Loss Prevention Calculator – 4 WC Blog 772
Loss Prevention Pays for Itself – how fast? -3
Loss Prevention Pays For Itself – How Fast? The Loss Prevention Calculator Can Give You The Answer
I can tell you what the return on investment would be if you were to purchase a Sensormatic System by using the Loss Prevention Calculator. I can tell you that you will probably trim your shortage by almost half and quite possibly more. I can tell you that an electronic article system is probably a lot more affordable than you ever imagined. I can tell you that with a Sensormatic system Loss Prevention pays for itself – how fast? Well the how fast is answered when you use the Loss Prevention Calculator on the Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. website. Can I tell you everything you might want to know about how a Loss Prevention System will work in your store or how effective it will be? Unfortunately the answer to THAT question is no.
The reason I can’t answer how a Loss Prevention System will work in your store or how effective it will be is because there are multiple factors to take into consideration. Here are a couple of things that I would have to consider in the equation:
• How much merchandise are you planning to protect? Are you going to use Sensormatic labels and tags in a limited fashion? Are you only going to attach tags to some items or only merchandise over a certain price point? It does make a difference. The more merchandise that is protected the lower the chances that theft will take place.
• Are you only going to rely on the protection of electronic article surveillance alarms sounding or are you going to take advantage of the training opportunities offered by Loss Prevention Systems, Inc.? Trained personnel who know how to identify crooks, tag merchandise properly and the function customer service plays in deterring theft all make a difference in the effectiveness of a Loss Prevention System.
• Are you willing to consider installing Sensormatic towers that will allow interchangeable advertising panels to be placed in them? Increasing sales can lower shortage as a percentage to sales and advertising is a great way to appeal to your customers.
• Will you include a people counting device in your Sensormatic tower to track your customer traffic? Tracking foot traffic can help retailers increase sales through improved employee scheduling. Schedule employees when patterns indicate customers are in the store to help improve checkout wait times and customer service on the floor.
• Will you add in the Sensormatic Shrink Management as a Service feature? An electronic article surveillance alarm reporting tool that can help you improve alarm responses and identify trends in alarm occurrences. Used in conjunction with a Sensormatic camera attached to your towers and you can identify shoplifters and put a stop to future theft activity.
A Sensormatic security system can include much more than the towers and the tags to protect a store. That is why when I say Loss Prevention pays for itself – how fast? I am hesitant to give a firm answer.
Think about it in this way. If you purchase a house and add deadbolts to the doors you have increased the safety of your home by a certain margin. Add an alarm and monitoring service to your home and you have increased the security by another factor. Toss in a camera or two and you have multiplied the safety of your home once more. A Sensormatic system is much the same. You get great protection with alarm pedestals and tags but amplify the impact of that system with other features. The initial cost will be a bit more but ultimately the returns are greater too. You also cannot easily figure how much growth will result from people counting devices and advertising panels. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc.’s Loss Prevention Calculator CAN show you how you will reduce your shortage by almost half with a Loss Prevention system and give a good indicator of how fast it will pay for itself through savings in shortage reduction based on how much you are willing to invest.
Loss Prevention pays for itself – how fast? That is a question that you can explore more in depth with the folks at Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. after you give their Free Loss Prevention Calculator a try. Once you see how impactful a basic system can be, you can ask them about other ways they can help you grow your business through shortage reduction and profit growth. A word of warning, you won’t get a call from them after using their calculator you will have to reach out to them because there is no obligation or tracking when you access this feature. So what are you waiting for? Try out the calculator and learn how fast you can start saving money, today!
Need information on the Loss Prevention Calculator? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
I can tell you what the return on investment would be if you were to purchase a Sensormatic System by using the Loss Prevention Calculator. I can tell you that you will probably trim your shortage by almost half and quite possibly more. I can tell you that an electronic article system is probably a lot more affordable than you ever imagined. I can tell you that with a Sensormatic system Loss Prevention pays for itself – how fast? Well the how fast is answered when you use the Loss Prevention Calculator on the Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. website. Can I tell you everything you might want to know about how a Loss Prevention System will work in your store or how effective it will be? Unfortunately the answer to THAT question is no.
The reason I can’t answer how a Loss Prevention System will work in your store or how effective it will be is because there are multiple factors to take into consideration. Here are a couple of things that I would have to consider in the equation:
• How much merchandise are you planning to protect? Are you going to use Sensormatic labels and tags in a limited fashion? Are you only going to attach tags to some items or only merchandise over a certain price point? It does make a difference. The more merchandise that is protected the lower the chances that theft will take place.
• Are you only going to rely on the protection of electronic article surveillance alarms sounding or are you going to take advantage of the training opportunities offered by Loss Prevention Systems, Inc.? Trained personnel who know how to identify crooks, tag merchandise properly and the function customer service plays in deterring theft all make a difference in the effectiveness of a Loss Prevention System.
• Are you willing to consider installing Sensormatic towers that will allow interchangeable advertising panels to be placed in them? Increasing sales can lower shortage as a percentage to sales and advertising is a great way to appeal to your customers.
• Will you include a people counting device in your Sensormatic tower to track your customer traffic? Tracking foot traffic can help retailers increase sales through improved employee scheduling. Schedule employees when patterns indicate customers are in the store to help improve checkout wait times and customer service on the floor.
• Will you add in the Sensormatic Shrink Management as a Service feature? An electronic article surveillance alarm reporting tool that can help you improve alarm responses and identify trends in alarm occurrences. Used in conjunction with a Sensormatic camera attached to your towers and you can identify shoplifters and put a stop to future theft activity.
A Sensormatic security system can include much more than the towers and the tags to protect a store. That is why when I say Loss Prevention pays for itself – how fast? I am hesitant to give a firm answer.
Think about it in this way. If you purchase a house and add deadbolts to the doors you have increased the safety of your home by a certain margin. Add an alarm and monitoring service to your home and you have increased the security by another factor. Toss in a camera or two and you have multiplied the safety of your home once more. A Sensormatic system is much the same. You get great protection with alarm pedestals and tags but amplify the impact of that system with other features. The initial cost will be a bit more but ultimately the returns are greater too. You also cannot easily figure how much growth will result from people counting devices and advertising panels. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc.’s Loss Prevention Calculator CAN show you how you will reduce your shortage by almost half with a Loss Prevention system and give a good indicator of how fast it will pay for itself through savings in shortage reduction based on how much you are willing to invest.
Loss Prevention pays for itself – how fast? That is a question that you can explore more in depth with the folks at Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. after you give their Free Loss Prevention Calculator a try. Once you see how impactful a basic system can be, you can ask them about other ways they can help you grow your business through shortage reduction and profit growth. A word of warning, you won’t get a call from them after using their calculator you will have to reach out to them because there is no obligation or tracking when you access this feature. So what are you waiting for? Try out the calculator and learn how fast you can start saving money, today!
Need information on the Loss Prevention Calculator? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
sensormatic labels – 4 WC Blog 781
Stop Shoplifting – 3
‘Cents’less Acts Of Violence Can Be Averted With Sensormatic Labels
As I read the news stories on Loss Prevention, retail and even Google searches I find I want to see retailers stop shoplifting more than I ever did in the past. While I have always detested the crime of shoplifting and have had more than my own share of violent encounters, it seems the problem of violence has grown exponentially. I just saw a video on abc7chicago.com of a security guard fighting with a shoplifter in a 99 cent store! You read that correctly a fight in a 99 cent store. I don’t know if it is more shocking that a store selling merchandise valued at less than a dollar has a security guard in it or that a fight broke out in that store. Added to that was the video showed the shoplifter removing something from a bag and then throwing it at the security guard and then tipping over a sunglass fixture. I don’t want to paint the security guard as a totally helpless victim because according to the report he aimed pepper spray at the suspect and it appears he punched her (although it took place after she threw the item at him). Do a Google search of shoplifter fights and things get even uglier. What are store owners to do? Do you just give up and let people steal and hope it isn’t enough to put you out of business? Do you hire security guards (if you can afford them) and risk fights? There is an alternate solution and that is the use of Sensormatic labels and tags to prevent people from trying to steal in the first place.
Before I continue let me make it clear that I am not telling you that the use of electronic article surveillance will stop shoplifting completely. I promise what it will do is reduce your store shrinkage significantly. The installation of Sensormatic pedestals and application of Sensormatic labels to your merchandise have been proven to have a dramatic impact on the amount of shoplifting taking place in a store. It is such a powerful tool that Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. has created a free to use ROI (return on investment) calculator. The calculator assumes a store will reduce shrinkage by about half a percent by installing a complete Sensormatic security system. Ponder the advantages that means for a business. Not only does a store reduce losses which is a victory in and of itself the store also becomes safer.
How do I come to that conclusion? If you reduce the number of shoplifters coming to your location because you have put up obstacles in the form of electronic article surveillance tags and towers you reduce the chances of violent activity by these same people. Shoplifters have a tendency to go to the stores they deem are easy pickings. When the risk of getting caught increases because of anti-theft devices they prefer to go where there is no system in place. Yes, I detest the shoplifters and have a special revulsion towards the violent sort of thief. I would prefer they were all in jail but obviously that is not going to happen. In light of this, I am telling retailers to install a Sensormatic system to drive out this element and shoo them elsewhere.
I watched the video from the 99 cent store several times. I paused and looked carefully at the entrance doorways in the frames that were clear to see. There was no sign of any type of electronic article surveillance tower in the any of those pictures. So let’s recap for clarity’s sake, No Sensormatic labels or pedestals, one belligerent shoplifting suspect throwing merchandise with other customers nearby and one security guard using pepper spray and punching at a shoplifting suspect. To this seasoned Loss Prevention professional it is a recipe for disaster.
Would the store stop shoplifting in this case had they used Sensormatic labels on the merchandise they were selling? At a 99 cent store I would imagine they could have used labels on at least the items that are found to be high shortage for this type of business. Training of employees on how to handle a suspected shoplifter situation would have also been helpful and could have diffused this incident or helped address it in a different manner. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can help you with training too because employee safety is just as important to them as their client’s financial success.
Whether your store deals in dollars or cents you need to stop shoplifting from taking place. It can cost you a lot of money and it can create a dangerous environment for your customers and employees by encouraging violent crooks to take advantage of your business. Improve your store all around with a Sensormatic system.
Get more information on Sensormatic labels, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
As I read the news stories on Loss Prevention, retail and even Google searches I find I want to see retailers stop shoplifting more than I ever did in the past. While I have always detested the crime of shoplifting and have had more than my own share of violent encounters, it seems the problem of violence has grown exponentially. I just saw a video on abc7chicago.com of a security guard fighting with a shoplifter in a 99 cent store! You read that correctly a fight in a 99 cent store. I don’t know if it is more shocking that a store selling merchandise valued at less than a dollar has a security guard in it or that a fight broke out in that store. Added to that was the video showed the shoplifter removing something from a bag and then throwing it at the security guard and then tipping over a sunglass fixture. I don’t want to paint the security guard as a totally helpless victim because according to the report he aimed pepper spray at the suspect and it appears he punched her (although it took place after she threw the item at him). Do a Google search of shoplifter fights and things get even uglier. What are store owners to do? Do you just give up and let people steal and hope it isn’t enough to put you out of business? Do you hire security guards (if you can afford them) and risk fights? There is an alternate solution and that is the use of Sensormatic labels and tags to prevent people from trying to steal in the first place.
Before I continue let me make it clear that I am not telling you that the use of electronic article surveillance will stop shoplifting completely. I promise what it will do is reduce your store shrinkage significantly. The installation of Sensormatic pedestals and application of Sensormatic labels to your merchandise have been proven to have a dramatic impact on the amount of shoplifting taking place in a store. It is such a powerful tool that Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. has created a free to use ROI (return on investment) calculator. The calculator assumes a store will reduce shrinkage by about half a percent by installing a complete Sensormatic security system. Ponder the advantages that means for a business. Not only does a store reduce losses which is a victory in and of itself the store also becomes safer.
How do I come to that conclusion? If you reduce the number of shoplifters coming to your location because you have put up obstacles in the form of electronic article surveillance tags and towers you reduce the chances of violent activity by these same people. Shoplifters have a tendency to go to the stores they deem are easy pickings. When the risk of getting caught increases because of anti-theft devices they prefer to go where there is no system in place. Yes, I detest the shoplifters and have a special revulsion towards the violent sort of thief. I would prefer they were all in jail but obviously that is not going to happen. In light of this, I am telling retailers to install a Sensormatic system to drive out this element and shoo them elsewhere.
I watched the video from the 99 cent store several times. I paused and looked carefully at the entrance doorways in the frames that were clear to see. There was no sign of any type of electronic article surveillance tower in the any of those pictures. So let’s recap for clarity’s sake, No Sensormatic labels or pedestals, one belligerent shoplifting suspect throwing merchandise with other customers nearby and one security guard using pepper spray and punching at a shoplifting suspect. To this seasoned Loss Prevention professional it is a recipe for disaster.
Would the store stop shoplifting in this case had they used Sensormatic labels on the merchandise they were selling? At a 99 cent store I would imagine they could have used labels on at least the items that are found to be high shortage for this type of business. Training of employees on how to handle a suspected shoplifter situation would have also been helpful and could have diffused this incident or helped address it in a different manner. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can help you with training too because employee safety is just as important to them as their client’s financial success.
Whether your store deals in dollars or cents you need to stop shoplifting from taking place. It can cost you a lot of money and it can create a dangerous environment for your customers and employees by encouraging violent crooks to take advantage of your business. Improve your store all around with a Sensormatic system.
Get more information on Sensormatic labels, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Prevent shoplifting – 3 WC Blog 771
Sensormatic Safers – 4
Organized Retail Crime Can Be Subdued With Sensormatic Safers
Here are a few items that can be protected against shoplifting if a store uses Sensormatic Safers to protect them:
• Razors
• Deodorant
• Teeth Whitening Strips
What makes these items so special? They are among the top items targeted by Organized Retail Crime groups according to the National Retail Federation 2018 Organized Retail Crime Survey (pg. 6). This is significant and should be a concern to every retail owner. The report states that, “ORC costs retailers $777,877 per $1 billion in sales – an all-time survey high” (pg. 3). Now for those who are not familiar with Organized Retail Crime (ORC) groups I will tell you that these are not your opportunist or amateur shoplifters. These are professional organizations that steal merchandise in order to resell it through any number of sources. The merchandise may be sold through the internet, out of a warehouse or through a legitimate appearing corner retail store. There are also times when merchandise is returned to a store and a gift card is given for the refund. Those gift cards are then sold for cash, some to pawn shops and others online. The activity of these groups makes it extremely important that stores are using Sensormatic Safers to prevent shoplifting.
So, besides the reselling of the merchandise and the dollar amounts being taken you might be wondering why these shoplifters are any more destructive to stores than any other shoplifter. If a regular shoplifter is caught you have eliminated that player from preying on your store especially if you ask for a trespass notice. The ORC groups work much differently. They often have tiers or levels from the lowest workers sometimes called mules to an organization leader. The leader may even have several assistants who hire the mules or workers who do the actual work or stealing. Catching one of these mules does not necessarily eliminate the problem because the ORC does not rely on one person to do their stealing. Mules may not even know who it is who hired them. These people may be hired with the promise of drugs or some cash (usually somewhere around 25 cents on the dollar) to steal merchandise. The person recruiting the shoplifter will frequently remain anonymous to their mule. The recruiter is going to follow through on their agreed payment so he can use them again in the future. The shoplifter is willing to take the risk for instant gratification, be it drugs or cash. You can see where it is in the interest of the thief to avoid merchandise protected with devices that prevent shoplifting. The recruiter doesn’t care where the merchandise is taken from as long as they get what is on their “shopping list”. Should a mule be caught, even if they have the shopping list they won’t have much information to give to the police about who they are working for. The recruiter loses one worker for a while but they have other people lined up ready to work for them. Multiple recruiters mean multiple workers and so it takes a lot more effort to cut the head off of the organization.
The folks at Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) know how these theft rings work. They know the most popular items ORC groups will steal and LPSI has the training and tools that can keep clients safe from these predators. Do you need to protect razors and razor blades? LPSI has Sensormatic Safers. DO you need to protect fragrances? They have flexible Safers? How about designer jeans, they are very popular with Organized Retail Crime gangs. LPSI has Sensormatic hard tags to prevent shoplifting. If you don’t have an electronic article surveillance system or maybe you need an upgrade to keep up with the latest criminal innovations, LPSI has Sensormatic towers for you. Criminal groups are always trying to get one-step ahead of retailers but LPSI offers solutions that can thwart their efforts.
Organized Retail Crime groups are out for razors, deodorant, whitening strips and other merchandise that could easily be protected with the use of Sensormatic Safers and electronic article surveillance towers. Because they are professional shoplifters they offer special challenges to retailers but LPSI offers the solutions store owners need to defeat them. Don’t risk becoming a victim to ORC shoplifting rings, contact LPSI today to find out how to get started today.
For more information about Sensormatic Safers contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Here are a few items that can be protected against shoplifting if a store uses Sensormatic Safers to protect them:
• Razors
• Deodorant
• Teeth Whitening Strips
What makes these items so special? They are among the top items targeted by Organized Retail Crime groups according to the National Retail Federation 2018 Organized Retail Crime Survey (pg. 6). This is significant and should be a concern to every retail owner. The report states that, “ORC costs retailers $777,877 per $1 billion in sales – an all-time survey high” (pg. 3). Now for those who are not familiar with Organized Retail Crime (ORC) groups I will tell you that these are not your opportunist or amateur shoplifters. These are professional organizations that steal merchandise in order to resell it through any number of sources. The merchandise may be sold through the internet, out of a warehouse or through a legitimate appearing corner retail store. There are also times when merchandise is returned to a store and a gift card is given for the refund. Those gift cards are then sold for cash, some to pawn shops and others online. The activity of these groups makes it extremely important that stores are using Sensormatic Safers to prevent shoplifting.
So, besides the reselling of the merchandise and the dollar amounts being taken you might be wondering why these shoplifters are any more destructive to stores than any other shoplifter. If a regular shoplifter is caught you have eliminated that player from preying on your store especially if you ask for a trespass notice. The ORC groups work much differently. They often have tiers or levels from the lowest workers sometimes called mules to an organization leader. The leader may even have several assistants who hire the mules or workers who do the actual work or stealing. Catching one of these mules does not necessarily eliminate the problem because the ORC does not rely on one person to do their stealing. Mules may not even know who it is who hired them. These people may be hired with the promise of drugs or some cash (usually somewhere around 25 cents on the dollar) to steal merchandise. The person recruiting the shoplifter will frequently remain anonymous to their mule. The recruiter is going to follow through on their agreed payment so he can use them again in the future. The shoplifter is willing to take the risk for instant gratification, be it drugs or cash. You can see where it is in the interest of the thief to avoid merchandise protected with devices that prevent shoplifting. The recruiter doesn’t care where the merchandise is taken from as long as they get what is on their “shopping list”. Should a mule be caught, even if they have the shopping list they won’t have much information to give to the police about who they are working for. The recruiter loses one worker for a while but they have other people lined up ready to work for them. Multiple recruiters mean multiple workers and so it takes a lot more effort to cut the head off of the organization.
The folks at Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) know how these theft rings work. They know the most popular items ORC groups will steal and LPSI has the training and tools that can keep clients safe from these predators. Do you need to protect razors and razor blades? LPSI has Sensormatic Safers. DO you need to protect fragrances? They have flexible Safers? How about designer jeans, they are very popular with Organized Retail Crime gangs. LPSI has Sensormatic hard tags to prevent shoplifting. If you don’t have an electronic article surveillance system or maybe you need an upgrade to keep up with the latest criminal innovations, LPSI has Sensormatic towers for you. Criminal groups are always trying to get one-step ahead of retailers but LPSI offers solutions that can thwart their efforts.
Organized Retail Crime groups are out for razors, deodorant, whitening strips and other merchandise that could easily be protected with the use of Sensormatic Safers and electronic article surveillance towers. Because they are professional shoplifters they offer special challenges to retailers but LPSI offers the solutions store owners need to defeat them. Don’t risk becoming a victim to ORC shoplifting rings, contact LPSI today to find out how to get started today.
For more information about Sensormatic Safers contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Sensormatic tags – 3 WC Blog 769
Clothing Security – 3
Are You Contributing To Dangerous Crimes When You Don’t Use Sensormatic Tags? Part 1
This may not seem fair to some of you but I am going on one of my rants about the need for retailers to use Sensormatic tags on clothes. The target of this tirade is aimed at least in part to the retail shop owners who refuse to use anti-theft devices on all of their clothing. I’m angry because I read another story about another moronic shoplifter who decided to steal and attempted to get away from police leading them on a high speed chase. The chases are bad enough but when these criminals then cause accidents, injuries to others or damage the property of others I get really angry. And if anyone out there wants to argue that police shouldn’t be engaging in pursuits your argument in falling on deaf ears. The idea that Law Enforcement should just disengage if a criminal decides to try to get away is ridiculous. Would you feel the same way if someone broke into your home, stole valuables and police officers saw the suspect’s vehicle but chose not to chase them because when they turned on their lights the crook sped up? You would be livid. I digress. In a report on wlbt.com, February 8, 2019 by Morgan Howard and David Kenney, “Richland police arrest woman suspected of shoplifting after high speed chase into Jackson” the story says a woman had been spotted stealing two televisions from Walmart. Police attempted to stop her and she led them on a high speed chase and she ended up going off the road, driving through a yard and “crashing just inches from a house.” “So what does this have to do with clothing security?” you ask, “these were televisions”. Well it turned out televisions were not the only thing this criminal had in her vehicle the police also recovered a pair of jeans.
Would the use of Sensormatic tags have stopped this criminal suspect from stealing jeans and would that have had any bearing on the theft of televisions? I am going to say there is a strong likelihood that the incident would not have happened if Sensormatic tags had been used on all merchandise. I am specifically directing my remarks to the jeans because if they came from Walmart as did the televisions I know from my own shopping experience they do not tag their jeans. They DO use anti-theft devices on some televisions but I have personally prevented a shoplifting in one of their stores when a thief was going to try to roll out a television that did not have any protective device. From my years in Retail Loss Prevention I will say that in the vast majority of cases when my team or I caught shoplifters the merchandise had no clothing security tags or other type of security label. If someone did try to walk out with tagged product the electronic article surveillance alarm sounded and a supervisor or trained cashier responded and recovered the merchandise through a receipt check. When stores use tags and labels on all of their merchandise shoplifters shift their attention to stores that don’t use electronic article surveillance equipment.
“Okay, so you showed me one case of a shoplifter fleeing and wrecking their car but no one was injured, what’s the big deal?” Glad I could ask for you. It isn’t an isolated case, I have had shoplifters run from me, jump into their car and slam it into reverse and back all the way out of the parking lot to avoid me seeing their license plate. I have seen shoplifters nearly run into other cars. But if my personal experiences are not evidence enough, let me give you one more news report from keyt.com, “Sheriff Deputy injured as shoplifter flees scene”, May 15, 2018 by Ryder Christ. The story relates that a shoplifter who was trying to flee from police jumped out of his moving car and the vehicle hit “a Sheriff’s deputy on a motorcycle.” The officer was injured due to the recklessness of the thief but fortunately was able to be treated at the scene of the incident. Shoplifters can be extremely dangerous. Whether it is intentional or through stupidity they often put others at risk.
Store owners and managers, if you are not using clothing security and other anti-theft tools to stop this activity from taking place you are contributing to the problem. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can get you started in the right direction to put an end to this dangerous activity and make your store more profitable in the process. In Part 2 we will look at more dangerous shoplifting incidents and discuss what Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can do to help you stop them from taking place in your buildings.
Get more information on Sensormatic Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
This may not seem fair to some of you but I am going on one of my rants about the need for retailers to use Sensormatic tags on clothes. The target of this tirade is aimed at least in part to the retail shop owners who refuse to use anti-theft devices on all of their clothing. I’m angry because I read another story about another moronic shoplifter who decided to steal and attempted to get away from police leading them on a high speed chase. The chases are bad enough but when these criminals then cause accidents, injuries to others or damage the property of others I get really angry. And if anyone out there wants to argue that police shouldn’t be engaging in pursuits your argument in falling on deaf ears. The idea that Law Enforcement should just disengage if a criminal decides to try to get away is ridiculous. Would you feel the same way if someone broke into your home, stole valuables and police officers saw the suspect’s vehicle but chose not to chase them because when they turned on their lights the crook sped up? You would be livid. I digress. In a report on wlbt.com, February 8, 2019 by Morgan Howard and David Kenney, “Richland police arrest woman suspected of shoplifting after high speed chase into Jackson” the story says a woman had been spotted stealing two televisions from Walmart. Police attempted to stop her and she led them on a high speed chase and she ended up going off the road, driving through a yard and “crashing just inches from a house.” “So what does this have to do with clothing security?” you ask, “these were televisions”. Well it turned out televisions were not the only thing this criminal had in her vehicle the police also recovered a pair of jeans.
Would the use of Sensormatic tags have stopped this criminal suspect from stealing jeans and would that have had any bearing on the theft of televisions? I am going to say there is a strong likelihood that the incident would not have happened if Sensormatic tags had been used on all merchandise. I am specifically directing my remarks to the jeans because if they came from Walmart as did the televisions I know from my own shopping experience they do not tag their jeans. They DO use anti-theft devices on some televisions but I have personally prevented a shoplifting in one of their stores when a thief was going to try to roll out a television that did not have any protective device. From my years in Retail Loss Prevention I will say that in the vast majority of cases when my team or I caught shoplifters the merchandise had no clothing security tags or other type of security label. If someone did try to walk out with tagged product the electronic article surveillance alarm sounded and a supervisor or trained cashier responded and recovered the merchandise through a receipt check. When stores use tags and labels on all of their merchandise shoplifters shift their attention to stores that don’t use electronic article surveillance equipment.
“Okay, so you showed me one case of a shoplifter fleeing and wrecking their car but no one was injured, what’s the big deal?” Glad I could ask for you. It isn’t an isolated case, I have had shoplifters run from me, jump into their car and slam it into reverse and back all the way out of the parking lot to avoid me seeing their license plate. I have seen shoplifters nearly run into other cars. But if my personal experiences are not evidence enough, let me give you one more news report from keyt.com, “Sheriff Deputy injured as shoplifter flees scene”, May 15, 2018 by Ryder Christ. The story relates that a shoplifter who was trying to flee from police jumped out of his moving car and the vehicle hit “a Sheriff’s deputy on a motorcycle.” The officer was injured due to the recklessness of the thief but fortunately was able to be treated at the scene of the incident. Shoplifters can be extremely dangerous. Whether it is intentional or through stupidity they often put others at risk.
Store owners and managers, if you are not using clothing security and other anti-theft tools to stop this activity from taking place you are contributing to the problem. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can get you started in the right direction to put an end to this dangerous activity and make your store more profitable in the process. In Part 2 we will look at more dangerous shoplifting incidents and discuss what Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can do to help you stop them from taking place in your buildings.
Get more information on Sensormatic Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Sensormatic tags – 3 WC blog 779
Stop shoplifting -3
How To Stop Shoplifting and Shortage – A Brief Conversation With Bill Bregar
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the founder of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. and in the course of our discussion I was able to learn his philosophy on the use of Sensormatic tags in a store. I have written on my own opinions based on my years of Loss Prevention and retail management experience but getting Bill Bregar’s opinion was interesting. He and I have similar experiences from the military and Loss Prevention but while I moved no higher than a store level Loss Prevention Manager, Bill was at the upper echelons of retail as a National Director for Loss Prevention Departments for major retail chains. He has also been consulting with retail owners for many years helping them improve their financial numbers through theft and shortage reduction. His solution to shortage reduction is a balanced approach: stop shoplifting with Sensormatic systems, train managers and their teams on how to identify and stop theft safely and effectively and the use of background checks and drug screenings.
So what might a balanced approach to shortage reduction look like for you, the store owner?
• First a shortage prevention strategy should include an electronic article surveillance system and Sensormatic tags. As I spoke with Bill I was impressed that he doesn’t approach this aspect of a strategy with a “tag everything in the store focus”. Bill helps his clients focus on what is going to give the most bang for the buck. While I have always thought that as much as possible should be tagged, his approach in many cases is to focus on the 20% of the merchandise that causes 80% of the losses. What I really appreciated and I am certain Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. customers appreciate is that there is not a push to sell customers more tags than they need. If a business can grow or the need arises more tags can always be purchased.
• Some may argue that theft prevention begins at the personnel level. The employees a store manager hires can create more theft problems than a shoplifter for a store. They have full access to the store and can steal in many different ways. To prevent this from happening, a store should be conducting pre-employment screenings. Mr. Bregar told me that there are companies out there that will promise they will do nationwide background checks but as a former law enforcement officer he is aware that these are fake promises. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. puts the time and effort into the background checks they conduct. These checks may be criminal histories based on state searches or county searches. The check may include sex offender registries, education checks, driving records and more. When a store owner has Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. conduct their background checks they are assured there won’t be any shortcuts taken in the research of their applicant’s history.
• In the same vein as background checks, pre-employment drug screening is an important part of Bill’s theft prevention strategy. Workers with drug addictions may resort to theft to support a habit. These employees will also help friends steal by alerting them to opportunities they may see by texting or calling. The employee may also help assist in shoplifting by passing merchandise through a register without ringing it up for friends in exchange for drugs. Employers can stop shoplifting aided by employees and employee theft by weeding out problems before they happen. Drug screening is a useful tool in Bill’s shortage prevention toolbox.
• One more important piece in the shortage prevention strategy for a store is training. Whether it is training on tag placement, responding to an electronic article surveillance alarm or how to stop shoplifting, Bill knows how critical training is to any theft prevention program.
The biggest take-away I had following my conversation with Mr. Bregar is his focus on the importance of service and integrity in serving Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. clients.
Sensormatic tags and systems are a key component of any Loss Prevention program and Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can help get a store set up with what that particular store needs. An effective program is going to be one that incorporates multiple factors that impact theft and shortage. After my conversation with Bill Bregar I am more convinced than ever that Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is your best resource for helping you reduce shrink and grow your profits.
Get more information on Sensormatic tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the founder of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. and in the course of our discussion I was able to learn his philosophy on the use of Sensormatic tags in a store. I have written on my own opinions based on my years of Loss Prevention and retail management experience but getting Bill Bregar’s opinion was interesting. He and I have similar experiences from the military and Loss Prevention but while I moved no higher than a store level Loss Prevention Manager, Bill was at the upper echelons of retail as a National Director for Loss Prevention Departments for major retail chains. He has also been consulting with retail owners for many years helping them improve their financial numbers through theft and shortage reduction. His solution to shortage reduction is a balanced approach: stop shoplifting with Sensormatic systems, train managers and their teams on how to identify and stop theft safely and effectively and the use of background checks and drug screenings.
So what might a balanced approach to shortage reduction look like for you, the store owner?
• First a shortage prevention strategy should include an electronic article surveillance system and Sensormatic tags. As I spoke with Bill I was impressed that he doesn’t approach this aspect of a strategy with a “tag everything in the store focus”. Bill helps his clients focus on what is going to give the most bang for the buck. While I have always thought that as much as possible should be tagged, his approach in many cases is to focus on the 20% of the merchandise that causes 80% of the losses. What I really appreciated and I am certain Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. customers appreciate is that there is not a push to sell customers more tags than they need. If a business can grow or the need arises more tags can always be purchased.
• Some may argue that theft prevention begins at the personnel level. The employees a store manager hires can create more theft problems than a shoplifter for a store. They have full access to the store and can steal in many different ways. To prevent this from happening, a store should be conducting pre-employment screenings. Mr. Bregar told me that there are companies out there that will promise they will do nationwide background checks but as a former law enforcement officer he is aware that these are fake promises. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. puts the time and effort into the background checks they conduct. These checks may be criminal histories based on state searches or county searches. The check may include sex offender registries, education checks, driving records and more. When a store owner has Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. conduct their background checks they are assured there won’t be any shortcuts taken in the research of their applicant’s history.
• In the same vein as background checks, pre-employment drug screening is an important part of Bill’s theft prevention strategy. Workers with drug addictions may resort to theft to support a habit. These employees will also help friends steal by alerting them to opportunities they may see by texting or calling. The employee may also help assist in shoplifting by passing merchandise through a register without ringing it up for friends in exchange for drugs. Employers can stop shoplifting aided by employees and employee theft by weeding out problems before they happen. Drug screening is a useful tool in Bill’s shortage prevention toolbox.
• One more important piece in the shortage prevention strategy for a store is training. Whether it is training on tag placement, responding to an electronic article surveillance alarm or how to stop shoplifting, Bill knows how critical training is to any theft prevention program.
The biggest take-away I had following my conversation with Mr. Bregar is his focus on the importance of service and integrity in serving Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. clients.
Sensormatic tags and systems are a key component of any Loss Prevention program and Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can help get a store set up with what that particular store needs. An effective program is going to be one that incorporates multiple factors that impact theft and shortage. After my conversation with Bill Bregar I am more convinced than ever that Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is your best resource for helping you reduce shrink and grow your profits.
Get more information on Sensormatic tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
