Have you ever had that one person or group of people that you just knew were stealing from your business? They come in and shop around, they may buy something small, but usually they just leave with no purchase. In over fifteen year of retail, I have dealt with a number of these people, and it always made me crazy. The newest offering from Checkpoint, the AutoPeg Tag, may be the answer to some of these “shoppers” that plague businesses every day.
We had one man that owned a shop next door to our small retail pharmacy and he came in on a regular basis. You would think you could trust another business owner, but we did not trust this man. He ran a nail salon, and whenever he would leave, it seemed things were missing. His main target was actually denture cream. (The ingredients in denture cream take the yellowish color off finger nails) We never could catch this man concealing merchandise, no matter what we did. Thankfully we relocated our store and he did not visit our new location!
They come in with that smug look on their face because they know something you don’t know. They have found some way to steal from your store, and your staff cannot seem to figure out their method. They know you are watching them, and they just smile the whole time they are ripping you off. This is the kind of problem customer that you can finally catch using the AutoPeg Tag, or other tags by Checkpoint, depending on the packaging you need to protect.
The best thing is these devices do not affect the look of the product, and your customers can still freely choose the items they came in for without having to come to the checkout and ask for them.
In the last two years, we have had a small group that we have dubbed “the ink cartridge bandits” that have consistently wiped out our small selection in several of our locations. They would come in the store and go directly to the gift bag section and choose a huge bag. Then they would go to the ink cartridge section and cut all the packages off the locking pegs with razor blades. They would stuff them all into the gift bag and walk right out the door. This happened numerous times, and they did not strike the same store on back to back occasions. This year we are going to do something about it with AutoPeg Tags. They attach to the product without pins, and they blend right into the packaging. Now if the group comes back, if they try to cut the product off the locking peg, they are going to damage the packaging, which in turn makes it useless and unsellable for them.
The AutoPeg Tag is tough, but easy to remove at the checkout, and they are completely reusable so they will continue to return your investment in saving your profits and securing your inventory.
For more information contact us at 1.770.426.0547 or Preventshopliftingloss.net
Have you ever had that one person or group of people that you just knew were stealing from your business? They come in and shop around, they may buy something small, but usually they just leave with no purchase. In over fifteen years of retail, I have dealt with a number of these people, and it always makes me crazy. The newest offering from Checkpoint, the AutoPeg Tag, may be the answer to some of these “shoppers” that plague businesses every day.
We had one man that owned a shop next door to our small retail pharmacy and he came in on a regular basis. You would think you could trust another business owner, but we did not trust this man. He ran a nail salon, and whenever he would leave, it seemed things were missing. His main target was actually denture cream. (The ingredients in denture cream take the yellowish color off finger nails) We never could catch this man concealing merchandise, no matter what we did. Thankfully we relocated our store and he did not visit our new location!
They come in with that smug look on their face because they know something you don’t know. They have found some way to steal from your store, and your staff cannot seem to figure out their method. They know you are watching them, and they just smile the whole time they are ripping you off. This is the kind of problem customer that you can finally catch using the AutoPeg Tag, or other tags by Checkpoint, depending on the packaging you need to protect.
The best thing is these devices do not affect the look of the product, and your customers can still freely choose the items they came in for without having to come to the checkout and ask for them. In the last two years, we have had a small group that we have dubbed “the ink cartridge bandits” that have consistently wiped out our small selection in several of our locations. They would come in the store and go directly to the gift bag section and choose a huge bag. Then they would go to the ink cartridge section and cut all the packages off the locking pegs with razor blades. They would stuff them all into the gift bag and walk right out the door. This happened numerous times, and they did not strike the same store on back to back occasions. This year we are going to do something about it with AutoPeg Tags. They attach to the product without pins, and they blend right into the packaging. Now if the group comes back, if they try to cut the product off the locking peg, they are going to damage the packaging, which in turn makes it useless and unsellable for them.
The AutoPeg Tag is tough, but easy to remove at the checkout, and they are completely reusable so they will continue to return your investment in saving your profits and securing your inventory.
For more information contact us at 1.770.426.0547 or Preventshopliftingloss.net
Sometimes, and I really don’t like to admit it, I’m impressed at what a shoplifter will go through in order to make off with goods. I often sit back and watch cases where lots of time and energy are put into a theft. I think what would happen if this person would put that much effort into an actual job. Throughout my career, I have met plenty of individuals that rely solely on the income of shoplifter. Boosting is their 9-5. I’ve also learned that they can find clever ways to try and defeat your Checkpoint Systems as well.
Last football season, I had a pair of coast to coast boosters that were tearing my stores apart. They were targeting jerseys, which sell for about $139 each. They would start their run out East, and within a day or so had traversed the interstate and had hit every single one of my stores. Even with the company alerts, the emphasis on Checkpoint Tags and the prominent display location, they were able to hit each store for about 5 jerseys each, per run. They made 5 total runs last season, causing me a loss of about $35k in a very short amount of time. It was very frustrating how good they were. One would distract the sales clerk while the other would use a pair of pliers to remove the Checkpoint Tag. Once the first booster would conceal a jersey or two, they would swap roles and repeat.
I knew that these guys were aware of the Checkpoint System, so I had to use that to my advantage. The Checkpoint Tags we were using were clearly not effective against these guys. They knew all they needed to do was break the tag and it wouldn’t cause an alarm at the door. I needed something better, so we tested out ink tags on the jerseys at a few stores. The results were pretty funny to watch on video.
The first time I saw a report of where the Checkpoint System worked came a few weeks after rolling them out to the test stores. One of my stores reported them as being in the store, and I was able to find them on video. They came in with their usual routine, but they actually scratched their heads when they saw the ink tag. You could quite literally see the confusion on their faces as they attempted to defeat the tag, but agreed that it might not be such a good idea. The left the store without stealing a single jersey. This was the proof of concept that I needed. This football season, all of my jerseys will be secured with an ink tag. I already know we’ll see a reduction in theft. I’m just curious to know if I’ll see my boosters again.
For more information, contact us: Checkpoint Tags, or call 1.770.426.0547
Sometimes, and I really don’t like to admit it, I’m impressed at what a shoplifter will go through in order to make off with goods. I often sit back and watch cases where lots of time and energy are put into a theft. I think what would happen if this person would put that much effort into an actual job. Throughout my career, I have met plenty of individuals that rely solely on the income of shoplifter. Boosting is their 9-5. I’ve also learned that they can find clever ways to try and defeat your Checkpoint Systems as well.
Last football season, I had a pair of coast to coast boosters that were tearing my stores apart. They were targeting jerseys, which sell for about $139 each. They would start their run out East, and within a day or so had traversed the interstate and had hit every single one of my stores. Even with the company alerts, the emphasis on Checkpoint Tags and the prominent display location, they were able to hit each store for about 5 jerseys each, per run. They made 5 total runs last season, causing me a loss of about $35k in a very short amount of time. It was very frustrating how good they were. One would distract the sales clerk while the other would use a pair of pliers to remove the Checkpoint Tag. Once the first booster would conceal a jersey or two, they would swap roles and repeat.
I knew that these guys were aware of the Checkpoint System, so I had to use that to my advantage. The Checkpoint Tags we were using were clearly not effective against these guys. They knew all they needed to do was break the tag and it wouldn’t cause an alarm at the door. I needed something better, so we tested out ink tags on the jerseys at a few stores. The results were pretty funny to watch on video.
The first time I saw a report of where the Checkpoint System worked came a few weeks after rolling them out to the test stores. One of my stores reported them as being in the store, and I was able to find them on video. They came in with their usual routine, but they actually scratched their heads when they saw the ink tag. You could quite literally see the confusion on their faces as they attempted to defeat the tag, but agreed that it might not be such a good idea. The left the store without stealing a single jersey. This was the proof of concept that I needed. This football season, all of my jerseys will be secured with an ink tag. I already know we’ll see a reduction in theft. I’m just curious to know if I’ll see my boosters again.
For more information, contact us: Checkpoint Tags, or call 1.770.426.0547
Liquor bottle security goes beyond keeping the product out of the hand of a shoplifter. You should have physical security control measures in place to stop underage individuals from getting their hands on alcohol. It’s bad enough to have a shoplifter steal your products, but as a person, how would you feel if an underage teen not only stole the alcohol from your store, but ended up being killed by alcohol poisoning from your store? The cost of that product is nothing compared to a human life, and as a business owner/manager, you have a responsibility to protect the interests of your stores.
This happened to a friend of mine a few years back. He worked for a family owned liquor store that did not invest in any type of bottle security devices. Since there was virtually nothing stopping a theft, his store was a soft target for shoplifting. One day, the unthinkable happened. A 17 year old high school senior came in and stole a bottle of top shelf vodka to celebrate graduating. This kid drank the entire bottle and unfortunately passed away due to his actions. While it’s hard to say if there was anything that could have been done to prevent such an unfortunate accident, looking back, a bottle lock may have discouraged such an easy theft, and maybe would have saved this kid’s life. Alternatively, maybe it wouldn’t have and fate would have it no other way.
When we look at situations such as this, or just everyday shoplifting losses, there is something you can do to prevent and protect your store from these types of losses. There are countless options when deploying bottle locks, and you can choose from a wide variety of solutions to find your individual store’s needs. When you look at the cost of the investment, it’s very nominal to the return you will get. At the end of the day, you really can’t afford to not secure alcohol.
For more information, contact us: Bottle Lock, or call 1.770.426.0547
Liquor bottle security goes beyond keeping the product out of the hands of a shoplifter. You should have physical security control measures in place to stop underage individuals from getting their hands on alcohol. It’s bad enough to have a shoplifter steal your products, but as a person, how would you feel if an underage teen not only stole the alcohol from your store, but ended up being killed by alcohol poisoning from your store? The cost of that product is nothing compared to a human life, and as a business owner/manager, you have a responsibility to protect the interests of your stores.
This happened to a friend of mine a few years back. He worked for a family owned liquor store that did not invest in any type of bottle security devices. Since there was virtually nothing stopping a theft, his store was a soft target for shoplifting. One day, the unthinkable happened. A 17 year old high school senior came in and stole a bottle of top shelf vodka to celebrate graduating. This kid drank the entire bottle and unfortunately passed away due to his actions. While it’s hard to say if there was anything that could have been done to prevent such an unfortunate accident, looking back, a Bottle Lok may have discouraged such an easy theft, and maybe would have saved this kid’s life. Alternatively, maybe it wouldn’t have and fate would have it no other way.
When we look at situations such as this, or just everyday shoplifting losses, there is something you can do to prevent and protect your store from these types of losses. There are countless options when deploying Bottle Loks, and you can choose from a wide variety of solutions to find your individual store’s needs. When you look at the cost of the investment, it’s very nominal to the return you will get. At the end of the day, you really can’t afford to not secure alcohol.
For more information, contact us: Bottle Lok, or call 1.770.426.0547
When you are looking to hire a job candidate how do you go about qualifying them? Are you looking for someone that exhibits the necessary job skills, education and experience, or is it just because the have a lack of anything negative? Just because these applicants passed your background checks does not mean that they are a qualified potential employee for your company.
Showing a lack of weaknesses is not the same as showing strengths. Being able to discern the difference between the two will only benefit your company by hiring those that make your company stronger as a whole. Hiring employees who exhibit strength in skills, or experience, or judgment will provide far better results than the employee who simply does not have any glaring reasons not to hire them.
That doesn’t mean that background checks are not a needed part of the hiring process. It means that the pre employment screening is one of many steps that should be taken to qualify a potential job applicant before they are hired.
The take- away is to start to hire differently. Set a higher standard for the employees you hire. Have an expectation that they know the job they are being hired for. They should have experience in handling and diffusing customer complaints, and how to not make customers upset in the first place. Employees should be able to work with minimal supervision. An employee who has to be constantly monitored will only waste your time and resources in the long run.
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
When you are looking to hire a job candidate how do you go about qualifying them? Are you looking for someone that exhibits the necessary job skills, education and experience, or is it just because the have a lack of anything negative? Just because these applicants passed your background checks does not mean that they are a qualified potential employee for your company.
Showing a lack of weaknesses is not the same as showing strengths. Being able to discern the difference between the two will only benefit your company by hiring those that make your company stronger as a whole. Hiring employees who exhibit strength in skills, or experience, or judgment will provide far better results than the employee who simply does not have any glaring reasons not to hire them.
That doesn’t mean that background checks are not a needed part of the hiring process. It means that the pre employment screening is one of many steps that should be taken to qualify a potential job applicant before they are hired.
The take- away is to start to hire differently. Set a higher standard for the employees you hire. Have an expectation that they know the job they are being hired for. They should have experience in handling and diffusing customer complaints, and how to not make customers upset in the first place. Employees should be able to work with minimal supervision. An employee who has to be constantly monitored will only waste your time and resources in the long run.
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
You may think that after you apprehend a shoplifter, you would want to get them out the door as fast as possible, but it may be in your best interest to have a conversation with them instead. After all, who could give you better information about how to stop shoplifting in your store, than the shoplifters themselves? Although not all shoplifters want to talk to you (especially about ways to keep them from stealing from you), there are some that can’t help but tell you their whole life story.
When I apprehend a shoplifter, I obviously want to get all of their personal information, but I also like to ask additional questions during the interview. First of all, ask them why they are taking the merchandise from your store. I’ve had some shoplifters tell me that they know people who have gotten away with it at the store, and they said it was easy to steal there. You may be surprised by their answers, and it may give you some good ideas for improving your retail theft prevention strategy. If the shoplifter tells you that the need the money to support a drug habit, you could also recommend organizations in the area that could help with the problem. After all, your goal is to get them to stay away from your store, so why not try to get them help so they don’t continue stealing from you.
Next, if it’s not already obvious, try to find out what is happening to the merchandise once it leaves the store. This is a big opportunity to get valuable information to stop shoplifting in your store. The reason is that even if you catch a shoplifter, more are going to replace them, especially if there is a local buyer of stolen merchandise that is sending them out to stores for specific merchandise. If they tell you where they are selling the stolen merchandise, you can share this information with the local police, who can start an investigation on the location or person. If a local buyer is taken out of the equation, it is likely that you will experience less shoplifting at your business.
A shoplifter I caught years ago did his homework on the store, and was happy to share his thoughts on the subject. I asked him why he chose our location to steal merchandise. The first thing he pointed out was that no one ever pays any attention to him, so he is able to get in and out quickly without being bothered. He then said that there was a lack of merchandise protection or anti-shoplifting devices on the products he steals. Next, he noticed that there were certain areas of the store in which camera coverage needed to be improved, or was nonexistent. He typically picked up merchandise from other areas of the store, and brought them to the spots where he knew that there weren’t any cameras so he could easily conceal the merchandise.
This interview gave me important information on ways to improve the way we used anti-shoplifting devices were used in the store, and what merchandise to keep under watch. It also gave me ideas about how to improve our camera strategy to ensure there was sufficient camera coverage throughout different areas of the store. Overall, a few minutes of talking with a shoplifter could save you a lot of money in the long run.
For more information contact us: (stop shoplifting) or call 1.770.426.0547
You may think that after you apprehend a shoplifter, you would want to get them out the door as fast as possible, but it may be in your best interest to have a conversation with them instead. After all, who could give you better information about how to stop shoplifting in your store, than the shoplifters themselves? Although not all shoplifters want to talk to you (especially about ways to keep them from stealing from you), there are some that can’t help but tell you their whole life story.
When I apprehend a shoplifter, I obviously want to get all of their personal information, but I also like to ask additional questions during the interview. First of all, ask them why they are taking the merchandise from your store. I’ve had some shoplifters tell me that they know people who have gotten away with it at the store, and they said it was easy to steal there. You may be surprised by their answers, and it may give you some good ideas for improving your retail theft prevention strategy. If the shoplifter tells you that they need the money to support a drug habit, you could also recommend organizations in the area that could help with the problem. After all, your goal is to get them to stay away from your store, so why not try to get them help so they don’t continue stealing from you.
Next, if it’s not already obvious, try to find out what is happening to the merchandise once it leaves the store. This is a big opportunity to get valuable information to stop shoplifting in your store. The reason is that even if you catch a shoplifter, more are going to replace them, especially if there is a local buyer of stolen merchandise that is sending them out to stores for specific merchandise. If they tell you where they are selling the stolen merchandise, you can share this information with the local police, who can start an investigation on the location or person. If a local buyer is taken out of the equation, it is likely that you will experience less shoplifting at your business.
A shoplifter I caught years ago did his homework on the store, and was happy to share his thoughts on the subject. I asked him why he chose our location to steal merchandise. The first thing he pointed out was that no one ever pays any attention to him, so he is able to get in and out quickly without being bothered. He then said that there was a lack of merchandise protection or anti-shoplifting devices on the products he steals. Next, he noticed that there were certain areas of the store in which camera coverage needed to be improved, or was nonexistent. He typically picked up merchandise from other areas of the store, and brought them to the spots where he knew that there weren’t any cameras so he could easily conceal the merchandise.
This interview gave me important information on ways to improve the way we used anti-shoplifting devices were used in the store, and what merchandise to keep under watch. It also gave me ideas about how to improve our camera strategy to ensure there was sufficient camera coverage throughout different areas of the store. Overall, a few minutes of talking with a shoplifter could save you a lot of money in the long run.
For more information contact us: Stop Shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547
It was Friday evening and I was leaving my office. It had been a long week to say the least. I had closed on 3 employee theft cases, began an investigation into a $25k cash loss at one store, and played host to a Regional Vice President for some market visits. Knowing I didn’t have a ton of food at home, I stopped at the grocery store after leaving work. It was the first of the month, after 5 on a Friday. The place was packed! I shop at a local grocer for just about everything. I stay away from the big box retailers since I like my money to stay in my community. My family also owns a small business, so I love giving back to the “little guy” so to speak.
I head in, fighting the crowds and grab a buggy. I start with the essentials and then make my way to the meats. I’m in the middle of a debate inside my head on whether I should go with the turkey breast or ground turkey, when two guys catch my eye. A few feet down, they begin filling a shopping cart with as many cuts of steak as they can. At first I thought, “Hey, someone’s grilling tonight”, but then I quickly realized that they were going to shoplifting steaks!
After the buggy was loaded with what was later determined to be 42 cuts of meat, valued at about a thousand dollars, they walked pretty quickly to a corner of the store. I knew what was going on so I made a phone call to the store (smart phones are great!) and asked for a manager. As I was on the phone, I watched as they pair started placing the steaks into a vacuum cleaner box. At first the manager thought I was playing a phone prank, but after some convincing, he met on an aisle just as the pair was heading to the checkout line. He made a quick call to the local police, who were surprised that someone was shoplifting steaks…
These guys got caught and the manager was able to retain his profits for another day. That’s not always the case, as your employees can’t see everything at every minute of the day. This particular store didn’t have the most basic control measures in place to deter this type of activity and it will undoubtedly continue until some programs and technology are put into place. Chances are, if you are reading this, you have the same problem, and are fed up with it. Well, here’s your chance to turn the tide on shoplifters and stop meat theft in your store. With the wide range to tools out there, you’re sure to find a solution that fits your business and your budget.
For more information, contact us: Grocery Store Meat Theft, or call 1.770.426.0547
It was Friday evening and I was leaving my office. It had been a long week to say the least. I had closed on 3 employee theft cases, began an investigation into a $25k cash loss at one store, and played host to a Regional Vice President for some market visits. Knowing I didn’t have a ton of food at home, I stopped at the grocery store after leaving work. It was the first of the month, after 5 on a Friday. The place was packed! I shop at a local grocer for just about everything. I stay away from the big box retailers since I like my money to stay in my community. My family also owns a small business, so I love giving back to the “little guy” so to speak. Of course this wasn’t an ordinary trip to the store. I would come face to face with a thief as he tried his hand at shoplifting steaks.
I head in, fighting the crowds and grab a buggy. I start with the essentials and then make my way to the meats. I’m in the middle of a debate inside my head on whether I should go with the turkey breast or ground turkey, when two guys catch my eye. A few feet down, they begin filling a shopping cart with as many cuts of steak as they can. At first I thought, “Hey, someone’s grilling tonight”, but then I quickly realized that they were going to shoplift steaks!
After the buggy was loaded with what was later determined to be 42 cuts of meat, valued at about a thousand dollars, they walked pretty quickly to a corner of the store. I knew what was going on so I made a phone call to the store (smart phones are great!) and asked for a manager. As I was on the phone, I watched as the pair started placing the steaks into a vacuum cleaner box. At first the manager thought I was playing a phone prank, but after some convincing, we met on an aisle just as the pair was heading to the checkout line. He made a quick call to the local police, who were surprised that someone was shoplifting steaks…
These guys got caught and the manager was able to retain his profits for another day. That’s not always the case, as your employees can’t see everything at every minute of the day. This particular store didn’t have the most basic control measures in place to deter this type of activity and it will undoubtedly continue until some programs and technology are put into place. Chances are, if you are reading this, you have the same problem, and are fed up with it. Well, here’s your chance to turn the tide on shoplifters and stop meat theft in your store. With the wide range to tools out there, you’re sure to find a solution that fits your business and your budget.
For more information, contact us: Grocery Store Meat Theft, or call 1.770.426.0547
