Due To Shoplifting, No Large Bags Allowed!

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

 

SHARK TAGS TO STOP MAJOR RETURN FRAUD

BF02
Return fraud- 4
Alpha Shark Tags-4
SHARK TAGS TO STOP MAJOR RETURN FRAUD
At one point I worked for a retailer that had all sorts of shrink issues. Like, more than normal. They were losing money hand over fist! Almost to the point where the shrink issues alone were enough to shut the store down. Believe it or not, we discovered that the majority of the loss was coming from not only merchandise return fraud but by internal theft as well. My DLPM (District Loss Prevention Manager) wanted to focus on the meat of the issue up front, so we focused on running detailed exception reports for all associate activity involving all store transactions. We didn’t quite know where the loss was coming from but we had narrowed it down to transactions at the service desk. 
In analyzing a combination of CCTV footage and exception reports, we were able to determine that a high volume of fraudulent merchandise returns were being instituted between two hourly associates. Both of which regularly worked the Customer Service Desk. What we discovered was that one associate would keep a duplicate copy of random customer receipts while on register and she would gather them all up at the end of the evening to examine them. We saw this behavior on camera using the store PTZ systems. It was apparent that she would ‘shop’ the receipts for high dollar merchandise that customers had purchase. When she was done picking the receipts she wanted, she would simply take the receipt home with her overnight. 
The second associate involved in this particular case of return fraud, would be the one to actually initiate the transaction. However before I get more into this associate let me talk about the third player in this game: A family member of associate number two! The family member would come in and select particular items from the receipt that associate number one had provided to her prior. Usually the high dollar garment merchandise from the receipts. Items like boots, purses, leather coats and accessories. 
That family member would then take the items from the shelves, put them into his cart and push them up to associate number two (who again, was his family member working at the service desk). From there associate number two would proceed to process a complete refund, uninterrupted by management and provide cash to the family member. 
We observed the trio of subjects perform this very system multiple times during a course of three days. On day four, our DLPM consorted with store management and they decided to play a little game with the trio just to see their reaction. It was decided that the store would get in a supply of Alpha Shark Tags and initiate a tagging program of all garments. The Alpha Shark Tags work in conjunction with a good store return policy. It’s simple, if the tags are removed by the customer; they are not eligible for a full refund. This may greatly reduce the occurrence of people who intentionally plan to temporarily buy merchandise and return it later.
The next day all of the associates (including the two internal culprits) were briefly trained in the concept of using the tags on garments. Over the course of the next few days, all of the existing stock had been tagged and all of the inbound clothing was being tagged before rotation onto the sales floor. We had not yet made any apprehensions or interviews of the associates because we wanted to see the effectiveness of the tagging program in person. Day after day, we would observe associate number one and two conversing privately on CCTV. They would handle the Shark Tags during their conversations and it appeared that they were trying to work out a plan to get around them. Ultimately, they did not.
We let a couple of more days go by. No more return fraud was executed by the associates and the family member of this trio was never seen in the store afterwards. They simply couldn’t figure a way around the tagging program! They knew that if a Manager observed an associate processing a return for clothing that didn’t have a tag on them that they would be in hot water. So they ended their charade. 
In short time, we did decide to pull in both associates to interview them. They admitted to the return fraud and were ultimately terminated and prosecuted. Both of them said frankly that it was too much to figure out so they abandoned the scheme.  The tagging program also helped us with other external issues and also assisted in lowering the shrink numbers to a workable level.
To learn more about how Alpha Shark Tags can help prevent return fraud contact us at 1-770-426-0547.

At one point I worked for a retailer that had all sorts of shrink issues. Like, more than normal. They were losing money hand over fist! Almost to the point where the shrink issues alone were enough to shut the store down. Believe it or not, we discovered that the majority of the loss was coming from not only merchandise return fraud but by internal theft as well. My DLPM (District Loss Prevention Manager) wanted to focus on the meat of the issue up front, so we focused on running detailed exception reports for all associate activity involving all store transactions. We didn’t quite know where the loss was coming from but we had narrowed it down to transactions at the service desk. 

In analyzing a combination of CCTV footage and exception reports, we were able to determine that a high volume of fraudulent merchandise returns were being instituted between two hourly associates. Both of which regularly worked the Customer Service Desk. What we discovered was that one associate would keep a duplicate copy of random customer receipts while on register and she would gather them all up at the end of the evening to examine them. We saw this behavior on camera using the store PTZ systems. It was apparent that she would ‘shop’ the receipts for high dollar merchandise that customers had purchase. When she was done picking the receipts she wanted, she would simply take the receipt home with her overnight. 

The second associate involved in this particular case of return fraud, would be the one to actually initiate the transaction. However before I get more into this associate let me talk about the third player in this game: A family member of associate number two! The family member would come in and select particular items from the receipt that associate number one had provided to her prior. Usually the high dollar garment merchandise from the receipts. Items like boots, purses, leather coats and accessories. 

That family member would then take the items from the shelves, put them into his cart and push them up to associate number two (who again, was his family member working at the service desk). From there associate number two would proceed to process a complete refund, uninterrupted by management and provide cash to the family member. 

We observed the trio of subjects perform this very system multiple times during a course of three days. On day four, our DLPM consorted with store management and they decided to play a little game with the trio just to see their reaction. It was decided that the store would get in a supply of Alpha Shark Tags and initiate a tagging program of all garments. The Alpha Shark Tags work in conjunction with a good store return policy. It’s simple, if the tags are removed by the customer; they are not eligible for a full refund. This may greatly reduce the occurrence of people who intentionally plan to temporarily buy merchandise and return it later.

The next day all of the associates (including the two internal culprits) were briefly trained in the concept of using the tags on garments. Over the course of the next few days, all of the existing stock had been tagged and all of the inbound clothing was being tagged before rotation onto the sales floor. We had not yet made any apprehensions or interviews of the associates because we wanted to see the effectiveness of the tagging program in person. Day after day, we would observe associate number one and two conversing privately on CCTV. They would handle the Shark Tags during their conversations and it appeared that they were trying to work out a plan to get around them. Ultimately, they did not.

We let a couple of more days go by. No more return fraud was executed by the associates and the family member of this trio was never seen in the store afterwards. They simply couldn’t figure a way around the tagging program! They knew that if a Manager observed an associate processing a return for clothing that didn’t have a tag on them that they would be in hot water. So they ended their charade. 

In short time, we did decide to pull in both associates to interview them. They admitted to the return fraud and were ultimately terminated and prosecuted. Both of them said frankly that it was too much to figure out so they abandoned the scheme. The tagging program also helped us with other external issues and also assisted in lowering the shrink numbers to a workable level.

To learn more about how Alpha Shark Tags can help prevent return fraud contact us or call 1-770-426-0547.

 

ALPHA KEEPERS TURN THE TIDE AGAINST THIEVES TARGETING COMMONLY TARGETED ITEMS

BF09
Alpha Keepers- 4
Protect health and beauty products- 4
Protect razor blades- 3
Protect infant formula- 3
Prevent shoplifting- 4
ALPHA KEEPERS TURN THE TIDE AGAINST THIEVES TARGETING COMMONLY TARGETED ITEMS
It’s not an assumption but rather a predictable trend that shows that certain thieves have an affinity for specific products from retail and grocery stores nationwide. Some of these popular items are products that you may not even realize are ‘hot’ with shoplifters. However if you’re going to prevent shoplifting altogether, you need to learn how to protect health and beauty products in your store. Let’s examine with two of the most commonly targeted products.
Razor Blades
We’ve all seen them and most of us use them. Those expensive yet essential packs of disposable razor blade refills you see in the health and beauty aisle. I personally cringe every time I have to buy them because of two particular reasons. One of those is the price of the blades and the other is the way you have to access the blades to buy them. Being a loss prevention person, I fully understand that in order to profit from them, you have to protect razor blades in stores. High prices go hand in hand with the need to secure them with products like Alpha brand Alpha Keepers! This product works by completely encasing your product and making it completely inaccessible to the customer without removal. If they aren’t removed before leaving the store, they will trigger the stores EAS system by sending a RF (Radio Frequency) signal to it, alerting store personnel. 
Thieves target these razor blade refills because of the retail price versus the size of the product itself. They know that a typical 8 pack of blades can retail for $17 or more and they also know that they are really small in size. If a shoplifter has recognized that a retailer has failed to protect razorblades in their store, they will steal as many of them as possible with one grab. After all, they are very small and command a high resale price on the black market. This black market may include flea markets, online resale websites and small ‘mom and pop’ corner stores.
Infant Formula
Another hot product for thieves is infant formula. The theft of these essential products has forced virtually every retail store to protect infant formula on their shelves. In order to prevent shoplifting of these highly valuable products, essential to young babies, retailers have used Alpha Keeper products to deter would be thieves. When stores choose to display infant formula on their shelves, they often choose Alpha Products keepers to protect infant formula.
Thieves realize the value of infant formula similarly in the way they know the value of the aforementioned razor blades. It’s all the more reason to focus on ways to protect health and beauty products in your store. Shoplifting low lives know that infant formula and razor blades are often found within feet of each other on the shelves within stores. They get a two for one ‘shopping’ trip this way. The get the small expensive blades by the arm loads and the pricey tubs of infant formula by the cart load! 
By the way, knowledgeable crooks know that the powdered infant formulas are not only good for resale but the powdered version is also known to be used to ‘cut’ cocaine. Because cocaine in its purest form is often deadly, drug dealers often add powdered baby formula to the cocaine to thwart the toxicity of it. Stealing infant formula for addition to cocaine is more common around Border States in the southern portions of the U.S., however the practice is found in all areas. 
So it is exceptionally important to protect infant formula in your store not only to cushion the ‘bottom line’ of profitability in your store but to prevent the product from being used in the deadly widespread use of drugs in the United States. It’s double the reason to protect health and beauty products in your store. When you prevent shoplifting in your store, you may also be contributing to the war on drugs. The use of Alpha Keepers by Alpha High Theft Solutions is a huge preventative and excellent starting point towards keeping these products on your shelves and revenue flowing in your favor. I’ve seen it first hand in many grocery environments that I’ve worked loss prevention in.
Take the step to not only to protect infant formula in your store but also to protect razor blades too. You won’t regret it. You’ll put a frown on the faces of would be thieves and do your part to prevent shoplifting in your store!
For more information on how to protect health and beauty products with Alpha Keepers contact us at 1-770-426-0547.

It’s not an assumption but rather a predictable trend that shows that certain thieves have an affinity for specific products from retail and grocery stores nationwide. Some of these popular items are products that you may not even realize are ‘hot’ with shoplifters. However if you’re going to prevent shoplifting altogether, you need to learn how to protect health and beauty products in your store. Let’s examine with two of the most commonly targeted products.

Razor Blades

We’ve all seen them and most of us use them. Those expensive yet essential packs of disposable razor blade refills you see in the health and beauty aisle. I personally cringe every time I have to buy them because of two particular reasons. One of those is the price of the blades and the other is the way you have to access the blades to buy them. Being a loss prevention person, I fully understand that in order to profit from them, you have to protect razor blades in stores. High prices go hand in hand with the need to secure them with products like Alpha brand Alpha Keepers! This product works by completely encasing your product and making it completely inaccessible to the customer without removal. If they aren’t removed before leaving the store, they will trigger the stores EAS system by sending a RF (Radio Frequency) signal to it, alerting store personnel. 

Thieves target these razor blade refills because of the retail price versus the size of the product itself. They know that a typical 8 pack of blades can retail for $17 or more and they also know that they are really small in size. If a shoplifter has recognized that a retailer has failed to protect razorblades in their store, they will steal as many of them as possible with one grab. After all, they are very small and command a high resale price on the black market. This black market may include flea markets, online resale websites and small ‘mom and pop’ corner stores.

Infant Formula

Another hot product for thieves is infant formula. The theft of these essential products has forced virtually every retail store to protect infant formula on their shelves. In order to prevent shoplifting of these highly valuable products, essential to young babies, retailers have used Alpha Keeper products to deter would be thieves. When stores choose to display infant formula on their shelves, they often choose Alpha Products keepers to protect infant formula.

Thieves realize the value of infant formula similarly in the way they know the value of the aforementioned razor blades. It’s all the more reason to focus on ways to protect health and beauty products in your store. Shoplifting low lives know that infant formula and razor blades are often found within feet of each other on the shelves within stores. They get a two for one ‘shopping’ trip this way. The get the small expensive blades by the arm loads and the pricey tubs of infant formula by the cart load! 

By the way, knowledgeable crooks know that the powdered infant formulas are not only good for resale but the powdered version is also known to be used to ‘cut’ cocaine. Because cocaine in its purest form is often deadly, drug dealers often add powdered baby formula to the cocaine to thwart the toxicity of it. Stealing infant formula for addition to cocaine is more common around Border States in the southern portions of the U.S., however the practice is found in all areas. 

So it is exceptionally important to protect infant formula in your store not only to cushion the ‘bottom line’ of profitability in your store but to prevent the product from being used in the deadly widespread use of drugs in the United States. It’s double the reason to protect health and beauty products in your store. When you prevent shoplifting in your store, you may also be contributing to the war on drugs. The use of Alpha Keepers by Alpha High Theft Solutions is a huge preventative and excellent starting point towards keeping these products on your shelves and revenue flowing in your favor. I’ve seen it first hand in many grocery environments that I’ve worked loss prevention in.

Take the step to not only to protect infant formula in your store but also to protect razor blades too. You won’t regret it. You’ll put a frown on the faces of would be thieves and do your part to prevent shoplifting in your store!

For more information on how to protect health and beauty products with Alpha Keepers contact us  or call 1-770-426-0547.