BUSTED!

[Seanette]

Maybe one or more was to keep you too busy to notice the thief?

[Dreamstalker]

That's why I try to ignore the calls that I can determine are baseless, but the system is set up in such a way that if the "Need Help" button is pressed for any reason (even in error) it locks up near the end and calls someone over anyway. Many parts of the system are set up to--probably unintentionally--condone/encourage theft. Of course what do the peons know, management would rather waste payroll on an LP guy who takes 4x as long to tell them the same thing,

As far as stopping someone exiting through SCO who didn't actually pay there/checking receipts, that's very tricky. I was taught not to, and some of these people I don't want to confront anyway (again, not supposed to).

[eltf177]

Not long after this went down, D tells me "You should have been watching."
Me: "I didn't see anything suspicious right then [even if I did, we aren't allowed to approach people and ask for a receipt] and I was dealing with another SCO issue**. I can't be on the lookout if you aren't telling us what or who to look for."

This is crap! If you aren't told about specific people how can you watch them? And if you can't do anything anyway what's the point? That's what LP is for, maybe management will finally get a clue and get some!

[Dreamstalker]

D is a bit of an odd duck; he's all gung-ho about SCO, but at the same time expects me to be in the main aisle where I am more likely to a) be distracted by stupid questions which I'm expected to answer and/or b) can't get to the registers to help in a timely manner depending on the lines (more importantly, can't see anything in general). And like you said, how am I (or anyone) supposed to know what to watch for if we aren't actually told -_-

[Chromatix]

This article about SCOs might prove interesting.

[Dreamstalker]

Some stores here are able to read the produce mini-barcodes (identifies the item and prompt you to weigh it--that may cut down on weight scams, but you'd still need a way to lock out the menu for non-produce).

I've heard of SCOs with 'gates' at the registers that don't let you into the bagging area until payment is complete (so you can't start bagging before paying, or use the lane as a shortcut to leave the store). That might prove problematic if people bring cartloads through the SCO lanes, but we don't want people doing that anyway because the bagging area is too small.

[Dreamstalker]

...and ANOTHER! No cops were called yesterday, but here's what I saw:

Shithead was lumbering through the front 'trying to catch a shoplifter'...of course not telling me squat (as the attendant on duty I feel I have a right to know if he knows someone is going to try to sneak something through SCO).

Later, I see a regular at a cashier lane, Shithead and the shift lead are going over a receipt and pulling stuff to be returned (all perishable, shades of last week). Regular does leave with some groceries O_o Shithead tells me that he first went though SCO (no he didn't...if he did he took advantage of my being occupied with another customer and I can't really control that).

At closing, I finally get a chance to ask Shithead exactly what went down. "He wasn't scanning everything. If he comes in with reusable bags I want you to check the bags [which I don't think I can do; I can intervene mid-transaction if I see something in plain sight that went unscanned but I was trained that only a manager or LP can actually stop someone and check bags]. Don't put yourself in danger."

Dafuq...? Shithead must know that I don't have the authority to stop anyone (and can't due to liability concerns). Some of these people I don't want to confront because when they get shouty I have no idea what they're gonna do.

The guy comes in with a dog sometimes (personally I think the poor dog is neglected...way too skinny and has some leg/foot problems that aren't being properly addressed) and when F was working here was trying to make friends with everyone. The only things he ever bought through SCO was dog food.

ETA update: I told D about this (more interested in his take on Shithead instructing me to check bags), and he was more pissed at Shithead for not telling him about it. I am allowed to check for unscanned items in plain view; inspecting bags outside of a scan-gun audit is thorny (I don't, some of the whackaloons here would try to claim 'unlawful search'...)

[Dreamstalker]

DaFUQ?!

So the same guy as my last post comes in last night, and proceeds to practically corner me at the paystation "I just want to show you my bag so you know I'm not stealing anything"...um, ok. He then claims I violated his privacy and he's going to complain to Corporate that I was 'profiling' him for 'searching his bag'. Where did this come from? No clue where I come into this, but I can only guess that it started when he was caught once (which I had nothing to do with other than being in the general area because I'm supposed to be there). I have had no real interactions with him since, other than not leaving SCO when he wanted me to (he once thrust a frozen pizza in my face and said "Return this"; I knew D doesn't want anyone leaving SCO so I stayed at the paystation which happened to be the SCO he was using...that's profiling because I don't want to leave my post when it's busy?).

After he finishes his transaction, he then buttonholes me while I'm helping a customer and waves his receipt in my face, saying "Want to look at my receipt to make sure I'm not stealing anything?"

The guy is generally known for being shady; immediately after this happened I told D what he had done and said. He seems to know a bit too much about store operations and once gave a long-winded, completely unwarranted 'explanation' of why he would never steal (including "if I was going to steal I wouldn't be in here all the time"). If he wants to go after anyone, it should be Shithead for 'profiling'.