Studying Shoplifting

I'm now working in retail security so I'm striving in every way I can, to be able to spot as much shoplifting tricks as possible. I've been wondering a lot as to what percentage of thieves look like people worthy of being kept an eye on. Because pretty much everyone else is going to manage to get away with it. But for the most part, I guess it's a case of 'anyone who's dumb enough to shoplift can't be too clever'!

I'm also interested in ways that people might stage situations for false arrests. If anybody has any interesting tales to tell, or if anybody knows of any web pages out there that would provide for a good read on this, I'm all ears.

 

Shoplifting was SOOO easy in the 90s when I was a kid. Hardly any place had cameras or security tags on items... Now I assume it’s way more difficult but people still do it. They’re even more bold these days, they just grab a bunch of stuff and walk right on out. Nobody does anything to stop them either. Back in the day you’d get tackled by loss prevention, but now stores are too afraid of lawsuits.

 

I used to. It was a dressing room thing. That and the liquor aisle... I was a dumb kid though. I've learned my lesson... went to jail and saw all the jailbirds.

 

What country is that?

 

i assume you won't be by the time this thread has run its course.

 

USA

 

What do you mean exactly?

 

I hate theft

 

I hate thievery

 

I worked for Circuit City a couple of decades ago. Shoplifters in most individual circumstances are beginners or have become desperate for some other reason. Most of them steal small shit that's easy to conceal. But, there are people out there who are very experienced with shoplifting, check kiting and systematic refunds. Especially around the busy shopping seasons. For some of them it's enough to stay solvent for the rest of the year.

Then there's the organized gangs. They start a diversion on another side of the store, sometimes a sacrificial shoplifter, juvenile preferred. They do this because most loss prevention types don't catch as many as they'd like. So if an "exciting" bust goes down the whole team rushes in to be part of the glory. Which leaves the rest of the store unguarded, utterly.

Another thing that gets written off as shoplifting is actually employees and managers stealing shit. They do it because retail work is slow death, so they feel they are "owed". It's a good idea to check the dumpster several times each shift, but don't be obvious about it. Make sure any box you see is actually empty. Especially if it has some kind of mark, like a round sticker or a star hastily drawn with a marker.

If your shoplifter is a heroin junkie, give it up. They are some of the most amazing con artists/thieves and will literally grab anything that can be quickly pawned. Same as crack heads, only with a lot more focus.

Be very careful of armed shoplifters. They usually slow down right before turning around with a tazer, gun, pepper spray, knife, box cutter or hornet spray. If you are chasing someone, be aware that their buddies might be waiting in the path with a shopping cart to slow you down. It will seem innocent, but you'll know better as it seems to come from nowhere.

I suggest studying them on yootoob. There's no end to the stupid and skilled shoplifters who have been caught on camera.

 

i think i remember you going through a lot of jobs?

 

Well this one's going well. I've been in it nearly 3 months now, and I prefer it to the others.

 

congrats, it's a great thing to find a job you don't mind doing.

 

I've noticed that one thing thieves can do is spend ages fiddling around with the items they're thinking of stealing, so that when you want back track on the cameras, it will be hard to spot the actual moment it occurred.

 

It suits me because I'm introverted.

 

Why wouldn’t you just report it and leave it at that? Making a public comment stating that you reported it kind of invites confrontation.

 

Here in London, thieves and organized gangs feel the full force of the law.
But their is a scheme now being run with several large shop chains in cooperation with the police, where homeless people and those addicted to drugs or alcohol can avoid prosecution by signing up to schemes that will cure their addiction and/or rehabilitate them into society by finding them a home. It is working very well and supported by the government. Some shops are also offering the offenders employment after rehabilitation in an attempt to keep them from slipping back into their old ways.
Other cities are joining in and even cities in other countries (including parts of the US) are taking a keen interest in how it can solve similar problems.

 

Likely the reason it was done that way...