How Has Technology influenced Shoplifting - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Technology plays a much more significant role in Shoplifting Prevention as well as Shoplifting then ever before. We have seen numerous advances in technology to better protect retailer's assets, but on the flip side shoplifters have also benefited through the use of technological advances and now are more sophisticated than ever before.



Shoplifting and theft has doubled since 2000 and with the decline in the global economy it is expected to continue to rise. In an attempt to combat the increase in various forms of theft, retailers have been looking towards technology for help.

Although in the last few years there have been numerous advances in technology to better protect retailer’s assets, on the flip side shoplifters have also benefited with technological advances.

Lets first have a look at how new technology has helped retailers to deter and minimize shoplifting. One of the major advancements has come in the form of Digital Close Circuit Televisions (CCTV). Not only have cameras become much smaller and easier to conceal in unexpected areas but high definition imagery has become the industry standard. A few years ago security images were recorded on large analog video cameras and stored on VHS tapes. This resulted in poor quality grainy surveillance video often making it difficult to recognize a suspect or to use the video as evidence in a court of law. Today there have been some vast improvements in image clarity along with the storage of video footage. With video compression technology it is now possible to store hours of surveillance video on a DVR or a computer hard drive and access indexed video with relative ease. The next generation of video storage appears to be internet driven, whereby information will be stored on web based facilities often known as the “cloud”.

The Digital Age has also provided remote surveillance camera access to business owners and managers when offsite. To better illustrate this let me give you an example. One of my clients who owned men’s clothing store decided to check on his business while on holidays using his I-phone. He simply logged onto the internet and within seconds had full access to all his CCTV’s. His initial objective was to see how well his staff was working while he was away. But while shifting through the seven surveillance cameras within his store he noticed a shopper was acting strangely. As he continued to track the shopper’s movements he quickly noticed the suspect stuffing a number of items underneath his jacket. He immediately called his staff informing them about the thief and as the suspect exited the store with the unpaid merchandise he was nabbed by staff members and later successfully prosecuted.

Another loss prevention area that has seen some major advancement is the next generation of security tags and labels used with Electronic Article Surveillance systems. These are tags or labels that must be detached or deactivated when an item is purchased in order to prevent an alarm from sounding as the customer exits the store. Today smart tags and labels are much more sensitive and may pose a greater challenge to crafty thieves.

Finally technology has allowed both retail management and associates to access online training programs. Until recently Loss Prevention training was highly specialized and relatively expensive whereby a qualified instructor had to be brought onsite. In the past this excluded most retailers except large stores with a substantial loss prevention budget. Today this training is available to all and can be accessed at any time of the day or night via the internet often at an affordable price which is great news for smaller retailers with a limited security budget. Most loss prevention experts agree that a well trained staff in loss prevention is highly effective in reducing both external as well as internal losses.

Technology a Shoplifters Best Friend

Although there have been some major strides in technological advancements which undoubtedly has helped retailers in their fight against shoplifting it is important to point out that it also has given the shoplifter a major advantage.

Even a simple device like the cell phone has been used as tool to assist thieves. A shoplifter can easily communicate by cell phone or text message with one or more accomplices. For example an accomplice can instantly warn a shoplifter if a sales associate or a security guard is approaching. Today most retailers would not consider a customer using their cell phone or texting while shopping as unusual as it has become a common occurrence by many legitimate shoppers.

Social Media has also played a role in theft and is sometimes used to coordinate Flash Mob Robberies. This is an organized form of theft in which a massive group of participants enter a retail or convenience store and steal items, and then vanish before police arrive. Typically, employees become overwhelmed and are unable to stop it. Social Media is also commonly used to expose retailers which are considered an easy target

The internet also offers thieves another distinct advantage in the form of education. It has now become the training grounds for shoplifters and other thieves. There are hundreds of websites, forums and blogs that instruct shoplifters how to steal more without getting caught as well as how to act if caught. The internet is filled with hundreds of videos which demonstrate how to outsmart the latest anti-theft devices and surveillance systems. Some videos glorify stealing while others provide step-by-step instructions on how to successfully shoplift including how to build booster equipment. Booster equipment is usually a bag, box or a garment lined with special material that blocks the security signal and allows the shoplifter to walk out of the store undetected often with a large amount of stolen merchandise without leaving a trace.

While researching this article we accessed information through the internet on how to remove security tags and labels before walking through security gates while exiting the store. We even discovered a couple online businesses which sell portable security tag detaching devices. With this device a shoplifter could simply walk into a store, move the goods of interest to a secluded area, then use the device to detach the tags. Once the tags are removed the goods are stuffed into a bag and the suspect simply walks out the store undetected. The security gate alarm will not sound because all tags have been removed and the theft is only later detected when the discarded security tags are discovered.

Another area technology has assisted thieves is in the “fencing” also known as the selling of stolen merchandise. In the past stolen items were sold to family and friends or perhaps sold in a bar setting. Flee markets were also a common method of fencing shoplifted merchandise. Now stolen goods are easily sold online through the various auction houses as well as classified ad sites. Although attempts have been made to stop the sale of stolen goods, for the most part this area is poorly regulated as there are simply not enough law enforcement resources to deal with this growing problem.

As shoplifting continues to grow, technology remains a cat and mouse game and although there have been some major advances in retail loss prevention; the thieves have also enjoyed similar technological advancements in their attempt to outsmart the system.



Biography

After losing a business to shoplifting and two years later being a victim to a shoplifting assault FJ Tarasoff made a commitment that he would help retailers protect their assets as well as the safety of all staff members. Twenty years later, Tarasoff is a leading authority in retail loss prevention, he conducts training workshops on various loss prevention techniques, including shoplifting and intenal theft and is the developer of “The Shoplifting Prevention Program” an affordable online training program. He has also been interviewed by numerous media outlets including, The CBC, The Globe and Mail, Small Business report, Hardware Magazine, Grocer Magazine, GlobeandMail.Com, Canadian Retailer and is a member of Retail Loss Prevention professionals Group, Security and Loss Prevention for Retail Industry and the UK Loss Prevention Group.

For more information go to http://www.shopliftprevention.com

or email: info@shopliftprevention.com

Why are Shoplifters Targeting Dollar Stores and other Discounters

In a recent survey shoplifters and dishonest employees claimed that discount stores are considered one of the easiest targets. This may be due to lack security systems along with a relatively untrained staff.  It was also revealed that new shoplifters often use discount stores as a training ground to better learn how to steal. In other words shoplifters gain experience at the expense of the discount retailer before moving onto higher end stores.

INCREASE YOUR PROFITS BY REDUCING YOUR LOSSES

Nobody really wants to think about being ripped off, but this may very well be happening in your business. One also would not think that a “Dollar Store” would fall victim to a substantial amount of losses. But in reality when you consider shoplifting, combined with employee theft, several hundreds of your dollars maybe walking out your door. And at the end of the week/month/year this can really add up. Statistics reveal that the average retailer will suffer between 1 – 8 percent of gross sales in shoplifting losses and internal losses (employee theft) maybe even greater. Now at first glance this may not appear to be substantial until you do the math. Of course you can add a few cents onto each item and pass the shrinkage cost to the consumer, but in the long run that could backfire as it will make you less competitive and it certainly does not deal with the underlying problem.

Why are thieves targeting Discounters, such as the “Dollar Stores”?

In a recent survey shoplifters and dishonest employees claimed that discount stores are considered one of the easiest targets. This may be due to the lack of security systems along with a relatively untrained staff. It was also revealed that thieves new to shoplifting often use discount stores as a training ground to better learn now to steal. In other words shoplifters gain experience and get comfortable with pocketing items at your expense before moving onto higher end stores.

What should a Dollar Store Retailer do to Minimize Losses?

Often it may not be practical, or cost effective to spend a vast amount of money on a sophisticated security system or security personnel, but there are a few simple methods for reducing losses and keeping more money in your pocket. The key is not to get known as an easy target because thieves often will share information about who they consider an easy mark.


Biography

After losing a business to shoplifting and two years later being a victim to a shoplifting assault FJ Tarasoff made a commitment that he would help retailers protect their assets as well as the safety of all staff members. Twenty years later, Tarasoff is a leading authority in retail loss prevention, he conducts training workshops on various loss prevention techniques, including shoplifting and intenal theft and is the developer of “The Shoplifting Prevention Program” an affordable online training program. He has also been interviewed by numerous media outlets including, The CBC, The Globe and Mail, Small Business report, Hardware Magazine, Grocer Magazine, GlobeandMail.Com, Canadian Retailer and is a member of Retail Loss Prevention professionals Group, Security and Loss Prevention for Retail Industry and the UK Loss Prevention Group.

For more information go to http://www.shopliftprevention.com

or email: info@shopliftprevention.com

In Business to Sell Shoplifted Items

Shoplifting along with employee theft has become big business. In a number of cases, storefronts have been set up for the sole purpose of reselling shoplifted items for huge profits. In other cases shoplifters as well as grocery store employees have made arrangements with unscrupulous restaurants to supply them with stolen merchandise, primarily meat products for a cut rate price. Meanwhile other shoplifters have gone into business for themselves selling a variety of shoplifted items on one of the many online auction and classified sites.



Recently I ran across a story where a business located in southern California was busted for selling stolen goods. This is not something really new as there are countless unscrupulous businesses that purchase goods for resale. What is unique about this case is the business which specialized in women’s apparel is believed to have been set up for the sole purpose of selling shoplifted items. This highly organized business would have members go from shop to shop; from city to city lifting items from various clothing stores all for the purpose of stocking up there own business. This operation ran successfully, with relatively few incidences for more than four years and was estimated in making more than two millions of dollars in profits. When local authorities finally discovered the illegal business it wasn’t because one of the members got caught shoplifting and confessed, but rather it came from an anonyms tip. For several months authorities staked out the business before they were able to close in and make several arrests. With the widespread use of various criminal organizations in shoplifting this certainly is by no means and isolated case. It can be difficult to track and to prosecute especially if items do not have a serial number.

This certainly got me thinking of how many other businesses purchase stolen goods for the purpose of resale. Although it is very difficult to get an accurate statistic, some of the shoplifters that I had interviewed were involved in selling stolen goods to other businesses. During the research stage of the Shoplift Prevention Training Program I had interviewed almost 300 anonym’s shoplifters in order to get a thief’s perspective and learn more about their trade. This proved valuable in learning how to better prevent shoplifting as well as internal theft. What I learned in my interviews is that although some businesses were willing to buy virtually any merchandise, as long as it did not have a serial number stamped on it, a few of the shoplifters focused on stealing items, which they supplied to restaurants. In most cases, meat appeared to be the highest item in demand. One of the shoplifters I spoke with made a very comfortable living by supplying a local restaurant with an assortment of meat products, including crab, beef, lobster, and fish. Over a period of time the thief was able to recognize the easy grocery store targets and perfected his shoplifting methods. Although at times the owner of the restaurant would make special requests, generally he would base his daily menu on the stolen items available. The restaurant owner was able to maximize his profits because in most cases he paid about 1/3 of the store price for the illegal food stuff. In more than 2 ½ years the shoplifter I interviewed had only gotten caught once but was able to talk the manager out of calling the police. He claims that the grocery stores are one of the easiest and low risk businesses to steal from because the level of security is relatively low. He also pointed out that some grocery stores are much easier to lift items then others.

In another case an employee of a grocery store, was closely working with another restaurant by supplying them with cases of stolen meat. Every day or two the employee worked out a system where he would sneak out a case of frozen meat and then would supply a small restaurant with the goods. For more than a year the employee thief had been successful without raising too much suspicion  making more money from reselling the stolen meat than his regular pay.

Of course not all thieves steal to supply other businesses; some steal and run their own business. This is often accomplished by selling stolen goods on one of the many online auction and classified ad sites. In the past shoplifted items would be sold from the back of ones car, or at flee markets, but now with the growing number of online auction houses it is becoming an easy, hard to track method of making money. Too often law enforcement simply do not have the resources to follow the trail of stolen goods on auction sites / classified ads and in most cases buyers are not too concerned about where the items came from as long as they got a good deal. With tougher economic times and an increase in unemployment, it is predicted that shoplifting as well as employee theft for the purpose of resale is expected to continue to increase. For the first time you may be see individuals who in the past never would have considered theft now crossing the line and shoplifting for the purpose of making money in an attempt to maintain their lifestyle.


Biography

After losing a business to shoplifting and two years later being a victim to a shoplifting assault FJ Tarasoff made a commitment that he would help retailers protect their assets as well as the safety of all staff members. Twenty years later, Tarasoff is a leading authority in retail loss prevention, he conducts training workshops on various loss prevention techniques, including shoplifting and intenal theft and is the developer of “The Shoplifting Prevention Program” an affordable online training program. He has also been interviewed by numerous media outlets including, The CBC, The Globe and Mail, Small Business report, Hardware Magazine, Grocer Magazine, GlobeandMail.Com, Canadian Retailer and is a member of Retail Loss Prevention professionals Group, Security and Loss Prevention for Retail Industry and the UK Loss Prevention Group.

For more information go to http://www.shopliftprevention.com

or email: info@shopliftprevention.com

Simple Low Cost Method which Helps Reduce Shoplifting

Can a small simple sign on your entrance door and perhaps strategically placed throughout your store help to reduce profits from walking out your door? Well the answer is yes, well kind of, at least to some degree. Since shoplifting has doubled since 2000 and statistics show that approximately one in ten shoppers is a shoplifter. In other words ten people walk in your doors and start shopping; one of them is stealing. One hundred people enter; ten of them are stealing. You get the idea. Now ask yourself: How many customers do you get per day, week, or month? Although these numbers are averages, and individual locations can vary more or less in their percentages, the dollar amounts can take a large toll on your profit therefore anything you can do to reduce theft should be explored.

 

Although “Anti-theft Signs” may have little effect on the professional shoplifter and only a limited effect on the compulsive thief as these thieves are fully intent on “ripping you off” prior to entering your premises. A well designed sign may have a positive effect in helping to minimize shoplifting by the “Impulsive Shoplifter”. This type of shoplifter can be best described as a person who usually will not steal but may be tempted if a good enough opportunity presents itself. This type of shoplifter represents the majority of the population as most people have been tempted at some point to take something without paying for it. Although the “Impulsive Shoplifter” may feel extremely guilty and remorseful after taking an item, in a moment of weakness and if a good opportunity presents itself, this normally law abiding citizen may be tempted to “try and get away” without paying for merchandise.

 

Unlike with the professional shoplifter, the solution to prevent this type of theft is relatively simple. Even a small amount of shoplifting prevention will be effective Studies indicate if you simply eliminate the opportunity or if a person suspects that they are under any suspicion or surveillance they generally will not be tempted to steal.

 

Will a sign on its own be effective in stopping shoplifting? Possibly not, but when combined with other loss prevention strategies, including a staff well trained in shoplifting prevention an anti-theft sign strategically placed will generally help discourage this type of shoplifting behavior.

 

Therefore even if your business is relatively well protected from shoplifting with various anti-theft devices it is still maybe worth to include anti-theft signage. It only makes sense as another layer of shoplifting protection and best of all it is highly affordable. The cost of signage can easily be offset by helping to prevent one or two shoplifting incidents.

 

Now although you can purchase “shoplifting prevention signs” at your local office store, I suggest that you get creative and either print or purchase something that will be instantly noticed by everyone entering your premises.

Check out samples here



Biography

After losing a business to shoplifting and two years later being a victim to a shoplifting assault FJ Tarasoff made a commitment that he would help retailers protect their assets as well as the safety of all staff members. Twenty years later, Tarasoff is a leading authority in retail loss prevention, he conducts training workshops on various loss prevention techniques, including shoplifting and intenal theft and is the developer of “The Shoplifting Prevention Program” an affordable online training program. He has also been interviewed by numerous media outlets including, The CBC, The Globe and Mail, Small Business report, Hardware Magazine, Grocer Magazine, GlobeandMail.Com, Canadian Retailer and is a member of Retail Loss Prevention professionals Group, Security and Loss Prevention for Retail Industry and the UK Loss Prevention Group.

For more information go to http://www.shopliftprevention.com

or email: info@shopliftprevention.com