Clothing Security Tags – 3 Alarm Hard Tags From Alpha

October 15, 2010 by

Imagine this: a shoplifter steals a piece of your merchandise They as they leave the store the Checkpoint System alarms but the shoplifter runs but your clothing security tags themselves have an alarm sounder built in and as he is running down the mall or street the is sounder is blasting away, for the next 30 minutes.

Or inside the store the shoplifter has picked up a piece of merchandise she intends to steal. But it has an Alpha 3 Alarm tag on it. As she tries to pry the tag and pin apart the built in sounder blasts out.

Clothing security tags are nothing new. This is! Alpha 3 Alarm hard tags go into alarm if tampered with, sound if removed from the store as they trip the Checkpoint System. These tags are designed for clothing security and accessories. You could use them on any cloth type material. They are black in color and 2.5” x 1.75” x 0.5” thick. The built in battery will power the internal sounder for 30 continuous minutes. There are several different pins available to fit most any retailer’s clothing security needs.

Another great point is that they require an S3 key to remove them. This means that shoplifters do not have access to the keys.

I do not believe that a retailer should try to use these for every application. But high theft, expensive items such as leather, hats, accessories are ideal. Another version of the 3 Alarm comes with a cable loops from 6 up to 90 inches in length.

For more information on clothing security tags contact us at clothing security or call 1.770.426.0547

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What Is This??? Retail Loss Prevention – Atlanta

October 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment

I’ve been in the retail loss prevention field for over a decade. The other day my daughter, who’s now 12, asked me, “Dad, what’s loss prevention ?” I was almost offended. “I leave home everyday” I thought, “and bring home the proverbial bacon so that you can have those ungodly-priced tennis shoes, and you don’t even know what I do?” However, her question caused me to do an impromptu poll of my friends and family and I found that my daughter wasn’t alone. A great deal of people have no idea just what loss prevention is, so I decided to take a moment to explain.

Retail loss prevention is a sort of private investigation into various kinds of theft or larceny. The focus of these investigations usually center on shoplifting or organized retail theft, internal theft, embezzlement and credit and check fraud. The purpose of these investigations is to maximize profits by reducing the overall shrink within a company. We use many different tools to complete these investigations including: Exception-based reporting, CCTV surveillance, EAS (or Electronic Article Surveillance), audits, reports, integrity shops and many others.

Why all of the hullabaloo? Inventory shrinkage costs American retailers over $31 billion a year. That’s a lot of cash, clams, bread or ducketts, no matter how you look at it. Why should the average person care about retail loss prevention ? At some level or another we are all consumers. When a company loses sizable profit due to inventory shrinkage they are left with little choice but to raise prices on merchandise in order to offset that loss. That means higher prices on everything from t-shirts to toilet paper. So, in the end retail loss prevention helps keep life affordable for everybody.

For more information about loss prevention contact us: retail loss prevention or call 1.770.426.0547

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Case report on employee theft – stealing time

October 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Employee theft is often thought of as merchandise or cash theft, have you considered stealing time as employee theft ?

Store loss prevention personnel found night shift employees were stealing time from a company by taking long breaks.  The company had a policy on stealing time which resulted in the suspension and subsequent firing of eight employees.  Three of the employees claimed they were fired because of race stating a violation of Title VII and 1981 (civil rights act of 1964).

The federal district court found the evidence clearly showed all employees caught sleeping on the job or taking longer than permitted breaks were treated equally regardless of race or age.

What is your company policy on stealing time?  Does it outline it at all?  Ever Considered stealing time as employee theft or employee fraud ? Many readers of this article who own or manage a small  to mid sized business are falling into one of two categories.  First, they have no loos prevention policies and procedures, which is where the time stealing policy would be listed.  Second, those who have written policies are taking notes to be sure and add that to their list.  Those who actually define stealing time in their policies are ahead of the crowd, but is it being enforced? Stealing time may be one of the most common forms of employee theft and most overlooked.

If you need help solving tough issues with employees or want more info visit employee theft.

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Why you may want to seek help from a Corporate Fraud Investigator

October 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment

If you are aware that your business is suffering from internal theft you likely have a CPA or CFE working on gathering accounting evidence to identify the source of the problem, maybe you contacted an attorney to lead the quest or play a role.  What you may not be aware of is the option to contract hire a corporate fraud investigator as a link in the chain of your corporate fraud investigation, or how they fit with the experts already on the task.

Typically a good CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner – usually a CPA with specialized training and certification) will find the forensic evidence needed to point towards suspects. This is similar to how an attorney gathers evidence and information to build a case that he or she believes will win the favor of a judge panel or jury in court.

A good corporate fraud investigator with a loss prevention background will often come into play when interviewing employees and or interrogating suspects.  This specific skill set is based on training from organizations such as the John Reid & Associates Institute or Wicklander – Zulawski & Associates.  These skills lead the corporate fraud investigator to orchestrate interviews in a particular order and style based on the evidence compiled by the CPA – CFE etc…  The results are written confessions through non confrontational techniques and a complete case file that can be handed over to authorities ready for processing in criminal court if desired.

Calling a corporate fraud investigator up front may help avoid some costs in the overall process depending on the experience of the CPA and or attorney on the case.  The trained investigator can help guide the investigation offering some specific direction to the team that will reduce the amount of time necessary to land on a confession.  This saved time means saved dollars spent on hourly fees etc…

For more information visit: corporate fraud investigator

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Checkpoint security tags available in a variety of shapes and sizes

October 14, 2010 by Leave a Comment

If you are considering the use of retail anti theft devices take a look at checkpoint security tags.   Checkpoint Systems is the world leader in EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) systems likely due both to their ability to keep up with trends and their use of industry leading technology.

Whether you are protecting handbags, leather jackets, shoes, boutique apparel, men’s, women’s or children’s clothing, accessories, hardware such as electric drills and expensive tools, CD music, DVD’s & Blue Ray discs, ipods, memory cards, health and beauty products such as cosmetics, razors, drugs or baby formula, even liquor bottles…in other words anything you can sell in a retail setting can be protected by checkpoint security tags and or with their Alpha High Theft line of anti theft devices.

Some of the tags are called 3 alarm.  They will not only set off the alarm at the door, they have tamper sensitivity and built in sirens that will go off at any time the tag is tampered with…and that same siren will go off if the product is taken out of the store bringing attention to the shoplifter in a big way. You may have seen some of these in what are called “spider wraps”… security devices with cables wrapped around boxed items such as GPS units, small LCD digital photo frames etc…

If you are in the retail business you are losing inventory due to theft.  There is no way to avoid the presence of thieves, but what you can do is send them on to unprotected store by using anti theft devices such as checkpoint security tags and Alpha High Theft security products.

For more info visit: checkpoint security tags or Alpha High Theft Solutions

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What can a Loss Prevention Agent do for your business? – Atlanta

October 14, 2010 by

A loss prevention agent can be a very valuable tool for any retailer. Specializing in the apprehension of shoplifters, an agent can dramatically impact shrink and protect profits.

In the world of retail, shoplifters are an everyday occurrence. The average retailer is unaware of what a shoplifter looks like and may focus their efforts in the wrong areas. As an example, I worked for a retailer that automatically assumed all the homeless or “gang” member types entering his store were taking merchandise. His efforts of monitoring these customers proved nothing. In the meanwhile, the average looking, regular customer and the customer in the three piece suit were the ones really taking his business to the cleaners. He was stereotyping, a sometime critical mistake when addressing shoplifting activity in a store.

It is the responsibility of the professional loss prevention agent to identify and apprehend the shoplifter. He/she will do this by systematically working the store. At the start of their shift, the loss prevention agent will walk the sales floor, looking for empty packages and other signs of customer theft. Planning their shift around the aisles where the empty packages originated, working to catch the shoplifter.

Now, once the apprehension of the shoplifter has taken place, the agent will need to make the decision to prosecute or issue a civil demand based on the needs of the business. Is there a benefit to prosecuting? Would the business be better suited to issue a civil demand? What is best? Decisions like these can really affect several aspects of the business. Sending shoplifters out with the local authorities can benefit a business where shoplift activity and employee theft is a problem. However, issuing a civil demand can get the agent back out onto the sales floor and on the hunt for the next shoplifter.

None of these decisions should be taken lightly, and with the right agent, your store or business will remain profitable.

So, what can a loss prevention agent do for your business?

For more information about loss prevention consultants or loss prevention investigator contact us at loss prevention agent or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta

 

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Prevent shoplifting with a new attitude – Atlanta

October 14, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Maybe what is holding you back in your quest to prevent shoplifting is your own attitude. Many retailers need to look with in before they invest in any equipment such as CCTV. If your attitude is not one of attacking your shoplifting problem through customer service then you do not have a good foundation to build on. Any equipment you add will simply be an investment that does not fully pay off.

Customer service is the primary tool to prevent shoplifting . Customers love customer service, shoplifters absolutely hate it. The beauty of this is that the more you do the better your sales. Think about it. If your staff is aggressive with quality customer service, by knowing the products you sell and are not afraid to approach each and every customer you will increase sales and as important “add on sales”. For example if a member your staff is assisting a customer who is purchasing an electronic device that takes accessories are they discussing the good and bad points of those items. Are they making recommendations and offering those additional items?

In doing this they will find out quickly if this person is a customer or a shoplifter. A shoplifter will react completely differently. A shoplifter will resist the attention and all though some legitimate customers will do the same an experienced and alert employee will notice differences such as a lack of interest in the product being purchased and indifference about price.

So what does the employee do at this point? If they have developed a feeling that the “customer” is possibility a shoplifter it is not the time to back off. If the person is resisting more customer service then they should stay in the area being very visible. This will frustrate most shoplifters. In most cases the shoplifter will simply move on to an easier target, probably your competitor.

But at the same time your store will earn a reputation as the place that provides customer service that is above and beyond. This will spread by word of mouth. Friends will tell friends. The same thing will happen with shoplifters. Shoplifters talk and will share this information. The shoplifters themselves will be a positive part of your program to prevent shoplifting .

Contact us at prevent shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547 or in Atlanta 770.426.7593 for more information.

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Employee theft biggest threat & most overlooked

October 14, 2010 by Leave a Comment

When interviewing retailers experiencing inventory losses I am not surprised anymore how quickly they dismiss employee theft as a possible issue.  Not surprised because it is almost universally met with the response “I trust my people they have been with me for a long time” or “we have a family business here”.  In fact they often seem pretty defensive and sometimes mildly offended that I would bring up internal theft as a possibility.

Year after year the number one source of retail loss is via employee theft as measured by multiple neutral organizations that are tracking a wide variety of retailers across the nation.  In fact it is found to account for close to half of all inventory losses on retail businesses.

To properly catch employee theft you should be sure you have good procedures in place that are checked by multiple people.  There should be more than one person responsible for any task related to inventory. Having systems in place will raise questions when anything unusual happens.

You should also be sure to have a good camera system in place that records activity in your store.  This is a major resource for proving  internal theft and many other issues like false slip and fall claims.  A good system will deliver face recognition.  How many times have you seen the news show a blurred out figure caught “on tape” in a robbery?  Quality only costs a little bit more.

The best way to solve an employee theft issue is to rely on those who are trained in the area.  Loss prevention professionals are trained on interviewing and conducting an employee theft investigation .  Using these professionals also separates you from the process and protects you from potentially damaging relationships with good employees.

For more info visit employee theft.

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White Collar Crime – Atlanta

October 14, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary describes white collar crime as “a variety of non-violent financial crimes committed by business people or public officials, involving commercial fraud, consumer fraud, swindles, insider trading on the stock market, embezzlement, bribery, or other dishonest schemes.” Today we usually associate the term with individuals like Bernie Madoff, a stock broker who “made off” with billions of dollars of his clients money by turning his wealth management business into a humongous Ponzi scheme. However, white collar crime is far more often perpetrated on a less grand scale.

Consumer fraud, for example, can involve anything from bait and switch practices to full blown identity theft. This type of fraud can take place in person, over the telephone, or online. As technology continues to improve at a supersonic rate, many businesses are turning to the internet to give their customers more ease and versatility in acquiring their product. Look, you’re on it right now! As a result, internet fraud has risen faster than any other in the last few years. No business is too large or too small to fall victim to these types of crimes.

Computer fraud, credit card fraud, embezzlement and plain old theft all fall under the umbrella of white collar crime . What motivates people to commit these types of crimes? The same thing that (more than likely) motivated you to go into business in the first place: money. How do you safeguard your business and your customers against these crimes? Education and awareness are key. Inform yourself, be proactive, and enlist the services of a professional. The best way to prevent white collar crimes is to build barriers, or checks and balances, which limit the opportunity for those crimes to occur.

For more information about employee theft ,  white collar crime investigations contact us at White Collar Crime or call 1.770.426.0547

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Checkpoint Systems Tricks And Tips

October 13, 2010 by Leave a Comment

There are some little known anti shoplifting features built into your Checkpoint Security system . One is that the antennas have a built in relay output. This output can be connected to any low voltage device that can take a momentary trip. So let’s say a customer that is shoplifting trips the checkpoint security system . The relay could be used to send a signal to your camera system to begin recording. Most new Digital Video Recorders (DVR) have a buffer built into them and when it is tripped it will grab that 5 to 10 seconds of video in the buffer before the relay trips it and record that plus real time going forward.

This relay can also trip a remote sounder or chime in the back room or office. In the past some customers have asked us to connect the checkpoint security system relay to a mag lock on the door so when the system alarms the front door automatically locks. Although this sound likes a great idea there are several problems with this. One is that it is against fire code. As a loss prevention professional with 30 years of experience I can also tell you that it is probably not a good idea to lock a potentially angry or hostile criminal in with you.

The relay could also be attached to a programmable sounder that plays a pre-recorded wav file message.

The newer Checkpoint systems can also be configured to count customers both coming in and going out the same door. Another feature is Metal Point. This detects “booster bags” that are used in shoplifting to steal merchandise. A booster bag is a foil-lined bag.

Another trick to deter damage and wear to your Checkpoint security system antennas is to install bumper guards. The new bumper guards are real slick looking and keep shopping carts from hitting the antennas. In most cases they prevent people from accidentally kicking or running into the base of the antenna.

Are you having problems with people walking around the outside of the Checkpoint systems antennas? Another anti shoplifting technique is to purchase a couple of dollars of PLASTIC chain at a hardware store and attach it from the antenna to the door-frame, display or wall.

For more information about shoplifting , anti shoplifting devices or checkpoint security systems contact us at Checkpoint Systems or call 1.770.426.0547

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