Spotting Shoplifters

[LadyAndreca]

What hasn't been covered yet...

- Excessively baggy clothing. I don't mean that stupid baggy-shorts-showing-boxers style, but rather when the entire outfit is several sizes too large.

- At my store, customers are known for hiding small, expensive items sandwiched between heavy items (grass seed between bags of dirt) in the hopes that cashiers will be too weak/tired/lazy to lift them to check. Same principle for hiding thin items like CDs or DVDs in the bottom of 3-4 stacked storage bins. Most of them assume the top one will be checked, but cashiers don't usually have TIME to check between every bin.

- People know that cashiers aren't allowed to do more than ask shoplifters to stop for liability reasons. Anyone who doesn't even pause if a door alarm sounds could possibly be considered suspicious--your average person tends to pause and think "Was that me? Am I okay?", while a shoplifter keeps going straight on because they know a cashier or greeter is not allowed to chase them.

[Kitten in the box]

Here's what to look for:

1. Watch how long they spend in the "more expensive" items aisles. Usually they will keep walking around the aisle waiting for the right time to grab item and run. (at least they do in my store.)

2. If they carry a bag into the store with them (if they are allowed to) then make sure what the bag looks like and see if it "inflates" by the time they are done shopping. We have people that will fill up their bags and go...

3. Be wary of people who wear big coats on warm days.

4. Some people use "set ups"...they work in pairs and one distracts the person while the other takes the item and runs. Happens in our store all the time.

5. Be wary of people who use cart "set ups". they fill up their cart with some items and hide the cart near the exit...then when they are ready they will grab the cart and run. They even actually buy some small item to throw you off course and after the transaction they head to their cart and bolt for the door.

Hope this helps. We go through this alot at my store so we know basically what to look for.

[fireheart]

I don't know if you have it, but look out for chiller bags. They're basically insulated bags with a lid....they're popular with shoplifters because they could be holding anything and their size makes them ideal for DVDs, CDs, razor blades and the like. I'm not saying be suspicious of people who have chiller bags, but just watch them if they hover around the DVD cases. Also look for empty/full bags.

[blas]

Always be wary of strollers. Usually teenage and younger mothers do this, but it could be anyone.

Casually but visually inspect the stroller....see if any merchandise is hiding under the baby/child, and if you find any and question it, be wary of the mother's response. If they say "The baby did it!" they were planning to steal, especially if the baby is so young that it can't even reach or hold its own head up or is fast asleep.