Identifying The Problems To Prevent Shoplifting

June 2, 2016 by Leave a Comment

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To fix a problem, you first need to know what is wrong with it.  Shoplifting and employee theft are two of the main causes of billions of dollars lost in the retail industry every year.  Employers and management personnel do not know how to fix those problems, and sometimes are not aware there is a problem till much later.  If employees are caught stealing, the problems then are the financial costs associated with prosecuting such individuals.  Is firing them enough punishment?  Should the employer  pay thousands of dollars in legal fees to bring such individuals to court?  There are many issues associated with shoplifting, do you know what to do about them?

To read more about this topic, follow the links below.

Managing Retail Shrink Begins with Problem Identification

The retail shrink action plan should begin with problem identification.

One question I have been asked frequently is, “How did you know how to battle retail shrink in the grocery business, especially considering your background is predominantly in discount retail?” My response to that question is almost always the same, which is: “I follow the loss prevention road map.” Often I get blank stares, but after explaining, most understand and realize they have probably been following their own road map for years without realizing it.

I have always described the road map as a six-step process; one that takes years to perfect, but when executed properly can yield amazing results in not only retail shrinkage reduction, but any expense a company is attempting to minimize.

The process includes the following six steps:

• Step 1—Problem identification
• Step 2—Program development
• Step 3—Program execution, or what I like to call countermeasures
• Step 4—Comprehensive awareness programs
• Step 5—Auditing for compliance
• Step 6—Measurement

Shoplifting prevention tips for businesses

JOHANNESBURG – Preventing petty theft such as shoplifting is not an exact science, however, here are a few tips to help business owners and shopkeepers.

Danny Maduray, owner of Ria Sebetsa Security, warned businesses of shoplifters.

“If you suspect someone may be shoplifting, never accuse him but rather ask if you can help him,” said Maduray.

“Keep the person in your sight and contact security or a manager immediately. Never try to stop the shoplifter. Rather provide security with a detailed description of the person, including his vehicle, if possible.”

Maduray also listed a few tips for businesses to prevent shoplifting:

  • Greet customers as soon as they come into the store. Addressing customers removes their anonymity. Shoplifters are known to avoid stores with attentive salespeople.

Face to Face

With facial recognition tools, do benefits outweigh privacy concerns?

Facial recognition technology has progressed through several generations, been tested in the workplace and is employed on a daily basis by transportation venues, casinos and law enforcement.

So why aren’t retailers making wider use of it, either to identify known shoplifters or to personalize visits of loyal customers when they walk into the store?

The technology may be in wider use than most people suspect, but some merchants are hesitant to publicize their efforts and risk having them be misinterpreted by privacy advocates. As with video surveillance, facial recognition raises fears of privacy invasion, but these can be overcome, says Colin Peacock, visiting fellow at the University of Leicester in England and strategic coordinator for Efficient Consumer Response Europe’s Shrinkage and On-Shelf Availability Group.

 

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What Are You Doing To Prevent Shoplifting In Your Business?

June 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment

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The United Kingdom police arrested people involved in a shoplifting ring this past week, The New York police in the United States arrested 3 people involved in a shoplifting ring, and 3 more people are arrested in Delaware for the same crime last week.  Shoplifting is a crime that in Europe, The United States, and other developed countries is so widespread that is costing businesses billions of dollars a year, and  authorities are trying to find a solution to a problem that so far has no end in sight.

For more about this and other stories, follow the links below.

Can Science Stop Stealing? UF Researcher Aims to Find Out

University of Florida Research Scientist Dr. Read Hayes is gathering data to better understand shoplifters’ habits.

By Stephen Sellner · May 20, 2016

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Theft plagues all kinds of retail stores across the country, and one University of Florida researcher thinks he can prevent stealing through science.

Dr. Read Hayes started the Loss Prevention Research Council 30 years ago. There, he studies video surveillance supplied by retailers to study shoplifting tendencies and better understand what deters them from stealing. Part of Hayes’ research involves interviewing shoplifters who are caught in the act to learn more about how they operate and what entices them to steal certain items. In exchange for talking, Hayes gives them a gift card to the store.

“We’re trying to really understand the thought process,” Hayes told Fox 13 News. “We’ve got to understand the psychology here in order for us to help influence their decisions.”

Below is a video that goes into more detail on Hayes’ work that has retailers very interested.

Delaware troopers arrest 3 in organized shoplifting

Delaware State Police troopers have arrested three people in connection with an organized retail theft operation.

Around 8:40 p.m. Saturday, May 28, troopers were dispatched to the Marshall’s store at 4575 Coastal Highway for a report of a shoplifting in progress, police said.  When the troopers got there they saw a loss prevention employee chasing after three people running from the store, police said, and the troopers were able to detain the three suspects without further incident.

Police said the investigation revealed the three were removing security devices from clothing in the store and then concealing them in a backpack which they also took from the store’s sales rack.  When the loss prevention employee confronted the three and identified himself, they dropped the merchandise and fled, police said.

Sue vows to fight teenage crime using free toiletries and underwear with launch of ‘Sue’s Essentials’

East Cambridgeshire Police’s crime reduction officer has launched her ‘Sue’s Essentials’ project by handing out boxes of toiletries and sanitary items to colleges across the region.

The case of a 12-year-old girl caught shoplifting toiletries in Ely inspired Sue Loaker to kick-start ‘Sue’s Essentials’ – an initiative that aims to reduce crime – theft in particular – through the distribution of free toiletries, sanitary items and underwear.

Toothbrushes, sanitary towels, hairbrushes and bras are just a selection of goods on offer to teenagers who may be unable to buy the items themselves or may not be receiving them at home.

Ms Loaker believes that offering the items to the region’s young people for free can help reduce the number of teenage shoplifters, and hopes it will also aid in the prevention of bullying in schools.

She said: “Ultimately, it’s a self esteem issue, and not having these items can lead to bullying and crime.

 

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Is Low Income A Reason To Shoplift?

May 20, 2016 by Leave a Comment

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Lawmakers across the nation have been asking for harsher theft penalties for shoplifting.   California and other states have passed laws that anything below $950 dollars worth of stolen merchandise is a misdemeanor. The punishment for shoplifters is negligent, and small business owners wonder whether the laws are there to protect the small business or the shoplifter. Many government officials believe that an increase in wages will help the fight against shoplifting, but many small business owners are skeptical.

For more about this and other stories follow the links below.

N.J. Senate committee to take up $15 minimum wage

A New Jersey Senate committee is expected to act Monday on a plan that would phase in the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour over the next five years.

The National Federation of Independent Business says raising the cost of labor will be a blow for small businesses. It predicts the move will cost 70,000 jobs in New Jersey over the next decade.

Senate President Steve Sweeney disputes that. He says giving low-income workers more money to spend will make the economy stronger.

“We raised the minimum wage last time. They predicted thousands of layoffs. Guess what? There were thousands of jobs added,” said Sweeney, a Democrat from Gloucester County.

William Rodgers, public policy professor at Rutgers, says the number of job openings has increased but companies are not filling many of those positions because the salaries are low.

“So by raising the minimum wage you’re going to help some of these employers fill those vacancies that they’ve been having for a long period of time,” he said. “You’re also going to see improvement in morale. Productivity is going to improve.”

Change in law results in big jump in California shoplifting

ROCKLIN, Calif. (AP) — Perry Lutz says his struggle to survive as a small businessman became a lot harder after California voters reduced theft penalties 1½ years ago.

About a half-dozen times this year, shoplifters have stolen expensive drones or another of the remote-controlled toys he sells in HobbyTown USA, a small shop in Rocklin, northeast of Sacramento. “It’s just pretty much open season,” Lutz said. “They’ll pick the $800 unit and just grab it and run out the door.”

Anything below $950 keeps the crime a misdemeanor – and likely means the thieves face no pursuit and no punishment, say retailers and law enforcement officials. Large retailers including Safeway, Target, Rite Aid and CVS pharmacies say shoplifting increased at least 15 percent, and in some cases, doubled since voters approved Proposition 47 and ended the possibility of charging shoplifting as a felony with the potential for a prison sentence.

Shoplifting reports to the Los Angeles Police Department jumped by a quarter in the first year, according to statistics the department compiled for The Associated Press. The ballot measure also lowered penalties for forgery, fraud, petty theft and drug possession.

$37,000 in goods shoplifted, couple arrested

The couple allegedly stole from Safeway, Target and Fred Meyer.

SALEM, Ore. (KOIN) — Salem police, with the assistance of a region retail theft prevention coalition, arrested 2 people for unlawful racketeering.

Salem Police Lt. Steve Birr said Michael Rascon and his wife, Maria Rojas, were arrested on Thursday morning after detectives executed a search warrant in the 100 block of Connecticut Street Southeast.

A large amount of new retail items still in their original packaging was located at the residence, police said.

Rascon and Rojas will be charged with unlawful racketeering, money laundering, organized retail theft, and first-degree theft by deception.

Investigators with Safeway/Albertsons, Fred Meyer and Target collaborated as part of the Northwest Organized Retail Crime Alliance to build the case against them.

KOIN 6 News has learned the two were selling stolen items online, buying stolen merchandise and even had “shopping lists” of things that they wanted stolen so they could turn around and sell.

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Prevent Shoplifting – Focus on the Basics

May 13, 2016 by Leave a Comment

meetingpic.For decades the gold standard of learning theory was that people needed to be told something 3 times before they really understood and remembered it.  If you wanted people to learn something you were supposed to: tell them what you’re going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you just told them.

Not anymore.  People’s attention spans and retention abilities have dramatically decreased over the last 10 – 15 years.  Depending on the research it’s now believed the average person needs to hear something 5 – 7 times before he understands and remembers it. 

This new standard in learning has changed the way effective businesses conduct their training.  Training modules are shorter and on-going, which gives employees the chance to retain and integrate the material. 

The new normal is particularly important in retail.  Well-trained employees are still one of the best ways to prevent shoplifting.  Therefore, a successful store will combine new training methods with fundamental shoplifting prevention techniques.

Pay attention at all times

Distracted employees are a real problem in retail and it’s getting worse.  Training includes, but isn’t limited to: the store’s policy on cell phone use, avoidance of personal on-the-floor conversations, proper customer service, common shoplifting tactics, and how to handle “lingering” customers.

Greet and be attentive to every customer

Friendly, conscientious employees are a natural deterrent to shoplifters.  Impulse or thrill thieves are less likely to act and professional ones are more likely to go somewhere else where the employees are less diligent.

Monitor the high risk areas/merchandise

Ongoing reminders of at-risk areas are useful.  When people get familiar with their environment they don’t “see” it any more.  The dark area in the corner gets ignored because they stop seeing it as a prime shoplifting site.    

Some items will always be a target for theft, while others are just the most recent trend.  It makes employees’ jobs easier if they know that pink T-shirts are now disappearing, rather than the blue ones that were 3 months ago.

A solid, basic training program which provides a solid, basic education to employees is still the most effective way to prevent shoplifting.  An additional bonus is, when done correctly, it can increase morale and employee buy-in.

Nicole Abbott is a professional writer who’s had over 200 articles published.  She’s a business consultant and former psycho-therapist with over 20 years of experience in mental health, business and addiction.  She’s a coach, lecturer, trainer and facilitator.  She has conducted over 200 workshops, trainings, presentations, seminars and college classes. 

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Shoplifting And The Law

May 12, 2016 by Leave a Comment

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States around the country have for many years now, ask lawmakers for harsher sentencing for shoplifters and specially if they are repeated offenders.  Many states have passed harsher sentencing laws regarding shoplifting, but the problem seems to be getting worse not better.  And although retail stores around the country try to find a solution for the problem, shoplifting is still a crime with no easy solution.

For more about this and other topics, follow the links below.

Is the Rise of Organized Retail Crime a Product of Soft Sentencing?

If not sentenced more harshly, those convicted will almost certainly continue their behavior.

During a panel discussion on organized retail crime (ORC), the panel discussed current ORC issues, legislation, coalitions, online sales of stolen property, and industry information sharing. The panel consisted of six of the top ORC minds in the industry, all of whom agreed that organized retail crime is on the rise, and more and more criminals are committing these nonviolent crimes.

The moderator asked specific questions relating to retail theft, and these experts were quick to answer and share information on steps they are taking to battle organized retail crime. They talked about the many successes in the past few years, which include building law enforcement interest (ORC coalitions) across the country. Considering ongoing efforts to collaborate with organized law enforcement-retail coalitions nationwide, getting police and retailers working together to solve these crimes is by far the most important element concerning organized retail crime.

Concealment = Shoplifting

Intent is the Driving Factor in Most States

It is a common misbelief that in order to commit the act of shoplifting, an individual must exit the store and permanently deprive the merchant of the unpurchased merchandise. The truth is, however, that in most states, an individual commits the act of shoplifting by taking actions that would cause one to reasonably believe that he intends to permanently deprive the merchant of the goods.

Most states require that the merchant have probable cause (or reasonable grounds) to believe that an individual has committed an act of theft or is attempting to shoplift before making a decision to detain the individual to determine if their observation was correct. Probable cause or reasonable grounds is not limited to observing the individual exiting the store with unpurchased merchandise. In addition to clear cases of theft, such as when a person opens a product’s container, consumes the contents and fails to pay for the product, probable cause or reasonable grounds to detain and make inquiry can also be obtained by observing an individual conceal unpurchased merchandise or in some states, by the activation of EAS even if the individual was not observed concealing merchandise. The majority of states do not require that an individual exit the store in order to have a civil cause of action for shoplifting.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT) Brings Back the Store Greeter

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) has decided to bring back the store greeter. The global retail giant will have employees at all of its entrances and exits to improve customer service and prevent theft. Simply put: it’s bringing back the hallmark door-greeter program that was vanquished a few years ago.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Make Their Return to a Store Near You

Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton believed that customer service was the key to success. One area of customer service that Wal-Mart became famous for was the iconic store greeter. These greeters, usually senior citizens looking for part-time income, would stand at doors, greet customers, thank them for coming and even check receipts to deter shoplifters.

 

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Is Racial Profiling Benefiting Your Store?

May 6, 2016 by Leave a Comment

theft (12) According to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention men, women, and juveniles shoplift equally.  The gender, nor race is more prominent than the other, yet many minorities are targeted and harassed when shopping at a retail store because of their race.  Shoplifting is a crime, and the retail industry loses billions a dollars yearly due to shoplifting and employee theft, but targeting minorities because of their race is a financial detriment to many retail stores.

For more about this and other topics, follow the links below.

Thieves raising a glass to LCBO policy

TORONTO – Thieves walk into an LCBO, grab a shopping bag and fill it.

Often the bottles are in the $40 to $80 range — Bacardi, Smirnoff, Grey Goose and other popular brands — and they’re swiped daily by the dozens.

Shoplifters confidently make their way to the exit, not even approaching the check-out.

Within seconds, they’ve made their getaway.

And they know LCBO employees can’t do anything to stop them.

According to the LCBO’s theft policy, workers shall not attempt to detain or arrest thieves. They’re suppose to alert police or security personnel.

“It’s very clear they know there’s a loophole,” said a Toronto-area LCBO employee, who agreed to be interviewed on the condition of anonymity.

Sobeys ordered to pay $21,000 in racial profiling case of Halifax-area woman

The human rights board decided in Andrella David’s favour this fall, and announced a remedy Friday.

A Halifax-area woman who was racially profiled while shopping at a Sobeys store will receive more than $21,000 from the company.

Marion Hill, chair of the independent human rights board of inquiry into Andrella David’s case against Sobeys Group Inc., issued a decision on remedy late Thursday.

“Consumer racial profiling is a significant issue in Nova Scotia most often targeting African Nova Scotians and members of the First Nations communities,” Christine Hanson, director of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission said in a release Friday.

“I’m pleased to see that Ms. David’s experience has brought awareness to the issue, and the commission looks forward to working with retailers in the coming months to help prevent similar occurrences.”

Last October, Hill concluded in her original decision that David of Upper Hammonds Plains had been discriminated against on the basis on her African Nova Scotian race and/or perception of income, when an assistant manager at the Sobeys accused her of shoplifting multiple times in 2009 and said they had her on surveillance tape.

8 nabbed after cops intercept multi-state credit card fraud rings

Gloucester Township Police were conducting proactive retail patrol on three separate incidents leading to the arrest of eight people and the recovery of a stolen handgun.Authorities said they were able to interrupt two multi-state credit card rings and prevent thousands of dollars in retail theft and fraud following three separate investigations.

Police were conducting surveillance at the Gloucester Premium Outlets April 26 as a result of ongoing retail theft.

While investigating, police saw four males attempting to use multiple credit and gift cards to purchase high-end merchandise.

Several transactions were denied and after approaching the men, one tried to hide the credit and gift cards in mulch landscaping outside of the store, according to police.

The four men were later found in possession of more than $6,000 worth of merchandise that police believe was fraudulently purchased in different stores.

Detectives seized multiple stolen credit and gift cards, a laptop and encrypted USB drive that was used to load stolen credit card account numbers onto the cards.

 

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Preventing Shoplifting Today

April 28, 2016 by Leave a Comment

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The reasons associated with shoplifting and  employee theft are many.   Shoplifting is now considered one of the most widespread crimes in the United States, and according to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention (NASP)  there are about 550,000 shoplifting incidents daily.  The billions of dollars lost to shoplifting and employee theft robs not only the store, but the consumer and the communities where they are located. Security measures to prevent shoplifting still seem to fall short, and retailers across the nation invest heavily in the most up to date security systems for their store.  For more about this and other topics, follow the links below.

Loss Prevention Strategies in a New Age of Natural Selection

There are times when each of us must challenge our convictions and embrace change.

We live in a time of great change. We work in an industry where our ability to adjust to the needs of the customer and the dynamics of a global market sculpt the landscape of retail. We serve in a profession that demands that our loss prevention strategies adapt and adjust to business strategies, our retail partners, and the many elements that can impact company profitability. This isn’t exactly breaking news. We know this. We preach this. We embrace these principles as a critical aspect of what we do. Why then, are there those that are so resistant to certain types of change?

Why do some applaud advancements in technology, but fail to take advantage of the technology that’s available right at their fingertips? Why do some advocate the value of training and education, but fail to support an industry certification program? Why do some lecture their teams on the power of information, and then not take simple steps to stay informed? How is it that we can see the train coming and stand on the tracks rather than jumping on board?

The First Line of Defense

Retailers look to make exterior customer spaces safer

The combination of shootings — by terrorists or otherwise — and other workplace violence has put the retail industry on edge. Stores, restaurants and shopping centers struggle with strategies to protect employees and customers inside their locations, as well as in the parking area outside.

There are few patterns as to how and why the violence takes place where it does, and scant data to support any particular hypothesis. Such violence doesn’t occur on a daily basis, and is just infrequent enough that occurrences generate news alerts on social media and local radio, video lead-ins for the nightly news and headlines in daily newspapers.

Already in the first three months of this year, the industry has seen such incidents as a fast-food employee accused of killing his manager in the restaurant’s parking lot in a Kansas City suburb; a discount store manager in Mobile, Ala., who police say was shot to death by a man he lived with; a 23-year-old clerk at a Norfolk, Va., convenience store shot in the chest during a robbery; and an attempted robbery at a cash loan store in Irving, Tex., that turned into a hostage situation when the armed robber grabbed a female employee to use as a shield as he attempted to get to his car for a getaway. The robber/kidnapper was shot and killed by a responding police officer.

Ten Cheap and Easy Shoplifting Prevention Tips

We’ve put together ten tips that you can use as a business owner to reduce theft and shoplifting at your business. Most thieves shoplift on an average of 1.5 times a week; with nearly $25 million worth of merchandise stolen every day. The following is a list of proactive steps you can take to reduce your losses due to shoplifting.

1. Prevention is your best protection. A business that announces they don’t tolerate theft will often be passed over in favor of a more “friendly” store. Signage and cameras (real or realistic-looking fakes) discourage many would-be shoplifters. Postacrime (www.postacrime.com) has a variety of effective signage and prevention tools. Decals on windows, fitting room mirrors and display fixtures will let the criminals know you’re watching them closely. Many police departments post advice and precautions on preventing retail theft; the Salem, Oregon police department (http://www.cityofsalem.net./export/departments/police/tips_for_preventing_shoplifting.htm) offers very practical information on protecting your business.

2. Trained employees are your best weapon against shoplifting. Just the act of greeting a patron or offering help lets a shoplifter know that he/she is being watched and the employees are attentive. Employees should watch for inappropriately baggy clothing, lingering in corners and unusual attention to traffic and employees. Occasionally a shoplifter will have a partner to create a distraction such as an argument or fainting; employees should designate one or more to react in such a situation while the others continue to work.

 

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Get More Out Of Your Burglar Alarm System

April 28, 2016 by Leave a Comment

EASIs your burglar alarm giving you all it’s got? Technology keeps updating but there is one area you may not be thinking about getting more from your dollar: your burglar alarm system.

Alarm systems can now do so much more for the retailer. First, if you are still transmitting alarm signals via your phone line, then you are very vulnerable.  Phone lines are really terrible for transmitting signals. They are slow and unreliable. Your phone line goes down and your alarm is not going to communicate with anyone. Change to cellular communications and you will get the signal out. You see, alarm systems communicate on a different cellular channel than your voice “can you hear me now” channel. That channel is very strong. You may not have good voice service in your store but chances are your alarm system cellular service is great. Cellular signals are MUCH faster also. Cost? Should only add a few dollars a month to your monitoring invoice. 

Heard about or been a victim of copper theft. You know, copper, the metal that your roof top or side of building air conditioner units tubing is made of. Thieves will tear up your a/c just to steal that copper to sell it. This leaves your business down until replacement and repair can be completed. Your alarm company can put a sensor on your outside a/c unit that will trip your alarm, if they try to tamper with it. Cost of the part is about $70 +/-.

Do you have valuable property at your business such as equipment, artwork….. that is never to be moved or removed from the premises?  Honeywell makes a wireless sensor that is about half the size of a pack of cigarettes. This sensor attaches to that item. It can be programed different ways to notify you if the item is moved or removed. This sensor is monitored by your burglar alarm system.

Your alarm company can guide you. If they don’t have a solution or don’t understand, then you should look for another vendor who can think outside the box. 

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HARDENING YOUR PERIMETER – PREVENTING A BURGLARY

April 28, 2016 by Leave a Comment

eas fieldMy grandparents owned a small hardware store back in the late 1950s. Back then, when my grandpa left at 5pm, he simply locked the back door, gathered his belongings and left, locking the double glass front door behind him with nothing more than a standard lock that you’d find on any home at the time. The front of the store was nothing but glass. He had cash and at least $100k worth of merchandise on the shelves. Wouldn’t it be nice if things could go back to the way they were back then? Could you imagine if you left your store this soft nowadays? Burglaries happen, and they happen often. Over the past ten years as a Regional LP manager for my company, I’ve had it happen a total of 12 times. About once a year, or so, someone, somewhere across my region, breaks into one of my stores; or at least tries to do so. We have a lot of things that we implement to prevent this from happening, so when someone is able to breach our perimeter, it’s usually caused by human error.

Hiding in a rack

Out of the 12, six never actually tried to “break in”. They simply just stayed in the store. Closing manager task #1 is to WALK THE SALES FLOOR thoroughly before dismissing the team. Always check the hiding spots, restrooms and fitting room stalls, in addition the warehouse areas. What always struck me about these cases, is the suspect has literally nowhere to go. He’s locked into the store; and during every single case, the suspect was a trapped mouse. This of course, is due to the fire exit bars that are installed and locked once the building is no longer occupied. Most criminals think they can just grab what they want and push out of a fire exit…

Smash and grab

I’ve had two of these during my tenure. Suspect drives a vehicle through the front entrance. It never really works out in the long run though. Of these two, one made it in, but the truck was so heavily damaged, it wouldn’t move. The other didn’t get past the cement bollards in the front. I highly recommend the installation of bollards if you don’t have them. Smash and grabs are a more and more common way to burglarize small businesses. Bollards are a way to quite literally, fight back.

Walk right in

My personal 3 favorite burglaries of all times; which also led to the terminations of three separate managers. I know that closing a store has its own set of challenges and there are plenty of things that need to get done before you go home… setting the alarm and locking the door shouldn’t be the two things that you forget though. Either one, or both has happened and they have usually resulted from a scattered brained manager getting very distracted, or not doing something right on the alarm panel. One just got distracted with a personal phone call that he left the store so quickly that the front doors weren’t locked. There are criminals that check these things often. We see thieves check car door handles to see if the car is locked; well there are some that do the same to businesses.

Rappel down

If you have a skylight(s) it is important to make sure access to your roof is restricted at all times. If not, someone can get up there and steal the copper out of your AC units, or go special forces and rappel down into your store; two very funny stories that you’ll have to read in the next article.

While burglaries are a more common problem that we might think, there are several measures that you can implement to make your store less of a target for these crooks. Whether it’s installing an alarm panel, putting in a roll-down shutter down, or making sure the roof ladder isn’t left accessible and your front doors are actually locked at night. Following some pretty basic steps and using some good old fashioned common sense can help you to avoid the headache and lost money that comes from a burglary.

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FOUR STORY FALL FROM GRACE

April 28, 2016 by Leave a Comment

theft (12)It’s not too many industries where I can share two separate stories of a crook falling four stories after trying to steal. This is why I chose Loss Prevention as my career. It’s not the thrill of the chase, or the feeling I get when I close a big case; no, it’s the funny stories I get to tell!

I’m a Regional LP Manager for a medium sized company. I have about 30 stores across a few states. That also means I’m on the alarm call list for all 30 stores. Basically, if there’s an alarm activation, the monitoring company contacts the store managers, in order of proximity to the store. If they go down the list twice, with no answer, they try the district manager. If the DM doesn’t answer, the call goes to the regional manager (who of course never answers). If none of those folks answer the phone, I get the call. ( I always answer). You would think that it wouldn’t be too common for me to get this call. In fact, as I’m typing this I had to take a break to answer one. Most of the time, it’s false alarms and a manager needs to respond in order to reset the alarm. Sometimes, however, it’s an actual burglary.

About 4 years ago, it was a little after 1am on a Saturday night. I wasn’t quite asleep yet when I heard the company cell ringing from the next room. It’s the alarm company. I greet the caller, who knows I’m the last person on his list and he very hesitantly tells me that there’s been an incident at a store and police are requesting a key holder respond immediately. The store, luckily for me, is right down the road from my home (it’s where I office). I tell the alarm company I’ll respond, but to keep calling managers until one wakes up.

When I get to the store, I see fire, police and EMS at the rear. I get out just as an ambulance pulls away. After a few minutes of searching, I locate the officer in charge of the scene. “You’re going to love this one!” he says with a smirk.

A Darwin award candidate was able to gain access to our roof. Turns out, there was some roof repairs made earlier in the week, and a manger never secured the ladder. This guy climbs up with the idea of stealing the copper wiring out of our HVAC units. Great idea on paper… What he didn’t consider was the near-life ending shock that would result from that attempt. A shock so powerful that it threw him out of his shoes and off the side of the building. He was lucky to survive.

Same scenario, but different store. Due to a manager’s failure to secure the roof ladder after some repairs, a genius had the bright idea to rappel down into the store from the skylight. I would assume that he watched some James Bond movies before trying this. Big difference here was that this young fellow lacked the upper body strength of Mr. Bond.

After scaling the roof, he smashed through the skylight with a hammer. Very crudely, he tied one end of a long rope to an AC unit and threw it down the skylight. He did so right in front of a camera dome as luck would have it… Our cat burglar then begins to scale down the rope by hand; only problem is that he isn’t quite strong enough to support his own weight. He falls. About 4 stories down and the camera captured everything. When he hit the ground, he literally bounces. There’s no movement for a good 5 minutes. Dazed and confused he eventually comes to his feet, only to realize that he has no way out. His plan was to steal several high end items and then climb back up the rope. Needless to say, that didn’t happen. He spent the next several months behind bars; and that was after spending a few weeks in the hospital for a fractured skull and broken femur.

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