Internal Theft- Atlanta Georgia

March 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Internal theft is a growing problem in all areas of the retail market. There are certain individuals who will accept employment at a company simply to place themselves in a position to steal money or merchandise. Several years ago I had applied for a job with a rather large retailer. After nearly 2 months they finally called me in, interviewed me and gave me the position. After I accepted, the district loss prevention manager and the store manager explained what had taken them so long to call me back.

It appears they had selected another individual for the position before me. This individual had gone through the process and had started working as the store’s loss prevention manager. Within 2 weeks he had managed to steal over $3,000 worth of merchandise. Once they had discovered that it was their new loss prevention manager committing the internal theft they went back through the CCTV footage to see how long he had been doing it. Turns out that he first began stealing from the company on his 2nd day at work. Amazing! Of course he was subsequently terminated and arrested.

This case goes to show that you can never be too careful and you should never underestimate the drive and determination of a crook. You should always keep a close eye on new hires for 2 reasons: First of all, you have no real frame of reference as to that person’s character. You can’t trust their references and background checks can only tell you that they’ve never been caught before. Second, they’re broke. It can take up to 3 weeks for a new hire to receive their first check. If they weren’t employed previous to taking the job this can be a financially trying time. Keep these factors in mind when looking to eliminate internal theft in your organization.

For more information about internal theft or employee theft or employee theft investigation or corporate fraud investigation contact us at Internal Theft or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

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Checkpoint Security Systems, beating the thieves

March 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Checkpoint security systems have been around for years. Many companies use Checkpoint security systems to help protect merchandise. However, just as many companies using Checkpoint security systems are not using them properly or as effectively as they could.

Checkpoint security systems are for the benefit of the merchant. Protecting their profits, merchandise, employees… all of their assets, are their main function. Yet I have seen many instances where a checkpoint security system has gone unused or checkpoint labels left lying around backrooms and receiving areas. This drives me nuts. I see these examples sometimes even in stores I supervise. As a manager, how can you let an investment like checkpoint systems go unnoticed?

Just the other day, I walked a store that had poor inventory results. The store is now on our target store program for high shrink. In developing a shrink action plan for the store, I spoke with the store manager about tools or ideas he felt could benefit him and his store. He told me he needs help to shoplifting. I asked what kinds of tools he thinks he needs to stop shoplifting. He says, ideally, he’d like someone to stand at the front of the store and let him know of a potential shoplifter. I asked him what the person should do if he finds a shoplifter. The manager replies “let me or my other managers know”.

Ok, so this guy is a little out of it. A checkpoint security system has been installed in his store for over 2 years. He has been equipped with Checkpoint labels and checkpoint tags. These checkpoint labels and checkpoint tags have been sitting in his backroom unused for quite some time.

Could his checkpoint security system have helped control his high shrink number? Absolutely. Had this manager executed the checkpoint security system program the way it was designed to work, the inventory results certainly would have turned out differently.

Checkpoint systems are designed to send the shoplifter down the street…maybe to your competitor who is not protected!

Visit the Retail Loss Prevention Store

For more information about checkpoint systems or checkpoint tags or retail anti theft devices or retail theft prevention or stop shoplifting or anti shoplifting contact us at Checkpoint Security Systems or call 1.770.426.0547

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The benefits of EASy Bottle locks

March 19, 2011 by

EASy bottle locks are a great deterrence for the amateur shoplifter.
Recently, a loss prevention agent working at one of my stores shared with me a story of how EASy bottle locks help prevent and deter a couple of different shoplifters.

Working in high customer traffic store located opposite corner of a local High School, this loss prevention agent knew the peak hours of theft and also knew the hardest hit areas. Observing the liquor aisle, the loss prevention agent had found several missing bottles of liquor from the shelf. The store manager told the agent that he had just put 10 bottles out 2 days ago and did not put on any EASy bottle caps. The agent knew theft was the reason these bottle were missing. In his investigation, he discovered the manager had placed the bottles on the shelf at about noon on a Monday. Later that day, the manager noticed a couple of bottles missing but thought nothing of it. The next day, the manager again saw more bottles gone and assumed the items were sold. The loss prevention agent knew better and checked the sales on the items. Only one bottle of this liquor had been sold. The rest… just a guess, were stolen.

The loss prevention agent helped the manager cap a new supply of these liquor bottles with EASy bottle locks and merchandised them on the shelf. Over the next few shifts, the manager and loss prevention agent cycle counted and observed the items. At about 3pm on a Tuesday, the loss prevention agent witnessed a high school aged male enter the liquor dept with a backpack. The subject removed his backpack, looked around in all direction. He grabbed 2 bottles of liquor. He noticed something different. EASy bottle locks, he had not had to deal with before were now making his efforts difficult.

Remember, when you use a bottle lock in your bottle security program you will always frustrate the shoplifter. And your bottle lock is reusable over and over again. This keeps your costs down. A well established bottle security program will send the shoplifter packing…to your competitor.

Visit the Retail Loss Prevention Store

For more information about Alpha Security or bottle lock or bottle locks or bottle security or liquor bottle security contact us at EASy bottle or call 1.770.426.0547

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How to Prevent Shoplifting in Extreme Cases

March 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment

 In recent months I have been attempting to prevent shoplifting, or at least limit it, in a number of grocery store liquor departments. These stores are located in the rougher parts of town where your average shoplifter tends to be a bit more desperate and potentially more violent. The biggest issue has been the “grab and runs”. That’s where the thief decides not to bother with the pesky detail of concealing merchandise, they simply run in, grab what they want and run right back out. It’s kind of like shock and awe.

 As you can imagine, short of posting an armed guard at the door, it can be difficult to prevent shoplifting in this type of case. It had reached the point that we were losing anywhere from $80 – $200 a day from this type of criminal. Something had to be done. In the end we ended up staking out the store like it was a Hollywood movie: One agent in the store, one outside and one in the camera room. When the thief finally came in and grabbed the merchandise he was surrounded immediately. In an attempt to save himself he volunteered the information on the rest of his crew.

 Based on that information the police department searched the apartment they were using to stash their ill-gotten gains. In the end, this group of 3 men between the ages of 18 – 23 had in their possession over $8000 worth of alcohol that they had stolen from different places. They were essentially running a business, selling to friends and relatives who wanted to throw parties, small neighborhood bars, etc. They could afford to sell the liquor for cheaper than the going rate because they had no overhead. In some extreme cases it may be necessary to overwhelm the thief in order to prevent shoplifting.

isit the Retail Loss Prevention Store

For more information contact us at Prevent Shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547

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An Employee Theft Investigation – Atlanta Georgia

March 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Several years ago, while working as a loss prevention detective for a big box retailer I was confronted with a rather complex employee theft investigation. Our team became suspicious of the store’s cleaning crew and my manager requested that I come in early to watch them to see if they were indeed stealing merchandise before the store opened. Using my considerable ninja-like skills (and my manager’s key) I managed to sneak into the building undetected and began observing the cleaning crew. I quickly noticed that the store’s assistant manager was also in early and working on the loading dock.

The assistant manager loaded several pieces of electronic equipment into a large box, disarmed the store’s rear exit alarm, and walked out. At this point I began a different employee theft investigation. I made my way around the side of the building where I observed the assistant manager placing the box into the back of his SUV and covering it with a large blanket. I immediately attempted to contact my manager but got no answer. I tried to reach the district manager but also came up empty. I knew my window of opportunity was closing so with my heart in my throat I confronted the assistant manager.

He created a story in which he was supposed to be taking the merchandise to another store in the district because they were short of some items. I cordially, yet forcefully, insisted that we wait in my office for confirmation of this. After about an hour, in which I still wasn’t able to contact my superiors, he finally came clean. Turns out that the cleaning crew was on the up and up, but the assistant manager had created his own business selling stolen goods online. The case was valued at over $34,000. Goes to show, you never know what you may find during an employee theft investigation.

For more information employee theft investigation or employee theft or internal theft contact us at Employee Theft Investigation or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

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Clothing Security Provides Defense

March 18, 2011 by

Clothing security in the way of Checkpoint Systems electronic article surveillance puts shoplifters on the defensive to the point that they look for easier targets.

No one even remotely associated with the retail industry believes that shoplifting is not a problem.  The problem, as the individual retailer sees it is that it is occurring in his business, taking away his livelihood one theft at a time.  Now the first inclination a retailer might have is to grab each shoplifter that comes into his store and bust his head.  As satisfying as that might be, it is impractical and inefficient, since it is difficult to identify a shoplifter profile and the police and lawsuits would soon put an end to it.

To ease the problem, and to provide a defense against shoplifting in the form of a deterrent, stores that seriously want to cut shrink use Checkpoint Systems clothing security.  Clothing is extremely vulnerable to theft by customers.  It is easily concealed in handbags, shopping bags, or worn under clothing.  That’s just the amateur and casual shoplifters.  Professionals use more sophisticated means like booster bags and boxes, specially made clothing with container bags sewn into them.

The Checkpoint Systems solution to clothing security is to defend the store from attack by shoplifters by eliminating the advantage of concealing the merchandise.

The clothing alarm, actually a set of specially tuned antennas, stands silently at the exit door until it is needed.  When items with a clothing security tags attached pass through, an alarm will sound, alerting staff that the item leaving the store still has tags attached.  Shoplifters know and avoid stores that use Checkpoint Systems devices and clothing security tags, an excellent defense system against shoplifters.

More information is available on Checkpoint Systems and clothing security: Call 770-426-0547 or click here.  Visit our Online Loss Prevention Store here.

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A Loss Prevention Agent is a Business Asset in Atlanta GA

March 18, 2011 by

The retail industry is probably the business category with the greatest need for a loss prevention agent.  The purpose of the agent, or loss prevention investigator, is to identify and resolve issues pertaining to the loss of assets – merchandise, property, cash, or any other kind of property – and to prevent such losses from occurring.

Many times the value of a loss prevention agent is intangible.  The true value of the agent’s value is reflected in the lack of shortage, the decrease in theft, the saving of the operational expense budget dollars through tighter controls.  Actually, the fewer apprehensions of shoplifters, the fewer terminations for employee theft, the fewer procedural violations uncovered, the more successful the loss prevention investigator may be considered.

There are retailers that take on the role of their own loss prevention department, or assign its responsibility to another area of the business.  The fact is that the role of the loss prevention agent is highly specialized with skills developed over a wide variety of situations.  It is not an area for someone without training or experience, or the results of the loss prevention program will not be optimal.

But for a retailer with one or only a few locations, the addition of a loss prevention agent may not be practical.  In that case, the solutions might be a partnership with a company of loss prevention consultants, who can react to immediate issues, set up a practical loss prevention program, conduct periodic audits, and track progress and measure successes.

The best answer for a retailer then may be to “dip his toe in the loss prevention pool” by consulting with an expert loss prevention agent who can analyze, identify and correct procedural vulnerabilities, as well as one who possesses the skills to interview staff members and develop information that leads to the elimination of unacceptable employee behavior.  And an added benefit is the training in shoplifter prevention and shortage awareness can present to all employees.

The loss prevention agent is not a police officer and has different priorities.  The priority of a loss prevention investigator or agent is to improve the profitability of the business through the reduction and recovery of loss.  The priority of a police officer is (as it should be) the reduction of crime in society.

Discuss your situation with a qualified loss prevention agent in Atlanta GA at 770-426-0547 or click here for more information.

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Anti Shoplifting Message – Don’t Do It Here

March 17, 2011 by Leave a Comment

When a retailer is forced to take an anti shoplifting stand because of high inventory losses and reduced profits blamed on theft, there are a lot of options open, from increased staff, locking displays, CCTV. None of these are cheap and totally effective.  A shoplifter is like any other criminal: motive, means, and opportunity are required for him to complete the crime.  As long as the shoplifter believes he has the opportunity to steal undetected, he is going to go ahead and make the conscious decision to do it.

The retailer has no control over motive and means of the shoplifter; therefore he has got to reduce opportunity.

A premier anti shoplifting solution is offered by Checkpoint Systems.  The retailer decides which merchandise to protect based on his own criteria: price point; theft rate; location; popularity; or even all merchandise on display are legitimate decisions.  Checkpoint tags and Checkpoint labels are attached to the merchandise.  When this merchandise passes the Checkpoint Systems antennas that are located at the entrance/exit of the store, and the salesperson at checkout hasn’t deactivated or removed the Checkpoint tags or Checkpoint labels, and alarm will sound and the customer will be redirected back into the store.

Retailers who have installed and use Checkpoint Systems equipment have experienced a tremendous decrease in inventory loss.  Every potential shoplifter that enters a store protected by Checkpoint Security Systems has to make a conscious decision:  Do I want to take a risk by stealing from this store or do I want to go to a store that doesn’t have a detection device?  Most would choose the easier road.

The installation and use of Checkpoint Systems, Checkpoint tags, and Checkpoint labels is to make an unmistakable anti shoplifting statement:  Go somewhere else to steal.

Call 770-426-0547 to discuss your anti shoplifting strategy, or click here for more information.  Please visit our Online Loss Prevention Store by clicking here.

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Thieves won’t steal your profits with Bottle Security

March 17, 2011 by

Alpha Security, a leader in loss prevention and security options for businesses, has security products available for those who sell wine and spirits.  These businesses know all too well that wine and liquor are considered high theft products.  Some people just don’t want to have to pay for their booze.

Businesses that sell liquor do not have to just keep raising prices to offset the losses that they are experiencing.  Bottle locks are available from Alpha Security, such as EASy bottle caps.  The EASy bottle cap is a bottle lock that can only be removed by using a special key when the bottle is purchased.  Liquor stores know all too well that bold shoplifters will just walk into the business, grab several bottles, and then walk out of the store.  Having bottle locks are a terrific deterrent to this “grab and go” type of theft.

Additionally, your customers like to be able to browse your products, handle the bottles, and read the labels.  Without bottle security businesses owners just could not afford to allow this luxury.  Knowing all too well the risk of displaying quality liquors and wines, many businesses opt to have these items behind a counter or in a locked case.  Either way, sales suffer due to these restrictions.

Could you imagine having your finest products displayed out on the shelf where customers can get a full view of what your business has to offer?  This dream can be a reality with a minimal investment in bottle security.  Losses can be greatly reduced, and with a bottle lock on your product, your sales can greatly increase.  That combination of reduced losses and increased sales means increased profit for your business.  That is something the shoplifters cannot steal from you.

Visit the Retail Loss Prevention Store

For more information about bottle security or bottle locks or Alpha Security or EASy bottle contact us at bottle lock or call 1.770.426.0547.

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Message in a Bottle – Alpha Security

March 17, 2011 by

The message Alpha Security is sending is bottle locks!

In many liquor stores, bottle security is a major problem.  There are shelves and shelves of bottled spirits and wines available for sale, and there are always some customers who are going to try and beat the system by stealing expensive bottles of product.  When merchandising the store, owners have been known to completely remove certain brands from the sales floor because of the high theft rate, or the high cost of the item.  This certainly saves the product, but harms sales when a product is not prominently displayed.

Bottle locks allow the product to be displayed openly along with other merchandise, but prevent theft by denying the use of the contents to the potential thief.

The bottle lock, which is secured by a proprietary key, fits over the top of the bottle, so that the top can’t be removed without breaking the neck of the bottle.  This simple lock doesn’t conceal or hide any part of the label, not even the tax stamp.  All it does is tell potential shoplifters that this brand is “Off Limits”.

Alpha Security, a leader in liquor bottle security, has models to fit almost any style and size of bottle, so that all leading brands can be secured.  They are effective while allowing full access to the bottle by the customer.  Only the shoplifters and samplers are denied.  Instead of having to ask for the particular brand, the customer simply takes his selection to the checkout where the bottle lock is removed, then reused on another bottle.

What happens if the thief decides to go ahead and take the bottle?  The bottle lock is designed so that when they pass a retail anti theft device such as a Checkpoint System, the alarm will sound, indicating that merchandise is passing out the door with the bottle security still attached.

Alpha Security has designed a highly effective solution for liquor bottle security – easy to use and economical bottle locks.

Learn more about bottle locks and bottle security now; call 770-426-0547 or click here for more information.

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