How to Catch a Shoplifter, Essay Example

Introduction

Shoplifting is a serious problem for retail businesses. It accounts for about one third of the whole shrinkage.

“How to catch a shoplifter” is a user manual on the essential techniques of shoplifter-hunting designed to help loss-prevention agents, for whom this will be a brief summary of what they already know in which they may still find some useful tips, sales assistants, especially those who work in small shops without a team of guards and loss prevention agents and often have to manage shoplifting on their owns. The manual will also be of help to people who suffer from “detective fever” and would like to practice their hobby hunting shoplifters. Although you can be trained professionally, you may just rely on your observance, intuition and quick wits to catch a shoplifter. However, it should be remembered that a mistake, e.g. suspecting an innocent customer, might lead to gross misunderstanding and offence to the customer. To avoid this, use special techniques of interaction with the suspect described in the manual.

The manual is divided into three parts. Part one, Signs to Look For, lists examples of suspicious behavior which must alert you. Part two, Catch a Shoplifter, describes how to catch a shoplifter step by step and how to behave when you think the culprit is identified. Finally, Part three, Prevent a Shoplifter, deals with prevention measures including shop design, product arrangement etc.

Signs to Look For

Identifying a shoplifter is no easy task. Even when you succeed, you may be surprised by how decent the culprit looks. A shoplifter may be aged between 8 and 80. He / she may be disabled or able-bodied, rich or poor, employed or unemployed. But there is one common thing about shoplifters. All of them feel they are doing something wrong. The shoplifter’s aims at a shop are different from those of other clients and so is his / her behavior. These are the tips that can help person to identify possible thief:

• Nervous Behavior.

Shoplifters are alert and tense. While ordinary customers look mostly at the merchandise, shoplifters glance quickly in order to check if someone is going behind them. They are usually well aware of those people who might be observing them. Their view is focused away from the product they are looking for. They become exceedingly tense at the sight of a shop assistant approaching them and offering help and may start at announcements of random security calls. As they leave the shop, tension drops and they feel relieved and elated thinking they are through with the task.

• Avoiding Other People.

Shoplifters tend to avoid both store personnel and buyers in the store. They are not easily engaged in conversations. They also prefer more solitary paths in a shop.

• Taking Offense.

While customers usually appreciate attentive service, shoplifters fear any suspucion and are very sensitive to any attention of other people. If you offer your help to a customer, and he / she appears irritated, acts rudely and tries to make you go, this is may be a sign of a shoplifter.

• Aimlessness.

Shoplifters may seem indecisive. They do not usually have the shopping list, and take objects they see simply to handle them. They often take and put back things and may look very awkward and be of much interest in the products they handle. This is usually made to steal some items.

• Suspicious Baggage.

Shoplifters often carry with them accessories such as large bags, umbrellas, magazines, and packages. Although many shops require leaving bags at the front door, little can prevent a woman from carrying a large purse or a handbag. Some of the packages may even be gift-wrapped. Alternatively, “bad bags” – dirty and wrinkled paper bags – might be used. They can also use fake casts and slings, baby strollers or even wheelchairs.

• Stealing Techniques.

Many shoplifters wear loose or extra-large clothing, which may seem awkward because of the wrong season. Baggy closes help them in carrying stolen things underneath their own. There are a lot of cases when women stole items and carried them under their skirts. Many other devices or accessories that can make a woman look pregnant are also used to hide stolen items.

• Ploys.

Some shoplifters work in teams that consist of 2 – 3 people. While one may be talking to you, the other is roaming about. You may be asked pointless questions aimed to distract. They chat with store personnel or among themselves, secretly looking around.  One of them may sometimes fall over a display stand or even stage medical emergency or heart attack. Additionally, be on the lookout for people who exchange a couple of words in low voices with other people walking separately.

• Cash Register Troubles.

Pay close attention to the price of the items. Switching items from low-cost to high-cost is often practiced in outlets. When the customers are claiming for refund, make sure to check their receipts. Shoplifters may want to get a refund on the product, which was lifted from the store a couple of minutes ago.

Catch a Shoplifter

Technically, catching a shoplifter may be less difficult than identifying him / her. However, a number of risks which you have to be aware of are involved in the process. First, if you make a mistake, you risk offending an innocent customer who is unlikely to return to your shop after the incident. Second, since the legislation on detaining a suspected shoplifter differs from state to state, it is highly recommended to ask your local officials and state law-enforcement department associates about the laws in your area regarding challenging or arrested shoplifters.

Measures to catch or deter a shoplifter are as follows:

• Simply offer the suspected customer assistance. Your close attention toward suspicious people may be enough to make a would-be shoplifter change his/her mind. This measure is relevant if you have spotted suspicious behavior but have not witnessed the theft itself.
• Ask politely if a customer has forgotten to pay for the merchandise at a cash register. This is appropriate if you are certain he or she has lifted an item. This may be a good solution since the shoplifter is likely to pay when asked.
• Do not hesitate to call the police is you are sure that someone is stealing your stuff. It is much better if the police detain a shoplifter and not you due to potential legislative problems and police’s unquestionable authority.

Prevent a Shoplifter

A shop design that would discourage shoplifters and help you spot them is what you need.

• Keep the shelves low enough to let the employees see over them.
• Eliminate hidden corners of the shop. Some solutions may be lights, or mirrors.
• Elevate the sales counter area so that an employee has a better view of the whole territory
• Keep most expensive goods in the back of the shop
• Set up barriers like in the picture to keep people out of certain areas
• Optionally arrange cat-walks in the ceilings that allow security personnel to view customers as they shop without being detected themselves

A professional employee leaves little room for shoplifting by:

• Being friendly and helpful to customers
• Keeping displays and work areas tidy
• Picking up fallen clothing and hangers often
• Keeping the fitting rooms locked (or monitoring them very closely)
• Checking the fitting rooms often for clothing, hangers, and ripped-off price tags.

Conclusion

Although many shoplifters can be real professionals, your observance and experience will soon allow you to spot a culprit no matter how similar he or she is to an ordinary customer. Remember that the more attentive you and other employees are when performing routine work, the more likely you are to spot inadequacies. Avoid getting involved in long conversations with co-workers. Keep the customer in the focus. You will kill two birds with one stone: while well-intended customers will be pleased with the service, the shoplifters will be discouraged or easily spotted.

Beware of an inside job. Unscrupulous employees working on the loading dock or at the cash register can cause more loss than shoplifters. Thieves at the cash register may lose your shop thousands of dollars by letting their friends and family buy things at a great discount or for free.

In this user manual, we did not cover loss prevention technology and put the emphasis on psychological aspects of shoplifting and catching shoplifters. After all, no matter how well-equipped with surveillance system the shop is, it is the responsibility of every sales assistant to pay as much attention to customers as possible.

References

Chavez, G. How to Catch a Shoplifter. Retrieved April 23, 2009, from http://www.ehow.com/how_4421644_catch-shoplifter.html

Murray, C. Shoplifting not Absent to Hill. Retrieved April 22, 2009, from http://www.hill.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123087694&page=2

National Learning & Resource Centre. How Shoplifting Becomes an Addiction. Retrieved April 23, 2009, from http://www.shopliftingprevention.org/WhatNaspOffers/NRC/TheShopliftingAddiction.htm

School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University. Preventing Shoplifting. Retrieved April 24, 2009, from http://crimeprevention.rutgers.edu/crime/shoplifting/prevention.htm

U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Gale Group. To Catch a Shoplifter – Technique. Retrieved April 24, 2009, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1154/is_n11_v80/ai_12834173/