Prevent Shoplifting -4 WC Blog 497
Alpha Security-5
Alpha Security Can Cure Alcohol Theft Crime
Alcohol theft is a concern for stores that sell beer, wine and spirits and trying to find a solution to prevent shoplifting. You may operate a small retail store and sell alcoholic beverages in your establishment. You may have even experienced a shoplifter trying to steal a bottle or can here or there. As a Loss Prevention Manager for a national retail store that carried wine, I had the experience of stopping a few customers trying to steal alcohol. It was relatively new for our company to carry spirits so I did not see a lot of theft in this department but there was some. I knew a bottle or two could be concealed in a jacket or a purse, and I would even believe a thief could put one down their pants based on other items I had caught people stealing. I was shocked when I came across a story on the internet and confirmed by several websites of a shoplifter who stole 18 bottles of liquor by concealing them in her purse and under various parts of her clothing! http://fox6now.com/2017/08/23/watch-woman-caught-on-video-stealing-18-bottles-of-liquor-in-her-clothes/ The story was posted by Fox 6 now on August 23, 2017and shows a store surveillance video of the woman as she was stealing. This theft as well as several others I found that were interesting may have been prevented if the stores had used electronic article surveillance (EAS) and Alpha Security tags to deter or detect the thefts.
If you do not use an EAS system in your store or are unfamiliar with it and Alpha Security tags allow me explain what they are and how they prevent theft. EAS systems function by the use of radio frequency waves transmitted by hard and soft tags to activate tower alarms usually located by a store entrance and exit. You have probably observed these towers in stores regularly and simply not known what they are or what they do. If merchandise that is tagged with a hard or soft tag comes too close to a tower an alarm built into the tower is set off. The alarm elicits a response from store employees who conduct receipt checks and recover merchandise to prevent shoplifting (it also helps in recovering merchandise that is missed by a cashier during the checkout process which otherwise leads to operational shortage). Soft tags are peeled from rolls and can be applied to a variety of products and surfaces such as cardboard manufacturer hang tags, plastic blister packs and cellophane and shrink wraps. Hard tags either pin or clip to merchandise or in the case of bottle protection clamp over the bottle cap and part of the neck. In the situations I am describing above involving alcohol bottle thefts, the use of a lock such as the Alpha Security Versa Guard would have deterred the shoplifter or would have caused an alarm at the door as she neared it to leave.
Lest you think the case of the thirsty thief I discussed above was an isolated incident, in another story from sonomanews.com, November 9, 2017 by Bill Hoban, “Sonoma Market’s wine-stealing trio still at large”, the reporter refers to a case in which, “Sonoma Police are looking for three woman who are suspected of walking out of a Sonoma Market on Nov. 4, with more than $1,150 of high priced wine.” The story goes on to say that employees reported 22 bottles missing. http://www.sonomanews.com/news/7620008-181/wine-stealing-trio-at-large That is roughly 7 bottles per person to not only conceal but carry out of a store. I have never visited this store but I can say that from the pictures I was able to view it does not appear Alpha Security bottle locks are being used or if they are it is in a limited manner. I will also say that from the picture of the three suspects leaving the store it does not appear there are EAS towers in use but the image could be misleading. If bottle locks are being used they should be used on all alcoholic beverages. Limiting what is tagged in a store only sends a would-be shoplifter to an item of a lower price point but you won’t prevent shoplifting from taking place. Finally, using bottle locks without an EAS system in place severely limits the effectiveness in theft prevention.
Alcohol theft is nothing to laugh about even if the thought of someone clinking out of a store with eighteen bottles hidden under their clothes and in a purse is amusing to consider. Don’t be a victim yourself, use Alpha Security bottle locks and an EAS system in your store to prevent shoplifting and keep profits up.
Need information on Alpha Security? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Alcohol theft is a concern for stores that sell beer, wine and spirits and trying to find a solution to prevent shoplifting. You may operate a small retail store and sell alcoholic beverages in your establishment. You may have even experienced a shoplifter trying to steal a bottle or can here or there. As a Loss Prevention Manager for a national retail store that carried wine, I had the experience of stopping a few customers trying to steal alcohol. It was relatively new for our company to carry spirits so I did not see a lot of theft in this department but there was some. I knew a bottle or two could be concealed in a jacket or a purse, and I would even believe a thief could put one down their pants based on other items I had caught people stealing. I was shocked when I came across a story on the internet and confirmed by several websites of a shoplifter who stole 18 bottles of liquor by concealing them in her purse and under various parts of her clothing! http://fox6now.com/2017/08/23/watch-woman-caught-on-video-stealing-18-bottles-of-liquor-in-her-clothes/. The story was posted by Fox 6 now on August 23, 2017 and shows a store surveillance video of the woman as she was stealing. This theft as well as several others I found that were interesting may have been prevented if the stores had used electronic article surveillance (EAS) and Alpha Security tags to deter or detect the thefts.
If you do not use an EAS system in your store or are unfamiliar with it and Alpha Security tags allow me to explain what they are and how they prevent theft. EAS systems function by the use of radio frequency waves transmitted by hard and soft tags to activate tower alarms usually located by a store entrance and exit. You have probably observed these towers in stores regularly and simply not known what they are or what they do. If merchandise that is tagged with a hard or soft tag comes too close to a tower an alarm built into the tower is set off. The alarm elicits a response from store employees who conduct receipt checks and recover merchandise to prevent shoplifting (it also helps in recovering merchandise that is missed by a cashier during the checkout process which otherwise leads to operational shortage). Soft tags are peeled from rolls and can be applied to a variety of products and surfaces such as cardboard manufacturer hang tags, plastic blister packs and cellophane and shrink wraps. Hard tags either pin or clip to merchandise or in the case of bottle protection clamp over the bottle cap and part of the neck. In the situations I am describing above involving alcohol bottle thefts, the use of a lock such as the Alpha Security Versa Guard would have deterred the shoplifter or would have caused an alarm at the door as she neared it to leave.
Lest you think the case of the thirsty thief I discussed above was an isolated incident, in another story from sonomanews.com, November 9, 2017 by Bill Hoban, “Sonoma Market’s wine-stealing trio still at large”, the reporter refers to a case in which, “Sonoma Police are looking for three woman who are suspected of walking out of a Sonoma Market on Nov. 4, with more than $1,150 of high priced wine.” The story goes on to say that employees reported 22 bottles missing. http://www.sonomanews.com/news/7620008-181/wine-stealing-trio-at-large. That is roughly 7 bottles per person to not only conceal but carry out of a store. I have never visited this store but I can say that from the pictures I was able to view it does not appear Alpha Security bottle locks are being used or if they are it is in a limited manner. I will also say that from the picture of the three suspects leaving the store it does not appear there are EAS towers in use but the image could be misleading. If bottle locks are being used they should be used on all alcoholic beverages. Limiting what is tagged in a store only sends a would-be shoplifter to an item of a lower price point but you won’t prevent shoplifting from taking place. Finally, using bottle locks without an EAS system in place severely limits the effectiveness in theft prevention.
Alcohol theft is nothing to laugh about even if the thought of someone clinking out of a store with eighteen bottles hidden under their clothes and in a purse is amusing to consider. Don’t be a victim yourself, use Alpha Security bottle locks and an EAS system in your store to prevent shoplifting and keep profits up.
Need information on Alpha Security? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Low Profile Checkpoint System – 3 WC Blog 505
Checkpoint Overhead System – 4
Raise Profits With A Low Profile Checkpoint System
For retailers longing for a low profile Checkpoint system Loss Prevention Systems Inc. has the answer to your predicament. Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) is a great way to prevent shoplifting in stores. Just the presence of towers positioned at the front doors and tags on products can be all that is needed to turn a shoplifter around and send them out the door to commit their crimes somewhere else. As a former Retail Loss Prevention Manager for 14 years and possessing 27 years of retail experience I have seen the impact on theft reduction EAS can have in a store. I am also aware that while there are some stores that have an EAS system the owners would love to see the towers go away. Some feel they are a distraction and others believe they make customers feel like they are not trusted when they walk into the building (especially if it is an upscale look the retailer is attempting to present). This is not to imply the owners don’t want the protections of EAS they just don’t want the first thing a customer sees when they walk into a store to be the tower. This is why Bill Bregar, CEO of Loss Prevention Systems Inc. has introduced the Checkpoint Overhead System into the lineup of Checkpoint products offered by LPSI.
It is important to discuss the differences between the traditional towers most of the readers are familiar with and the Checkpoint Overhead System. Both operate using electronic article surveillance technology where an EAS tag emits a radio wave that is received by a tower and the tower then makes a loud (and annoying) beeping sound and flashes lights. The alarm and lights get the attention of employees who check on the cause of the activation and conduct receipt checks determining the cause for the alarm and recovering merchandise in the process. The EAS system itself is wonderful at preventing theft and pays for itself in the process. The issue that some owners have, as I mentioned in the beginning is that the appearance of the towers can be a distraction to some. The low profile Checkpoint system takes the distraction of the tower out of the equation. Because it mounts to the ceiling there are no antennas on the floor and the Checkpoint Overhead System is out of sight of the customer. It offers all the protection of EAS, none of the visual distraction.
Some of you who already have an EAS system may be asking if the low profile Checkpoint system can be as effective as the EAS towers you currently have or at least are familiar with. Yes there is an added perk to using them. I remember once as a Loss Prevention Associate a number of years ago I had a VERY tall gentleman, fill a garbage bag with merchandise, toss it over his shoulder and walk out of the store. The would-be shoplifter walked right through our EAS towers but he was so tall the tagged items were not picked up by the receivers! The Checkpoint Overhead System eliminates this potential problem. System coverage all the way to the floor from the ceiling ensures nothing can get past the unit without being captured by the unit.
You may also be wondering if you have to use different Checkpoint tags than what you already have if you were to transition to the new low profile Checkpoint system. The answer to that question is, “No.” The tags you currently use are compatible with the new system and require no changes or adjustments to the tags you are already using. The only thing that changes is the look of the store without the towers at the front doors.
EAS protection to prevent shoplifting is important and it adds profit to the bottom line of a store. Recognizing the fact that there are malls that will not permit EAS towers and retailers who want an upscale look the Checkpoint Overhead System is the right fit for you. Don’t allow mall policies or appearance concerns keep you from making business decisions that impact your profitability. Have a low profile Checkpoint system installed.
Need information on a low profile Checkpoint system? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
For retailers longing for a low profile Checkpoint system Loss Prevention Systems Inc. has the answer to your predicament. Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) is a great way to prevent shoplifting in stores. Just the presence of towers positioned at the front doors and tags on products can be all that is needed to turn a shoplifter around and send them out the door to commit their crimes somewhere else. As a former Retail Loss Prevention Manager for 14 years and possessing 27 years of retail experience I have seen the impact on theft reduction EAS can have in a store. I am also aware that while there are some stores that have an EAS system the owners would love to see the towers go away. Some feel they are a distraction and others believe they make customers feel like they are not trusted when they walk into the building (especially if it is an upscale look the retailer is attempting to present). This is not to imply the owners don’t want the protections of EAS they just don’t want the first thing a customer sees when they walk into a store to be the tower. This is why Bill Bregar, CEO of Loss Prevention Systems Inc. has introduced the Checkpoint Overhead System into the lineup of Checkpoint products offered by LPSI.
It is important to discuss the differences between the traditional towers most of the readers are familiar with and the Checkpoint Overhead System. Both operate using electronic article surveillance technology where an EAS tag emits a radio wave that is received by a tower and the tower then makes a loud (and annoying) beeping sound and flashes lights. The alarm and lights get the attention of employees who check on the cause of the activation and conduct receipt checks determining the cause for the alarm and recovering merchandise in the process. The EAS system itself is wonderful at preventing theft and pays for itself in the process. The issue that some owners have, as I mentioned in the beginning is that the appearance of the towers can be a distraction to some. The low profile Checkpoint system takes the distraction of the tower out of the equation. Because it mounts to the ceiling there are no antennas on the floor and the Checkpoint Overhead System is out of sight of the customer. It offers all the protection of EAS, none of the visual distraction.
Some of you who already have an EAS system may be asking if the low profile Checkpoint system can be as effective as the EAS towers you currently have or at least are familiar with. Yes there is an added perk to using them. I remember once as a Loss Prevention Associate a number of years ago I had a VERY tall gentleman, fill a garbage bag with merchandise, toss it over his shoulder and walk out of the store. The would-be shoplifter walked right through our EAS towers but he was so tall the tagged items were not picked up by the receivers! The Checkpoint Overhead System eliminates this potential problem. System coverage all the way to the floor from the ceiling ensures nothing can get past the unit without being captured by the unit.
You may also be wondering if you have to use different Checkpoint tags than what you already have if you were to transition to the new low profile Checkpoint system. The answer to that question is, “No.” The tags you currently use are compatible with the new system and require no changes or adjustments to the tags you are already using. The only thing that changes is the look of the store without the towers at the front doors.
EAS protection to prevent shoplifting is important and it adds profit to the bottom line of a store. Recognizing the fact that there are malls that will not permit EAS towers and retailers who want an upscale look the Checkpoint Overhead System is the right fit for you. Don’t allow mall policies or appearance concerns keep you from making business decisions that impact your profitability. Have a low profile Checkpoint system installed.
Need information on a low profile Checkpoint system? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Prevent Shoplifting-4 WC Blog 440
Alpha Keepers-4
Canine Crooks And Other Criminal Capers Can Be Prevented With Alpha Keepers
As I have been spending time on the internet looking for the latest crime trends I came across a recent trend that has me very concerned as a Loss Prevention professional…animal theft. You read that correctly animal theft, specifically dogs and birds gone bad. I had no idea that it was taking place but it is happening in stores world-wide and I have to “paws” and wonder, what happens to birds that steal, instead of going to the big house do they go to the bird house? If given bail, would they take flight? When dogs try to get away are they “fleaing” the scene of the crime? Does the store owner call the pawlice when they suspect there are cat burglars? How do you prevent shoplifting by these furry friends? I’m not sure if they would prove to be deterrents to critter criminals, but I do know that Alpha Keepers can stop human shoplifters. By now you’re wondering if I’m kidding about all of these stories of corrupt canines and birds preying on store owners. I will let you decide for yourself:
• January 10, 2017, Washingtonpost.com, “’Sneaky’ squirrels have stolen dozens of candy bars from this convenience store”, by Karen Brulliard
• September 11, 2015, mirror.co.uk, “Shoplifting seagull is chased around store by furious owner after pinching packet of peanuts”, by Alexander Lerche
• May 19,2017, nbcnews.com, “Dog Caught on Camera Stealing Bread From Store”
• December 6, 2013, HUFFPOST, “Shoplifting Dog Caught Stealing Bones From Store, Burying Them Out Back”, by Ryan Grenoble
There are more such stories you would go ape over like the monkey in India stealing cash from a jewelry store, time.com, June 6, 2016, by Cady Lang, but no more horsing around. It is a serious problem and though it is hard to prevent shoplifting, it is not impossible.
The first thing store owners can do to deter and stop criminals from stealing is to use Alpha Keepers to keep merchandise safe. Keepers are locking, see-through boxes that hold a varied array of products and still give shoppers the convenience of viewing and carrying items around the store. When Keepers are used, in many instances locking showcases can be eliminated. This frees up employees from having to spend time locking and unlocking cases and they can provide more valuable customer service elsewhere. Keepers also work with electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestals. When an Alpha Keeper box is too close to an EAS pedestal it causes alarms and flashing lights in the pedestal to turn on and nearby store staff members respond and recover merchandise before it is taken out of the building. Keepers prevent shoplifting through deterrence. Shoplifters don’t want to attempt to forcibly remove merchandise from the box and risk someone hearing them and they are bulky making it harder to hide if they are thinking about stealing.
While this article started by sharing criminal animal antics on a more serious note there are human criminals victimizing pet stores and other retailers and cleaning them out. For example a story in Yahoo News, March 15, 2017, “’Sticky Fingers’ busts US Retail Theft Ring”, the article reports that, “While electronics goods were most favored, they also ran a sideline in expensive flea collars pinched from pet stores”. In a May 17, 2017 story in nwi.com, by Lauren Cross, “Police: Hobart Petco theft suspect stole ‘thousands of dollars’ in flea meds”, a suspect was reported, “…allegedly stealing “several hundred dollars-worth” of Frontline flea and tick prevention medication…” If these stores resort to using Alpha Keepers in the future, there is a good chance they can prevent shoplifting from taking place again.
Retailer owners don’t get “ticked” off by shoplifters stealing from you. Whether it is a flea collar or a DVD there are Alpha Keepers that will probably suit your needs to reduce theft and in turn boost sales.
Alpha Keepers are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
As I have been spending time on the internet looking for the latest crime trends I came across a recent trend that has me very concerned as a Loss Prevention professional…animal theft. You read that correctly animal theft, specifically dogs and birds gone bad. I had no idea that it was taking place but it is happening in stores world-wide and I have to “paws” and wonder, what happens to birds that steal, instead of going to the big house do they go to the bird house? If given bail, would they take flight? When dogs try to get away are they “fleaing” the scene of the crime? Does the store owner call the pawlice when they suspect there are cat burglars? How do you prevent shoplifting by these furry friends? I’m not sure if they would prove to be deterrents to critter criminals, but I do know that Alpha Keepers can stop human shoplifters. By now you’re wondering if I’m kidding about all of these stories of corrupt canines and birds preying on store owners. I will let you decide for yourself:
• January 10, 2017, Washingtonpost.com, “’Sneaky’ squirrels have stolen dozens of candy bars from this convenience store”, by Karen Brulliard
• September 11, 2015, mirror.co.uk, “Shoplifting seagull is chased around store by furious owner after pinching packet of peanuts”, by Alexander Lerche
• May 19,2017, nbcnews.com, “Dog Caught on Camera Stealing Bread From Store”
• December 6, 2013, HUFFPOST, “Shoplifting Dog Caught Stealing Bones From Store, Burying Them Out Back”, by Ryan Grenoble
There are more such stories you would go ape over like the monkey in India stealing cash from a jewelry store, time.com, June 6, 2016, by Cady Lang, but no more horsing around. It is a serious problem and though it is hard to prevent shoplifting, it is not impossible.
The first thing store owners can do to deter and stop criminals from stealing is to use Alpha Keepers to keep merchandise safe. Keepers are locking, see-through boxes that hold a varied array of products and still give shoppers the convenience of viewing and carrying items around the store. When Keepers are used, in many instances locking showcases can be eliminated. This frees up employees from having to spend time locking and unlocking cases and they can provide more valuable customer service elsewhere. Keepers also work with electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestals. When an Alpha Keeper box is too close to an EAS pedestal it causes alarms and flashing lights in the pedestal to turn on and nearby store staff members respond and recover merchandise before it is taken out of the building. Keepers prevent shoplifting through deterrence. Shoplifters don’t want to attempt to forcibly remove merchandise from the box and risk someone hearing them and they are bulky making it harder to hide if they are thinking about stealing.
While this article started by sharing criminal animal antics on a more serious note there are human criminals victimizing pet stores and other retailers and cleaning them out. For example a story in Yahoo News, March 15, 2017, “’Sticky Fingers’ busts US Retail Theft Ring”, the article reports that, “While electronics goods were most favored, they also ran a sideline in expensive flea collars pinched from pet stores”. In a May 17, 2017 story in nwi.com, by Lauren Cross, “Police: Hobart Petco theft suspect stole ‘thousands of dollars’ in flea meds”, a suspect was reported, “…allegedly stealing “several hundred dollars-worth” of Frontline flea and tick prevention medication…” If these stores resort to using Alpha Keepers in the future, there is a good chance they can prevent shoplifting from taking place again.
Retailer owners don’t get “ticked” off by shoplifters stealing from you. Whether it is a flea collar or a DVD there are Alpha Keepers that will probably suit your needs to reduce theft and in turn boost sales.
Alpha Keepers are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
