as well as the reputation of your store. Loss prevention workshops are designed to help you find small business solutions that fit into your budget and your store’s specific needs.
This loss prevention training is essential for anyone in your organizational structure that would be in a position to execute loss prevention strategies. This could be any managers and key carriers. This could also be a great training for any employee working in your store.
Cashiers are usually the first and last person a customer sees because the cash wrap stands are positioned near entrance and exit doors. Training your cashiers on how customer service is an effective extension of loss prevention can help reduce your in store crimes, plus increase your customer loyalty.
If the employees working your sales floor understand that a clean, stocked and organized store makes it easier to spot missing merchandise, therefore increasing a shoplifter’s risk of getting caught, the employees might be more willing to do their jobs properly. Even making small moves to inventory layouts within a store can make a reduction in the quantity of theft losses on a particular item. If you have an issue with a product, move it closer to a cash register where someone is frequently around to deter theft.
Having a set shelf quantity of an item can also help monitor a high theft item to determine where it is going an when. Instead of filling a hook or a shelf with all available product, limit it to only four or five pieces. Train your employees to count every time they pass the item. If one is missing, and has not been sold, you can narrow down the time since someone last saw it.
These are a few loss prevention techniques that would come from a training workshop that can effectively reduce inventory and asset losses, without ever having to make an apprehension of a shoplifter. These tactics do not require decision-making skills above the normal scope of an employee’s job description. They also do not require additional payroll expenses to ensure the programs execution.
Having a clearer understanding how each individual employee can make a positive impact of theft reduction, while continuing to operate within the standard job description strengthens your store’s defenses against theft and losses.
For more information on Loss Prevention Seminars, Loss Prevention Training, or Loss Prevention Workshop contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Systems website for more information on Retail Employee Theft and Retail Shoplifting problems and view the Retail Loss Prevention Seminars, Retail Loss Prevention Training and Retail Loss Prevention Workshop we offer to help with your Employee Theft and Shoplifting problems.
