WRAPPED UP WITH SPIDER WRAPS
What a rough few weeks this has been…. I really love when I get to come out of my office and get to work out on the floor. Usually, I’m stuck behind a desk and computer while my teams get to have all the fun. I’m very lucky to work with such a motivated team. It is truly amazing just how many shoplifters we catch each and every week. I am also thankful for the almighty Alpha Spider Wrap. If not for these tools, I may lose thousands this year.
Of course, if you weren’t living under a rock, you’d know that this season’s hottest new tech gadgets were those so called hoverboards. While they don’t really fly, they sure as heck flew off our shelves! With a price point of nearly $500, I was truly surprised at how well these items sold for us. On the other side of the spectrum, we had a duo try to make off with several of them. It’s a good thing we knew a thing or two about how to prevent shoplifting.
I came in one morning and noticed that our display was missing 4 hover boards. Awesome, I thought. That’s $2k in sales! Woohoo!! So I make it to my desk and start running my daily reports and I notice that I didn’t see a sale for those items the day before. Not good… Not good at all. A bit of camera research and a pot of coffee later, I found our culprits. Male and female waltz into the store, place 4 hover boards in a shopping cart and stroll out of the front door. No one batted an eye. I was beyond mad. I pay two people to verify receipts at the door; their primary job is to prevent shoplifting by being a physical presence. You obviously can’t do that if you’re too busy playing on your phone.
I sent out an area bolo with pictures of the suspects and made a felony theft report with my local police department. By that afternoon, several stores had contacted me as they also had been victimized by this pair. Altogether, they hit 5 stores, stealing 4 per store in a single day. That’s $10,000 in one day. ONE DAY! Time for some serious soul searching. Time, my friends, to use some spider wraps.
Within an hour or so, I had all the stores in the district use some left over spider wraps to protect these products. Hindsight is 2020 I suppose…. I then began running down any and all leads I could develop. I had to catch them before they started selling the product and I would be out that money for good. Looking at the stores they targeted, I noticed a distinct pattern that they stuck to. If I were to surmise, based on that pattern, I knew exactly where they were headed to next. I jumped in the car and high-tailed it across town. I knew that all the EAS devices in the world wouldn’t prevent shoplifting; I would have to physically stop these two; with a little help.
I was right on the money. About two hours after I arrived at the store, the lovely couple arrived. They quickly found the hover board display and began loading them up, as they did the previous day. The female noticed the spider wraps, but it wasn’t going to stop them. 4 more in the buggy and out the door they went. I was ready though…
Once outside the store, they figured they were home free; with no idea that I, along with several police officers were watching; waiting for them to get to their vehicle. They quickly loaded the hover boards into the back seat and jumped in. They went nowhere. Before they could blink an eye, they were surrounded by law enforcement. Once detained, officers opened the trunk and found every hover board that had been stolen. I was lucky enough to recover my product and send these two up the river for a few weeks.
For more information about Alpha Spider Wraps, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
What a rough few weeks this has been. I really love when I get to come out of my office and get to work out on the floor. Usually, I’m stuck behind a desk and computer while my teams get to have all the fun. I’m very lucky to work with such a motivated team. It is truly amazing just how many shoplifters we catch each and every week. I am also thankful for the almighty Alpha Spider Wrap. If not for these tools, I may lose thousands this year.
Of course, if you weren’t living under a rock, you’d know that this season’s hottest new tech gadgets were those so called hoverboards. While they don’t really fly, they sure as heck flew off our shelves! With a price point of nearly $500, I was truly surprised at how well these items sold for us. On the other side of the spectrum, we had a duo try to make off with several of them. It’s a good thing we knew a thing or two about how to prevent shoplifting.
I came in one morning and noticed that our display was missing 4 hover boards. Awesome, I thought. That’s $2k in sales! Woohoo!! So I make it to my desk and start running my daily reports and I notice that I didn’t see a sale for those items the day before. Not good… Not good at all. A bit of camera research and a pot of coffee later, I found our culprits. Male and female waltz into the store, place 4 hover boards in a shopping cart and stroll out of the front door. No one batted an eye. I was beyond mad. I pay two people to verify receipts at the door; their primary job is to prevent shoplifting by being a physical presence. You obviously can’t do that if you’re too busy playing on your phone.
I sent out an area bolo with pictures of the suspects and made a felony theft report with my local police department. By that afternoon, several stores had contacted me as they also had been victimized by this pair. Altogether, they hit 5 stores, stealing 4 per store in a single day. That’s $10,000 in one day. ONE DAY! Time for some serious soul searching. Time, my friends, to use some spider wraps.
Within an hour or so, I had all the stores in the district use some left over spider wraps to protect these products. Hindsight is 2020 I suppose…. I then began running down any and all leads I could develop. I had to catch them before they started selling the product and I would be out that money for good. Looking at the stores they targeted, I noticed a distinct pattern that they stuck to. If I were to surmise, based on that pattern, I knew exactly where they were headed to next. I jumped in the car and high-tailed it across town. I knew that all the EAS devices in the world wouldn’t prevent shoplifting; I would have to physically stop these two; with a little help.
I was right on the money. About two hours after I arrived at the store, the lovely couple arrived. They quickly found the hover board display and began loading them up, as they did the previous day. The female noticed the spider wraps, but it wasn’t going to stop them. 4 more in the buggy and out the door they went. I was ready though…
Once outside the store, they figured they were home free; with no idea that I, along with several police officers were watching; waiting for them to get to their vehicle. They quickly loaded the hover boards into the back seat and jumped in. They went nowhere. Before they could blink an eye, they were surrounded by law enforcement. Once detained, officers opened the trunk and found every hover board that had been stolen. I was lucky enough to recover my product and send these two up the river for a few weeks.
For more information about Alpha Spider Wraps, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Liquor Bottle Security-5 WC blog 77
Bottle Locks-4
Bottle Locks Are A Barrier to Liquor Bottle Theft From Bars
Owning a bar or a club with a bar can be an extremely profitable business. Like any business though, there are challenges in preventing theft which can, if not addressed, put an owner out of business. It may be cash theft by an employee stealing from the register. Your business could be the victim of a robbery and your register gets cleaned out. Perhaps a dishonest bartender is stealing profits by over pouring alcohol into the drinks of friends. Another method to steal your profits is the bartender who simply does not charge someone for drinks. Bottle theft can also be a cause for concern. Bottle theft can occur by employees, as well as by patrons. Take for instance a recent case in Oregon where four women were arrested after they were caught trying to steal bottles of alcohol from behind the bar during a fight (Oregonlive.com, story by Everton Bailey Jr., December 15, 2015). In August 2015, a man in Corpus Christi was arrested after he had reached over the counter twice and stole two bottles of alcohol (KZTV10.com, story by Aaron Blaser, August 25, 2015). In March 2015 a man stole eight bottles of alcohol valued at $367 from a restaurant bar in New York while employees were going in and out for deliveries (dnainfo.com, story by Rosa Goldensohn, April 3, 2015). Liquor bottle security is not an easy task. An employee cannot be behind the bar ALL the time, there are going to be instances when they have to step out from behind a bar, or go to one end of the bar or the other. Even if you could prevent the chances of a customer stealing bottles, how do you provide liquor bottle security against the dishonest employee? Bottle Locks are the key to your dilemma.
Bottle locks are designed to go over the top of a bottle and secure the bottle cap from being opened. Locks come in a number of designs from a collar device that goes around the neck of the bottle to a full bottle cap cover that prevents the cap from being opened without a special key. Should someone take a bottle protected with a bottle lock they would be unable to open the cap and quite possibly, they could wind up breaking the bottle, a losing proposition for a thief. Added to the protection of preventing a bottle to be opened, bottle locks also are designed to work with electronic article surveillance systems. If a bar was protected with an EAS antenna and someone were to try to take a bottle out of a bar and the bottle had a lock on it, it would activate the EAS antenna. A person trying to sneak a bottle out would be exposed and staff could recover the stolen item. The same thing would happen to an employee who might attempt to steal from the bar. Liquor bottle security could then dissuade employees from engaging in dishonest activity because the temptation that might exist to steal is removed.
I mentioned earlier that a special detachment key is used to remove bottle locks. There are several types of detachment keys available, but for the best liquor bottle security a bar could secure several multi-detachment keys to the bar itself based on the length of the bar. The base has a barrel lock that can lock the detachment key to the base preventing it from being removed from the base and stolen. When the keys will not be used they can be locked, and while the bar is open the keys can be unlocked from the bases. The keys are attached to the base by a flexible lanyard that allows it to be used up to the length of the lanyard. The key can’t be lost or stolen because it is attached by the lanyard.
There are enough challenges facing bar owners and managers in running a profitable operation. Make liquor bottle security a priority by using bottle locks on all your products and see the impact they can make.
For more information on Liquor Bottle Security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Owning a bar or a club with a bar can be an extremely profitable business. Like any business though, there are challenges in preventing theft which can, if not addressed, put an owner out of business. It may be cash theft by an employee stealing from the register. Your business could be the victim of a robbery and your register gets cleaned out. Perhaps a dishonest bartender is stealing profits by over pouring alcohol into the drinks of friends. Another method to steal your profits is the bartender who simply does not charge someone for drinks. Bottle theft can also be a cause for concern. Bottle theft can occur by employees, as well as by patrons. Take for instance a recent case in Oregon where four women were arrested after they were caught trying to steal bottles of alcohol from behind the bar during a fight (Oregonlive.com, story by Everton Bailey Jr., December 15, 2015). In August 2015, a man in Corpus Christi was arrested after he had reached over the counter twice and stole two bottles of alcohol (KZTV10.com, story by Aaron Blaser, August 25, 2015). In March 2015 a man stole eight bottles of alcohol valued at $367 from a restaurant bar in New York while employees were going in and out for deliveries (dnainfo.com, story by Rosa Goldensohn, April 3, 2015). Liquor bottle security is not an easy task. An employee cannot be behind the bar ALL the time, there are going to be instances when they have to step out from behind a bar, or go to one end of the bar or the other. Even if you could prevent the chances of a customer stealing bottles, how do you provide liquor bottle security against the dishonest employee? Bottle Locks are the key to your dilemma.
Bottle locks are designed to go over the top of a bottle and secure the bottle cap from being opened. Locks come in a number of designs from a collar device that goes around the neck of the bottle to a full bottle cap cover that prevents the cap from being opened without a special key. Should someone take a bottle protected with a bottle lock they would be unable to open the cap and quite possibly, they could wind up breaking the bottle, a losing proposition for a thief. Added to the protection of preventing a bottle to be opened, bottle locks also are designed to work with electronic article surveillance systems. If a bar was protected with an EAS antenna and someone were to try to take a bottle out of a bar and the bottle had a lock on it, it would activate the EAS antenna. A person trying to sneak a bottle out would be exposed and staff could recover the stolen item. The same thing would happen to an employee who might attempt to steal from the bar. Liquor bottle security could then dissuade employees from engaging in dishonest activity because the temptation that might exist to steal is removed.
I mentioned earlier that a special detachment key is used to remove bottle locks. There are several types of detachment keys available, but for the best liquor bottle security a bar could secure several multi-detachment keys to the bar itself based on the length of the bar. The base has a barrel lock that can lock the detachment key to the base preventing it from being removed from the base and stolen. When the keys will not be used they can be locked, and while the bar is open the keys can be unlocked from the bases. The keys are attached to the base by a flexible lanyard that allows it to be used up to the length of the lanyard. The key can’t be lost or stolen because it is attached by the lanyard.
There are enough challenges facing bar owners and managers in running a profitable operation. Make liquor bottle security a priority by using bottle locks on all your products and see the impact they can make.
For more information on Liquor Bottle Security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
50 ITEMS THAT SHOULD BE PROTECTED WITH CHECKPOINT LABELS – PT2
We started our last segment with 5 common grocery items that should be protected with Checkpoint Labels in order to deter shoplifting. I’m going to continue on that theme with several more commonly stolen grocery items that retailers often overlook with developing their product protection strategies.
6. Bacon
Yes, the almighty bacon. You may not think twice, but the higher quality packs can sell upwards of $10-$15 and higher. That’s a lot of scratch for a bit of fat. A strategically placed Checkpoint Label will deter any would-be thief from attempting to steal your bacon.
7. Prepared Foods
Most grocers have a prepared food section. Small plate lunches, packaged sides such as red beans and rice, or Mac and Cheese are staples of this area. Most are prepared in house and displayed in plastic containers. These are great money making items and can really increase margins in your store, as they appeal to hungry customers who pass by and smell the deliciousness. If you’re not using EAS labels here, you are opening yourself up to a ton of loss. These items are incredibly easy to swipe.
8. Pet Food
Let’s not forget about our four legged friends. They have to eat too! While I’ve never run across a shoplifting basset hound, or a true cat burglar, I can guarantee some dishonest owners are swiping your pet food, especially the more expensive, organic varieties. The most common form of theft I’ve seen here is the old bottom of the basket trick. This can easily be detected and stopped by using Checkpoint Labels on your stock. This will sound the alarm at the doors and keep the kibble in your pockets.
9. Alcohol Gift Sets
I’m in a rather unique area of the world. Here in southern Louisiana, I can walk into any grocery store, big box retailer or corner pharmacy and purchase hard liquor. Yep, that’s right, there are no such things as liquor stores around here. It is still strange to me when I travel out of state and can’t go down to the pharmacy and buy a bottle of spirits. You’ve all probably seen those gift sets that are most prevalent during the holidays. Choice alcohol that comes packaged in a box, usually with a few shot glasses. It’s impossible to secure these with bottle locks, or similar items, but a Checkpoint label works wonders. The EAS Label can be easily applied to both the inside of the box, as well as directly on the bottle, to discourage any type of theft.
10. High End Chocolate
Ever walk into one of those speciality chocolate stores in the mall, and wonder who in their right mind is paying $35 for a bar of candy? Me too… I’m also positive that those stores see a ton of shoplifting as a result of those values. EAS Labels make for an outstanding deterrent to theft here. A thief isn’t going to risk removing the chocolate from its protective packaging, decreasing the likelihood of a theft.
For more information about Checkpoint Labels, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
We started our last segment with 5 common grocery items that should be protected with Checkpoint Labels in order to deter shoplifting. I’m going to continue on that theme with several more commonly stolen grocery items that retailers often overlook with developing their product protection strategies.
6. Bacon
Yes, the almighty bacon. You may not think twice, but the higher quality packs can sell upwards of $10-$15 and higher. That’s a lot of scratch for a bit of fat. A strategically placed Checkpoint Label will deter any would-be thief from attempting to steal your bacon.
7. Prepared Foods
Most grocers have a prepared food section. Small plate lunches, packaged sides such as red beans and rice, or Mac and Cheese are staples of this area. Most are prepared in house and displayed in plastic containers. These are great money making items and can really increase margins in your store, as they appeal to hungry customers who pass by and smell the deliciousness. If you’re not using EAS labels here, you are opening yourself up to a ton of loss. These items are incredibly easy to swipe.
8. Pet Food
Let’s not forget about our four legged friends. They have to eat too! While I’ve never run across a shoplifting basset hound, or a true cat burglar, I can guarantee some dishonest owners are swiping your pet food, especially the more expensive, organic varieties. The most common form of theft I’ve seen here is the old bottom of the basket trick. This can easily be detected and stopped by using Checkpoint Labels on your stock. This will sound the alarm at the doors and keep the kibble in your pockets.
9. Alcohol Gift Sets
I’m in a rather unique area of the world. Here in southern Louisiana, I can walk into any grocery store, big box retailer or corner pharmacy and purchase hard liquor. Yep, that’s right, there are no such things as liquor stores around here. It is still strange to me when I travel out of state and can’t go down to the pharmacy and buy a bottle of spirits. You’ve all probably seen those gift sets that are most prevalent during the holidays. Choice alcohol that comes packaged in a box, usually with a few shot glasses. It’s impossible to secure these with bottle locks, or similar items, but a Checkpoint label works wonders. The EAS Label can be easily applied to both the inside of the box, as well as directly on the bottle, to discourage any type of theft.
10. High End Chocolate
Ever walk into one of those speciality chocolate stores in the mall, and wonder who in their right mind is paying $35 for a bar of candy? Me too… I’m also positive that those stores see a ton of shoplifting as a result of those values. EAS Labels make for an outstanding deterrent to theft here. A thief isn’t going to risk removing the chocolate from its protective packaging, decreasing the likelihood of a theft.
For more information about Checkpoint Labels, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
