WC Blog 826
Stop Shoplifting -3
Sensormatic Security System-3
My Favorite Cases When I Would Stop Shoplifting – Part 2
In Part 1 about my favorite exploits when I worked to stop shoplifting I shared three of my favorite cases but honestly that doesn’t scratch the surface. I had a lot of experiences but like many of my peers there are always those apprehensions that make such an impression they just stay with you. Even when the store uses a Sensormatic security system or other anti-theft system there are always people who are going to try steal from a store and many of the cases involved people trying to get around those systems or security tags.
In continuing my top list I pick up where I left off with number four in my personal favorite shoplifting incidents.
4. Usually any case involving an accusation that race somehow played a part in the apprehension of a shoplifter is concerning. I did have one case where the accusation was laughable. I stopped a young man for stealing a ball cap. It was not protected with a clothing security tag so it was not going to set off a Sensormatic security system tower or any electronic articles surveillance system. Fortunately, in this case I had already been watching him so I was able to stop him and get the merchandise back. The suspect returned to the security office with me and was cooperative until I asked him to empty his pockets and a small bag of marijuana came out with other assorted odds and ends and a pocket knife. At that point he got somewhat belligerent and accused me of stopping him in his words, “Because I am white!” I couldn’t help but laugh, I am caucasion too! He still went to jail for shoplifting and simple possession.
5. Speaking of shoplifters and drugs I had another drug related case that is in my top favorites list. I had a rash of bicycle thefts from our store and had to find a way to stop shoplifting in that department. I had my Loss Prevention team focus all of our attention on that particular area. It didn’t take many days of surveillance before one of my Loss Prevention Associates observed a “shopper” enter the area. He selected a bicycle and walked it all the way to the front of the store then parked it near the shopping carts. We watched our suspect walk around until he felt it was clear then went back and retrieved the merchandise and rolled it to the doors. As he walked it to the electronic article surveillance towers we apprehended our crook. As we neared the security office the suspect decide to fight with us. We eventually got him under control when he suddenly started to have a “seizure”. I am not a medical expert but the drooling and attempt to roll around was not convincing. I told the suspect that I would call an ambulance for him (as I continued to sit on him) but let him know he would be charged $500.00 for the ambulance ride. My suspect made a miraculous recovery and we were able to turn him over to the police for further processing.
6. Theft cases where drugs are involved are not always the safest but they can wind up with a funny ending. In one incident a suspect was stealing clothing. I stopped him at the exit doors and he decided to bolt on me. We ran several blocks until he sat down on the steps of a pancake house and said he was giving up. I stood over him waiting for the police to arrive. While we were waiting he asked if he could get rid of a scale he had in his pocket (for those who may not know, drug dealers use small scales to weigh out drugs they are selling, in this case marijuana). I said that was fine with me. He tossed it under a newspaper vending machine. When the police arrived I made a point of telling them that the suspect had hidden the scale. The crook had a shocked look and said he thought I said he could hide it. I reminded him I DID allow him to get rid of it I never promised him I wouldn’t tell the police about it. Not only did I stop shoplifting I helped to get a drug dealer off the street and I still laugh at the whole incident.
Not every shoplifter is deterred by a Sensormatic security system or anti-theft device. In many cases these shoplifters are involved in other criminal activity such as the use or distribution of drugs. As I mentioned they can be dangerous and I have had my share of such incidents but these are the cases that ended with a certain amount of humor and the only thing hurt were some feelings.
A Sensormatic security system is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
In Part 1 about my favorite exploits when I worked to stop shoplifting I shared three of my favorite cases but honestly that doesn’t scratch the surface. I had a lot of experiences but like many of my peers there are always those apprehensions that make such an impression they just stay with you. Even when the store uses a Sensormatic security system or other anti-theft system there are always people who are going to try steal from a store and many of the cases involved people trying to get around those systems or security tags.
In continuing my top list I pick up where I left off with number four in my personal favorite shoplifting incidents.
4. Usually any case involving an accusation that race somehow played a part in the apprehension of a shoplifter is concerning. I did have one case where the accusation was laughable. I stopped a young man for stealing a ball cap. It was not protected with a clothing security tag so it was not going to set off a Sensormatic security system tower or any electronic articles surveillance system. Fortunately, in this case I had already been watching him so I was able to stop him and get the merchandise back. The suspect returned to the security office with me and was cooperative until I asked him to empty his pockets and a small bag of marijuana came out with other assorted odds and ends and a pocket knife. At that point he got somewhat belligerent and accused me of stopping him in his words, “Because I am white!” I couldn’t help but laugh, I am caucasion too! He still went to jail for shoplifting and simple possession.
5. Speaking of shoplifters and drugs I had another drug related case that is in my top favorites list. I had a rash of bicycle thefts from our store and had to find a way to stop shoplifting in that department. I had my Loss Prevention team focus all of our attention on that particular area. It didn’t take many days of surveillance before one of my Loss Prevention Associates observed a “shopper” enter the area. He selected a bicycle and walked it all the way to the front of the store then parked it near the shopping carts. We watched our suspect walk around until he felt it was clear then went back and retrieved the merchandise and rolled it to the doors. As he walked it to the electronic article surveillance towers we apprehended our crook. As we neared the security office the suspect decide to fight with us. We eventually got him under control when he suddenly started to have a “seizure”. I am not a medical expert but the drooling and attempt to roll around was not convincing. I told the suspect that I would call an ambulance for him (as I continued to sit on him) but let him know he would be charged $500.00 for the ambulance ride. My suspect made a miraculous recovery and we were able to turn him over to the police for further processing.
6. Theft cases where drugs are involved are not always the safest but they can wind up with a funny ending. In one incident a suspect was stealing clothing. I stopped him at the exit doors and he decided to bolt on me. We ran several blocks until he sat down on the steps of a pancake house and said he was giving up. I stood over him waiting for the police to arrive. While we were waiting he asked if he could get rid of a scale he had in his pocket (for those who may not know, drug dealers use small scales to weigh out drugs they are selling, in this case marijuana). I said that was fine with me. He tossed it under a newspaper vending machine. When the police arrived I made a point of telling them that the suspect had hidden the scale. The crook had a shocked look and said he thought I said he could hide it. I reminded him I DID allow him to get rid of it I never promised him I wouldn’t tell the police about it. Not only did I stop shoplifting I helped to get a drug dealer off the street and I still laugh at the whole incident.
Not every shoplifter is deterred by a Sensormatic security system or anti-theft device. In many cases these shoplifters are involved in other criminal activity such as the use or distribution of drugs. As I mentioned they can be dangerous and I have had my share of such incidents but these are the cases that ended with a certain amount of humor and the only thing hurt were some feelings.
A Sensormatic security system is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Stop Shoplifting – 3 WC Blog 825
Sensormatic Security System – 3
My Favorite Cases When I Would Stop Shoplifting – Part 1
I focus a significant amount of my writing on my efforts to stop shoplifting. Having engaged in Retail Loss Prevention for about 17 years both as a Loss Prevention Officer and a Loss Prevention Manager you accumulate shoplifting stories. Some are funny, some are scary, some are bizarre and in some cases they are sad. When Loss Prevention professionals say there is no stereotypical shoplifter they are correct. In some cases shoplifters attempt to avoid merchandise that will set off a Sensormatic security system. Others don’t know enough to understand what they are attempting to steal will activate a system alarm. And well, sometimes the shoplifter is too drunk or drugged to know or care anyways. As I was thinking back on some of MY personal favorite shoplifting cases I had my own Top 10 list I thought I would share but not necessarily in any particular order.
1. My very first shoplifter! It was special for two reasons. This gentleman went into a high-end clothing department, selected a very expensive suede jacket and went around a pillar and stuffed it into a shopping bag. It was so quick I had to rewind the VCR and review the video…yes, VCR. Sure enough it went in the bag. Our office was on the second floor of the store so I had to rush down the stairs and catch up to him. As he was walking out our alarm tower, very similar to a Sensormatic security system, sounded. I identified myself and the suspect fled. I contacted our operator and she in turn called the police for me. I chased the suspect to an apartment building and the police arrived and got him out, it wasn’t even his apartment! The jacket was recovered and the suspect went to jail. Later I learned from my father that he was a co-worker of my dad and they were supposed to be on a lunchbreak during a mental health counseling services conference at a nearby hotel. My shoplifter never came back from lunch. My dad and the rest of the group did not know why he did not return, I was happy to fill in the pieces. Someone needed his OWN counseling service after that I am certain.
2. Near the top of my list of favorite shoplifting cases was a couple who were shoplifting clothing together. Not all of our merchandise was protected with clothing security devices to stop shoplifting. In this case the pair were stealing garments that were not protected. I followed them through the store on foot while my supervisor took over cameras. When it appeared the couple was ready to head for an exit I stopped them in the vestibule between the sets of exit doors. The guy ran out but the girl with him who had the merchandise ran back into the store. I locked the outer doors with my key and then walked back in the building. The girl still had the merchandise but did not see me and tried to exit the same doors again to meet with her partner. As she entered the vestibule the second time I locked the inside set of doors. She was trapped. The young man pounded on the outside doors demanding that I let her out. Chivalry died when he heard the sirens of approaching police cars and he fled. I can still picture the anger of this shoplifter as she paced inside the vestibule threatening me if I didn’t let her go.
3. You’ve heard of a fleeing felon? This favorite of mine, although not so much at the time involved a peeing felon. Our store had a big theft problem with Pokemon cards. The box sets were tagged so that a Sensormatic security system or other anti-theft system could detect if a shoplifter was trying to exit with stolen merchandise. Unfortunately individual packs were iffy since they had foil packaging. There was also the problem of thieves opening packages and just taking the cards they wanted. In this case a young boy perhaps 5 or 6 years old was in the process of opening a package near the back of the store. I walked up on him from behind, asked somewhat loudly what he was doing and startled him. He appeared frozen and then I heard the sound of liquid spilling on the floor. Yes, I scared him that much. I recovered the cards, took him to the front of the store and paged his mother. I think justice was served and released him to her custody.
In Part 2 we will continue this trip down memory lane as I relate some of my most beloved stories from when I worked to stop shoplifting and make our stores more profitable.
Get more information on a Sensormatic security system, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I focus a significant amount of my writing on my efforts to stop shoplifting. Having engaged in Retail Loss Prevention for about 17 years both as a Loss Prevention Officer and a Loss Prevention Manager you accumulate shoplifting stories. Some are funny, some are scary, some are bizarre and in some cases they are sad. When Loss Prevention professionals say there is no stereotypical shoplifter they are correct. In some cases shoplifters attempt to avoid merchandise that will set off a Sensormatic security system. Others don’t know enough to understand what they are attempting to steal will activate a system alarm. And well, sometimes the shoplifter is too drunk or drugged to know or care anyways. As I was thinking back on some of MY personal favorite shoplifting cases I had my own Top 10 list I thought I would share but not necessarily in any particular order.
1. My very first shoplifter! It was special for two reasons. This gentleman went into a high-end clothing department, selected a very expensive suede jacket and went around a pillar and stuffed it into a shopping bag. It was so quick I had to rewind the VCR and review the video…yes, VCR. Sure enough it went in the bag. Our office was on the second floor of the store so I had to rush down the stairs and catch up to him. As he was walking out our alarm tower, very similar to a Sensormatic security system, sounded. I identified myself and the suspect fled. I contacted our operator and she in turn called the police for me. I chased the suspect to an apartment building and the police arrived and got him out, it wasn’t even his apartment! The jacket was recovered and the suspect went to jail. Later I learned from my father that he was a co-worker of my dad and they were supposed to be on a lunchbreak during a mental health counseling services conference at a nearby hotel. My shoplifter never came back from lunch. My dad and the rest of the group did not know why he did not return, I was happy to fill in the pieces. Someone needed his OWN counseling service after that I am certain.
2. Near the top of my list of favorite shoplifting cases was a couple who were shoplifting clothing together. Not all of our merchandise was protected with clothing security devices to stop shoplifting. In this case the pair were stealing garments that were not protected. I followed them through the store on foot while my supervisor took over cameras. When it appeared the couple was ready to head for an exit I stopped them in the vestibule between the sets of exit doors. The guy ran out but the girl with him who had the merchandise ran back into the store. I locked the outer doors with my key and then walked back in the building. The girl still had the merchandise but did not see me and tried to exit the same doors again to meet with her partner. As she entered the vestibule the second time I locked the inside set of doors. She was trapped. The young man pounded on the outside doors demanding that I let her out. Chivalry died when he heard the sirens of approaching police cars and he fled. I can still picture the anger of this shoplifter as she paced inside the vestibule threatening me if I didn’t let her go.
3. You’ve heard of a fleeing felon? This favorite of mine, although not so much at the time involved a peeing felon. Our store had a big theft problem with Pokemon cards. The box sets were tagged so that a Sensormatic security system or other anti-theft system could detect if a shoplifter was trying to exit with stolen merchandise. Unfortunately individual packs were iffy since they had foil packaging. There was also the problem of thieves opening packages and just taking the cards they wanted. In this case a young boy perhaps 5 or 6 years old was in the process of opening a package near the back of the store. I walked up on him from behind, asked somewhat loudly what he was doing and startled him. He appeared frozen and then I heard the sound of liquid spilling on the floor. Yes, I scared him that much. I recovered the cards, took him to the front of the store and paged his mother. I think justice was served and released him to her custody.
In Part 2 we will continue this trip down memory lane as I relate some of my most beloved stories from when I worked to stop shoplifting and make our stores more profitable.
Get more information on a Sensormatic security system, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Clothing Security –3 WC Blog 806
Sensormatic Tags-3
Clothing Security And Late Night Clothing Tasks
It can be difficult to make clothing security a priority or stop any shoplifting when it is late at night and you are ready to close the store. The other night our store was in the process of getting ready to close and I noticed a car pull into the parking lot. It was about five minutes until time to lock the doors and the customer entered and proceeded to a specific department. He wanted something that he indicated would only take a few minutes. A few minutes turned into fifty minutes until the store manager finally had enough and “helped” hurry the process along. Fortunately, this was a situation where the customer was by himself and needed a specific service. I have seen similar situations as a Loss Prevention Manager where two people would enter close to closing time and split up in a store. If a store is operating without a Sensormatic system and not using Sensormatic tags it can be a prime opportunity for crooks to get away with gobs of goods. How could this be? Because the truth is, once a store gets close to closing time employees focus on tasks not people.
You know what I am talking about. You might be trying to save payroll so the quicker you can close the store and get workers out the more money you save. You may be trying to get the store straightened up and a customer late in the evening is just in the way. Rather than a seeing them as a potential sale (or theft) they are a hindrance. We have all been in that situation and it happens. Holidays are even worse when we want to close up and get home to our families or to a party somewhere. Patrons take a backseat to the necessity of cleaning up and getting out in a timely manner. As a Loss Prevention Manager Associate and then a Manager I began to take note of these late night criminals. These folks can be slick and they know the places to hit and the times to hit. They don’t care for trying to steal from stores that use Sensormatic tags and they don’t like to frequent stores that focus on customers up to the time doors are locked.
Managing the store closing process and keeping an eye out for late night or last minute customers can be difficult. The use of clothing security devices and electronic article surveillance tags can play an important part in helping managers get tasks done. With merchandise protected against theft a team can spend a little less energy on giving “extra” customer service to the last minute patron. Note that I did not say ignore the customer but if the shopper is not giving obvious indications they are intending to steal your team can periodically check on the person. Sensormatic tags alleviate some of that extra unnecessary focus that allows your team to focus on closing tasks.
Let me add one last thought on the late night customer. Be cautious of anyone coming in last minute. Where did they park their car? Is it by the curb outside the doors? Is the vehicle running? Is the customer in line but allowing other customers to go ahead of them? These could be indicators of a much more serious crime that is about to happen than shoplifting and that is a robbery. Preparing for and responding to a robbery is another issue to address in another article. The main thing is to know that the night time is the right time…for crime (to paraphrase one of my all-time favorite rock groups, Credence Clearwater Revival). Always have employee and customer safety in mind especially at the end of the day.
Clothing security and merchandise protection in general is an important part of keeping a store profitable. Without it goods are stolen, shelves are empty and sales lag or die off as customers stop coming to a store. Safety also becomes an issue as criminals recognize the vulnerabilities of a store and more of them frequent that location. Install a Sensormatic system and get more tasks done at the end of the evening while still protecting merchandise. You can still greet customers but there will be fewer thieves to focus on in the end.
For more information about Sensormatic tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
It can be difficult to make clothing security a priority or stop any shoplifting when it is late at night and you are ready to close the store. The other night our store was in the process of getting ready to close and I noticed a car pull into the parking lot. It was about five minutes until time to lock the doors and the customer entered and proceeded to a specific department. He wanted something that he indicated would only take a few minutes. A few minutes turned into fifty minutes until the store manager finally had enough and “helped” hurry the process along. Fortunately, this was a situation where the customer was by himself and needed a specific service. I have seen similar situations as a Loss Prevention Manager where two people would enter close to closing time and split up in a store. If a store is operating without a Sensormatic system and not using Sensormatic tags it can be a prime opportunity for crooks to get away with gobs of goods. How could this be? Because the truth is, once a store gets close to closing time employees’ focus on tasks not people.
You know what I am talking about. You might be trying to save payroll so the quicker you can close the store and get workers out the more money you save. You may be trying to get the store straightened up and a customer late in the evening is just in the way. Rather than a seeing them as a potential sale (or theft) they are a hindrance. We have all been in that situation and it happens. Holidays are even worse when we want to close up and get home to our families or to a party somewhere. Patrons take a backseat to the necessity of cleaning up and getting out in a timely manner. As a Loss Prevention Manager Associate and then a Manager I began to take note of these late night criminals. These folks can be slick and they know the places to hit and the times to hit. They don’t care for trying to steal from stores that use Sensormatic tags and they don’t like to frequent stores that focus on customers up to the time doors are locked.
Managing the store closing process and keeping an eye out for late night or last minute customers can be difficult. The use of clothing security devices and electronic article surveillance tags can play an important part in helping managers get tasks done. With merchandise protected against theft a team can spend a little less energy on giving “extra” customer service to the last minute patron. Note that I did not say ignore the customer but if the shopper is not giving obvious indications they are intending to steal your team can periodically check on the person. Sensormatic tags alleviate some of that extra unnecessary focus that allows your team to focus on closing tasks.
Let me add one last thought on the late night customer. Be cautious of anyone coming in last minute. Where did they park their car? Is it by the curb outside the doors? Is the vehicle running? Is the customer in line but allowing other customers to go ahead of them? These could be indicators of a much more serious crime that is about to happen than shoplifting and that is a robbery. Preparing for and responding to a robbery is another issue to address in another article. The main thing is to know that the night time is the right time…for crime (to paraphrase one of my all-time favorite rock groups, Credence Clearwater Revival). Always have employee and customer safety in mind especially at the end of the day.
Clothing security and merchandise protection in general is an important part of keeping a store profitable. Without it goods are stolen, shelves are empty and sales lag or die off as customers stop coming to a store. Safety also becomes an issue as criminals recognize the vulnerabilities of a store and more of them frequent that location. Install a Sensormatic system and get more tasks done at the end of the evening while still protecting merchandise. You can still greet customers but there will be fewer thieves to focus on in the end.
For more information about Sensormatic tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Stop shoplifting – 3
Sensormatic System -3 wc blog 813
Trying To Stop Shoplifting Built Remarkable Friendships
I have spent much of my life trying to stop shoplifting and other crime and in the course of doing so I have built some fantastic friendships. I thought my most memorable shoplifters were my own memories and would not be shared by anyone else. Apparently I was wrong. I happened to run into a police officer I had not seen in years while I was at my current retail job a few nights ago. I knew I recognized him but could not recall from where but he recognized me and we started talking about “the good ol’ days” when we worked on the same cases together. He brought up a shoplifting case that I share from time to time with my friends (or in an article) but I was shocked that he still remembered it. As a police officer he worked hundreds of cases so why would one particular shoplifting case stand out to him? He asked me if I remembered the shoplifter we caught hiding in a trash can! This was a LONG time ago, like early 1990’s, but he had not forgotten about it.
The case involved a clothing security problem we were experiencing in the department store where I was a Loss Prevention Officer. Baseball caps were becoming a high theft issue for our store so we began focusing closed circuit television on the area. Our store had an anti-theft system to stop shoplifting, similar to a Sensormatic system but we had not started tagging hats at that point. I was focused on watching the ballcaps this day and observed a suspect walk up to the display. He picked up a small stack of hats and tucked them under his shirt and walked towards the exit. To prevent the theft of the hats I had to run to the exit, meet him at the door, recover the merchandise and escort him back to the doors. I successfully stopped the suspect… for about 5 seconds then he dropped the merchandise and ran from me. I chased the suspect to an apartment complex (we were allowed to chase in those days) and he lost me. Local police arrived but we were unable to find the would-be shoplifter. I stayed in the area after the police left and kept surveillance of the area. Eventually I saw the suspect peek out of a trash can and I called the police back through our store operator. The apartment owner also called the police when they heard movement on their porch. Police returned and lifted the lid from the trash can and the suspect tipped over then tried to flee. The suspect was captured, cuffed and transported to the city jail.
My police officer friend recalled the story since he responded to this call he laughed because he remembered how much our thief stank from hiding in the trash bin. I should mention it was not long after that incident that we started tagging our ballcaps with clothing security dye tags. The tags looked like the Sensormatic system Benefit Denial Tags that also have electronic article surveillance technology in them. I guess it goes to show you that you can’t take friendships for granted. Even when I only thought I was doing my job trying to stop shoplifting in the process I built partnerships and friendships that would last for a long time.
The interesting thing is my trip down memory lane did not stop here. I have also been going through old paperwork cleaning out my briefcase and came across a certificate of recognition from the former Chief of Police for my work with the police department on a Police/Community event. By that time I had moved into a Loss Prevention Manager position with another company. There were photos of a Christmas shopping event I assisted the police and fire department to hold in our store for local underprivileged children. I came across more pictures of police/store events over the years that brought back more memories and some of the officers I have remained in contact with.
A Sensormatic system will help deter shoplifters from stealing from your store. Building partnerships with your local police department can help too. Offering a designated parking space for police vehicles, inviting officers to visit and have a cup of coffee and even providing a small percentage discount to police and first responders can increase their presence in your building. As you do this you will find you too can build friendships that may last longer than you imagined they would.
For more information on a Sensormatic System contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
I have spent much of my life trying to stop shoplifting and other crime and in the course of doing so I have built some fantastic friendships. I thought my most memorable shoplifters were my own memories and would not be shared by anyone else. Apparently I was wrong. I happened to run into a police officer I had not seen in years while I was at my current retail job a few nights ago. I knew I recognized him but could not recall from where but he recognized me and we started talking about “the good ol’ days” when we worked on the same cases together. He brought up a shoplifting case that I share from time to time with my friends (or in an article) but I was shocked that he still remembered it. As a police officer he worked hundreds of cases so why would one particular shoplifting case stand out to him? He asked me if I remembered the shoplifter we caught hiding in a trash can! This was a LONG time ago, like early 1990’s, but he had not forgotten about it.
The case involved a clothing security problem we were experiencing in the department store where I was a Loss Prevention Officer. Baseball caps were becoming a high theft issue for our store so we began focusing closed circuit television on the area. Our store had an anti-theft system to stop shoplifting, similar to a Sensormatic system but we had not started tagging hats at that point. I was focused on watching the ballcaps this day and observed a suspect walk up to the display. He picked up a small stack of hats and tucked them under his shirt and walked towards the exit. To prevent the theft of the hats I had to run to the exit, meet him at the door, recover the merchandise and escort him back to the doors. I successfully stopped the suspect… for about 5 seconds then he dropped the merchandise and ran from me. I chased the suspect to an apartment complex (we were allowed to chase in those days) and he lost me. Local police arrived but we were unable to find the would-be shoplifter. I stayed in the area after the police left and kept surveillance of the area. Eventually I saw the suspect peek out of a trash can and I called the police back through our store operator. The apartment owner also called the police when they heard movement on their porch. Police returned and lifted the lid from the trash can and the suspect tipped over then tried to flee. The suspect was captured, cuffed and transported to the city jail.
My police officer friend recalled the story since he responded to this call he laughed because he remembered how much our thief stank from hiding in the trash bin. I should mention it was not long after that incident that we started tagging our ballcaps with clothing security dye tags. The tags looked like the Sensormatic system Benefit Denial Tags that also have electronic article surveillance technology in them. I guess it goes to show you that you can’t take friendships for granted. Even when I only thought I was doing my job trying to stop shoplifting in the process I built partnerships and friendships that would last for a long time.
The interesting thing is my trip down memory lane did not stop here. I have also been going through old paperwork cleaning out my briefcase and came across a certificate of recognition from the former Chief of Police for my work with the police department on a Police/Community event. By that time I had moved into a Loss Prevention Manager position with another company. There were photos of a Christmas shopping event I assisted the police and fire department to hold in our store for local underprivileged children. I came across more pictures of police/store events over the years that brought back more memories and some of the officers I have remained in contact with.
A Sensormatic system will help deter shoplifters from stealing from your store. Building partnerships with your local police department can help too. Offering a designated parking space for police vehicles, inviting officers to visit and have a cup of coffee and even providing a small percentage discount to police and first responders can increase their presence in your building. As you do this you will find you too can build friendships that may last longer than you imagined they would.
For more information on a Sensormatic System contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Sensormatic Tags – 3 WC Blog 805
Clothing Security -3
Prevent Fitting Room Failures With Sensormatic Tags
If you sell clothing you have fitting rooms and if you have fitting rooms it can be tough to prevent theft especially if your store does not use Sensormatic tags on clothing. As is often the case this thought came to me as I was on a shopping excursion. This time I was with one of my sons who was purchasing clothes for a job interview. It just so happened that he wanted my assistance in selecting appropriate attire (yeah, dad can still be useful from time to time especially when mom isn’t home). We went to a department store and looked at suits, shirts, sports jackets and ties. The funny thing is I had worked for this particular business, though not this store, when I started out in my Loss Prevention career. I know the protection we used to use for merchandise including fitting room controls. As we looked at the apparel I was somewhat taken aback at the lack of clothing security tags on merchandise. $35.00 slacks on the low end, suits in the hundreds of dollars, even the sports coat he settled on was on sale from $110.00 to $85.00. Hmmm…I was surprised but times change and I could not see any use of anti-theft devices. We selected several pair of pants, and the sports coat and he went to the fitting room. No one was present to check what he was carrying into the rooms. I found another item I wanted him to try on and took it to him and to be honest I was shocked at the condition of the fitting room stalls. All were empty of people but there were empty hangers, and loose clothing in every one of them. I even saw a large plastic shopping bag from another store in one room. I could not help but wonder how much theft had taken place and when the last fitting room inspection had taken place.
Fitting rooms are notorious for being a favorite location for shoplifters. Due to payroll constraints many stores have stopped assigning workers as fitting room attendants. Other stores have opted for a hybrid whereby the sales associate assigned to a department also controls fitting rooms. This may be done by keeping fitting room doors locked or by placing a point of sale near the fitting room entrance. There are drawbacks to each of these strategies. Locking doors requires a sales associate to be available with a key when a customer wants to try something on. Delay that shopper and you anger them and potentially lose sales. Putting a cashier near a fitting room entrance may give the appearance of control but if that cashier is busy they won’t be able to control activity in or out of a fitting room. Using Sensormatic tags is the only sensible solution to preventing theft of clothing in a fitting room.
Hopefully every store owner and manager takes clothing security as seriously as I do. I understand that stores and especially small stores have limited budgets. It is rarely practical for these stores to staff a fitting room especially when some major retailers have had to move away from that model. Sensormatic tags can take care of many of the problems posed by fitting room theft. Thieves want rewards with minimal risk. Tags present risk because they will set off the towers at the front doors. When shoplifters attempt to force tags off of garments it damages the merchandise rendering them useless to the would-be crook. Stores may not be able to put an employee at the fitting room but they can afford to purchase a Loss Prevention System that can be almost as effective. One reminder though, even if you opt to buy a Sensormatic system and tags you can’t totally neglect your fitting rooms. Regular inspections for empty hangers, old clothing and re-shop merchandise must be made. Cluttered fitting rooms tend to attract criminals.
Clothing security can be difficult when it comes to fitting rooms. Patrons want to try on clothes but unfettered access to fitting rooms can lead to financial loss for store owners. Protect your merchandise with Sensormatic anti-theft systems and let your customers enjoy trying on merchandise while you relax in the knowledge your inventory is safe and secure.
Get more information on Sensormatic tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
If you sell clothing you have fitting rooms and if you have fitting rooms it can be tough to prevent theft especially if your store does not use Sensormatic tags on clothing. As is often the case this thought came to me as I was on a shopping excursion. This time I was with one of my sons who was purchasing clothes for a job interview. It just so happened that he wanted my assistance in selecting appropriate attire (yeah, dad can still be useful from time to time especially when mom isn’t home). We went to a department store and looked at suits, shirts, sports jackets and ties. The funny thing is I had worked for this particular business, though not this store, when I started out in my Loss Prevention career. I know the protection we used to use for merchandise including fitting room controls. As we looked at the apparel I was somewhat taken aback at the lack of clothing security tags on merchandise. $35.00 slacks on the low end, suits in the hundreds of dollars, even the sports coat he settled on was on sale from $110.00 to $85.00. Hmmm…I was surprised but times change and I could not see any use of anti-theft devices. We selected several pair of pants, and the sports coat and he went to the fitting room. No one was present to check what he was carrying into the rooms. I found another item I wanted him to try on and took it to him and to be honest I was shocked at the condition of the fitting room stalls. All were empty of people but there were empty hangers, and loose clothing in every one of them. I even saw a large plastic shopping bag from another store in one room. I could not help but wonder how much theft had taken place and when the last fitting room inspection had taken place.
Fitting rooms are notorious for being a favorite location for shoplifters. Due to payroll constraints many stores have stopped assigning workers as fitting room attendants. Other stores have opted for a hybrid whereby the sales associate assigned to a department also controls fitting rooms. This may be done by keeping fitting room doors locked or by placing a point of sale near the fitting room entrance. There are drawbacks to each of these strategies. Locking doors requires a sales associate to be available with a key when a customer wants to try something on. Delay that shopper and you anger them and potentially lose sales. Putting a cashier near a fitting room entrance may give the appearance of control but if that cashier is busy they won’t be able to control activity in or out of a fitting room. Using Sensormatic tags is the only sensible solution to preventing theft of clothing in a fitting room.
Hopefully every store owner and manager takes clothing security as seriously as I do. I understand that stores and especially small stores have limited budgets. It is rarely practical for these stores to staff a fitting room especially when some major retailers have had to move away from that model. Sensormatic tags can take care of many of the problems posed by fitting room theft. Thieves want rewards with minimal risk. Tags present risk because they will set off the towers at the front doors. When shoplifters attempt to force tags off of garments it damages the merchandise rendering them useless to the would-be crook. Stores may not be able to put an employee at the fitting room but they can afford to purchase a Loss Prevention System that can be almost as effective. One reminder though, even if you opt to buy a Sensormatic system and tags you can’t totally neglect your fitting rooms. Regular inspections for empty hangers, old clothing and re-shop merchandise must be made. Cluttered fitting rooms tend to attract criminals.
Clothing security can be difficult when it comes to fitting rooms. Patrons want to try on clothes but unfettered access to fitting rooms can lead to financial loss for store owners. Protect your merchandise with Sensormatic anti-theft systems and let your customers enjoy trying on merchandise while you relax in the knowledge your inventory is safe and secure.
Get more information on Sensormatic tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
