Opinion on Effective Shoplifting Prevention Strategies

Hi there

I wanted to get diversity of opinion regarding catching shoplifters and strategies
from smart minds. What I usually do is stand at the front of the store keeping aware
of my blindspots and distraction attempts. I try to work with the in-store
colleagues and training them on what to look for. My mindset is I am looking for
people who walk the opposite way to the tills, with full carts or full bags. I will then set
the security barriers off to check and make it look normal (as there are
products with security labels on them)

I also check for people passing through the till areas, as many hide products
under buggies or under bags. I call this middle class shoplifting. Our cameras are
not good enough to catch tag switchers or very small items, so I generally
watch out for items that statistically are more likely to go out at certain times.

I have also dived into topics such as acturial profiling in its limited form, without
data it is difficult though. What we do find is men are more likely to shoplift
from the self scan till area (exspecially young men during the busy times)

I wondered - if you were placed at the store entrance watching out for shoplifters
what kind of strategies would you deploy? Imagine you also had access to
cameras in the entire store and could place them on a screen how you see it.

It would be really good to get a physics minded opinion!

Welcome to PF.

InspiredHelicopter said:

I wondered - if you were placed at the store entrance watching out for shoplifters
what kind of strategies would you deploy? Imagine you also had access to
cameras in the entire store and could place them on a screen how you see it.

Loss Prevention is a challenging job; I don't envy you in that position. Probably the best thing I can do at this point is to post the hit list from a Google search on loss prevention strategies:

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=loss+prevention+strategies

Also, I'd try to avoid profiling in your work if possible. In my part-time work as a Medic, I've definitely learned that you "can't judge a book by its cover".

I'd probably watch out for people scanning for cameras, mirrors, blind angles and where the employees are. A normal customer doesn't care about these things.

Someone who enters with a bag slung over his shoulder and leaves buying a packet of yeast or something similarly cheap would also make me suspicious, but I guess that would qualify as profiling.

Look at the difference in the supply to the shelf, and the checkout totals. If brown onions are the cheapest substitute, then any self-scanner who claims to be buying brown onions is an immediate suspect.

There used to be a scam back in the days (some 50 years ago,I'd say) when a shoplifter /scam artist would go into a store and pretend to hide an item on his or her person.

(presumably they would be aware that they were being watched by cameras or otherwise)

Afterwards ,they would secretly replace the item on the shelves (somewhere else ,I guess) and then make their way to the exit.

If they were "lucky" they make it through the doorway and onto the street where they would "hopefully" be stopped by a shore detective who would accuse them of not having paid for an item.

They would protest their innocence and the upshot would be ,if all worked out "well" that they would have a claim for wrongful arrest /defamation of character.

The store detective would be in the invidious position of being at risk of the loss of his job and the aim of the scam would be to settle out of court.

On two occasions in recent years my partner has been similarly accused of shoplifting (she is a "nervous shopper" and will often pick things up ,put them back and maybe leave with nothing bought.

On the first occasion the shop owner must have been spying on her and then asked to look in her bag outside the door but still inside the shopping mall.

She was extremely put out and we reported it to the police station but he was within his rights and so we dropped it when the police said there was nothing we could do really.

On the second occasion we were pursued (they ran after us to catch us up) by another sales assistant down the street and ,again they asked to look in her bag.

We were taken aback and showed her the inside of her bag (with nothing in) .Again we let the matter drop as it was a "Charity Clothes Shop" and they made an honest if clumsy mistake.

There have also been occasions where I have walked out with something by mistake

I usually go back ,but there are times when I just don't bother.

Some people have a real or imagined need to shoplift.
The "five-finger discount" is a form of community taxation on the business.
The closer the business is to the community, the lower will be that taxation.
Be friendly, and charge reasonable prices, but don't be a push-over.
Direct those in need to local charities, that you openly support.

Once again I'm gonna come clean. In my youth I once stole a can of fish, but because I had no idea what I was doing they pegged me right away. But because I (tried to) steal the cheapest food (obviously because I was hungry), they filled a bag with food and drink, gave it to me, and let me go. These people were so sweet I remember it to this day. :P

Thank you all for your responses! I've been working in loss prevention for 10 years and
I have been winning a lot of rewards for my catches (prevent 1000s a week) I just wanted
to get a science minded opinion as I like diversity of opinions. I have seen some great
tips and I really appreciate the time you have taken to share your advice.

Baluncore said:

Look at the difference in the supply to the shelf, and the checkout totals. If brown onions are the cheapest substitute, then any self-scanner who claims to be buying brown onions is an immediate suspect.

Could you rephrase? my dumb mind couldn't understand it.

A self-scanning buyer, who identifies the vegetables they place on the scales, can get it wrong, deliberately. To identify if that is happening, you must study the total checkout weight against what was placed in the store for sale.

There will be fruit, expensive per weight, that seems to evaporate from the shelf, before it reaches the checkout. There will be vegetables, cheaper per weight, that out-sells the available stock. For example, garlic may be checked out as white onions. The cheapest commodity, by weight, and least sold, was brown onions.

If the customer identifies a significant weight of brown onions, then they are most unusual in their dietary requirements, or they may have "accidentally" misidentified the product at the checkout.

That deliberate "misidentification" behaviour could be identified by the checkout software. Given time, AI could spot the practice, or using a camera, identify the product.

It has now made it into the news. Google "self-scan" "brown onions"

sbrothy said:

Someone who enters with a bag slung over his shoulder and leaves buying a packet of yeast or something similarly cheap would also make me suspicious, but I guess that would qualify as profiling.

That does not count as profiling in my books.

Baluncore said:

A self-scanning buyer, who identifies the vegetables they place on the scales, can get it wrong, deliberately. To identify if that is happening, you must study the total checkout weight against what was placed in the store for sale.

There will be fruit, expensive per weight, that seems to evaporate from the shelf, before it reaches the checkout. There will be vegetables, cheaper per weight, that out-sells the available stock. For example, garlic may be checked out as white onions. The cheapest commodity, by weight, and least sold, was brown onions.

If the customer identifies a significant weight of brown onions, then they are most unusual in their dietary requirements, or they may have "accidentally" misidentified the product at the checkout.

That deliberate "misidentification" behaviour could be identified by the checkout software. Given time, AI could spot the practice, or using a camera, identify the product.

It has now made it into the news. Google "self-scan" "brown onions"

Thank you for this - this is a really good tip!

Baluncore said:

Some people have a real or imagined need to shoplift.
The "five-finger discount" is a form of community taxation on the business.
The closer the business is to the community, the lower will be that taxation.
Be friendly, and charge reasonable prices, but don't be a push-over.
Direct those in need to local charities, that you openly support.

I've heard excuses along the line of "They're insured they don't lose anything." An incredibly stupid "argument" as the more stolen the higher the premium; apart from the fact that if I run a shop I would take it personally if people steal from me. "Hey you i.... I'm trying to feed my family here!" Get off your a.. and start something - anything - yourself. I can vividly imagine the outrage.

sbrothy said:

I would take it personally if people steal from me.

Then you would be reacting emotionally and not rationally.
That will divide you, and the store, from the community.
To maintain respect, the store needs to be part of the community.

Attitude is important. Prevention is better than the cure.
We are here to offer a service, and to keep our customers prices down. If in need, you can help us do this, by obtaining food vouchers from the following charities. If you can, please donate to these charities. We do.

Customer care builds respect, and it works both ways. Your loyal customers will identify a thief, who then needs respect, not a criminal record. (You do not want to create more people with a criminal record in your community, because they may then be unemployed, which hurts you). When there is a riot, your loyal customers will have your back, to protect you and the store. Those are the times to react emotionally, thanking them, with tears in your eyes.

Make a point of employing and training locals, part-time, short-term. Tell them it is just so they can get a reference for future employment. If you, with a local charity, picks the right trainees, your community will prosper when they find employment elsewhere, and bring their pay home to your community.

There is no them and us, you are all one community.

Oh I get your point. I think it's easier said than done thought.