I have a confession to make…
I love watching arrests go down at work.
But, in my defense, most of my other coworkers enjoy it too.
There’s something about being in the store and feeling the floor shake under my work flats, watching our burly, 6″4 loss preventions agent sprinting out the door and returning with a defeated-looking someone who presumably has a big old bag, jacket or even sleeve-fulls of our products that just makes my shift about ten times more exciting.
Afterwards, the accused sit on a cold, hard bench in the back room office where they usually:
A) Remain silent and ashamed while they are being processed;
B) Cuss and scream their denials of all the accusations brought against them while they are being processed; or
C) Plead and sob uncontrollably while they are being processed.
During cases B and C the favourite seat at the lunch table is the one that has a clear view of the office. The person who sits that throne has the responsibility of reporting any hilarious goings-on to any fellow employee who steps in the backroom for a moment, rushes over, and invariably whispers,
“What’d I miss?!”
And, I’ve had some crazy things to report over the past few years.
One time I went to use the washroom after our loss preventions agent allowed a young girl he had arrested use the washroom right before me. I flushed and the toilet flooded all over the floor. As it turned out, the little punk tried to flush a Ziploc baggie full of marijuana down our toilet and ended up getting me involved in the investigation.
You can also click here to see some hilarious thief fails that I came across while trying to see how my strange experiences stack up against everyone else’s.
But, while watching these thefts and arrests is extremely entertaining, I know that those thieves that do get away with our products and merchandise end up taking money out of my paycheck.
You see…
Any loss (i.e. internal/external theft) to the store and to the company results in loss of budget for employee pay.
I may be paraphrasing on my employee handbook a little bit there but, you get the idea.
The bad guys get away and us retail employees pay the price.
It sucks, I know.
Whether you have a loss preventions agent/security guard or not, if this is the case at your workplace, see what you can do to help deter theft with these do’s and don’ts:
DO: Be present.
Be aware of what’s going on in your store and try to have someone present in every area, especially the theft hotspots. Also be aware that some thieves come in groups usually dispersing throughout the store or even asking employees to get something in the back to try and distract from the theft.
DON’T: Accuse someone of stealing while they are still in your store.
Some old ladies just have a big, old shopping bag to carry their products before they take them to the counter. It doesn’t mean they’re stealing! Outright accusing someone of stealing before they’ve left the store could end very badly for you if it turns out you’re wrong.
DO: Give outstanding customer service.
Cheesy, right? But, it works! Thieves want to go unnoticed and can’t get around to doing it if everyone is being greeted and checked on periodically. If you see someone stealing, still give them awesome customer service that isn’t accusatory. Say something like, “I see you’re checking out our new fall collection. If you want to try on those hats, just let me know.” This way, the customer may understand that you saw them take that item and may still abandon it before leaving the store.
DON’T: Try to apprehend a shoplifter after they’ve left your store.
You might get injured doing so! Fighting the bad guys is not something you were trained to do so, leave that to the security guards or your loss preventions agent.
DO: Let the rest of your staff know if you suspect a theft.
If everyone is aware of a shoplifter’s presence, it’s easier to work as a team to stop the theft from happening.
DON’T: Focus your attention only on the person you suspect is stealing.
While you’re doing this, you’re not being aware of what your other customers are doing in your store. They may be needing your assistance or may even be stealing too! Keep open body language and avoid tunnel vision!
DO: Know what items customers have with them while shopping or while in the changeroom.
This is just another level of being aware of your surroundings. If a customer is behaving strangely and suddenly there are no products in their previously-overloaded basket anymore, that should raise some concerns.
DON’T: Be afraid to call security for a walk-through.
If your store is subject to tons of theft or if you suspect that a customer may be stealing, call security and ask them to walk through your store or hang around outside of your store for a little while. This usually scares potential thieves into abandoning your products and leaving the store.
DO: Understand the types of shoplifters and their methods.
I won’t go into detail on this but click here to read about which of your customers are more likely to rob you, how they do it, and how to identify a shoplifter.
At my workplace, when we successfully deter a shoplifter, we get special recognition as well as some little goodies as a prize as well.
So, get out there and stop those theives from stealing your pay check. Maybe you can do it by following my do’s and don’ts or maybe by even starting your own theft-prevention incentive program at your workplace.
Leave a comment and let me know what you did to be a hero at your workplace!
My life in Retail 