Checkpoint security tags-4 WC blog 199
Checkpoint hard tags-4
Stop Shoplifting-3
Electronic Article Surveillance-4
Tightening Security And Putting A Stop To Shoplifting With Checkpoint Hard Tags
When I was a United States Air Force Security Policeman there were times I was posted at a checkpoint to the base flightline. While stationed at the post I would check identification cards to ensure that only authorized personnel were entering restricted areas. Unauthorized persons would either be turned around or detained and placed in handcuffs, depending on where the checkpoint was located. The purpose of these checkpoints was to protect Air Force planes and property from possible attack or sabotage from would be enemies. Since my military service happened to be mostly during peacetime, the only “attackers” I dealt with were during base exercises, although I did have to really detain a number of people at various times for entering restricted areas, most were just inattentive to what they were doing. In situations where I did have to detain someone I would alert other security personnel with a call over the radio for back-up. In a manner of speaking Checkpoint security tags fill a similar role. They stop shoplifting before it takes place because they act as a warning sign to potential thieves.
When Checkpoint security tags are placed on merchandise they serve as a warning sign to bad guys that crossing the line and stealing the protected item would be a very bad idea. Just as my job at the checkpoint was to deter someone from trying to gain unauthorized entry, Checkpoint security tags are a deterrent to unauthorized removal of merchandise. Checkpoint hard tags are designed to be pinned to an article of clothing in a place that will be visible to shoppers. The tags don’t interfere with trying on clothing, so shoppers can still make sure a piece of clothing fits before purchasing it. In most situations however, a shoplifter will choose to go after some other item that is not protected when they see the tags. If a store has an aggressive tagging strategy the shoplifter is likely to simply leave and steal somewhere else. The Checkpoint hard tags are designed in two pieces that connect together to create a tight fit and are not easily separated without the use of a detachment key, which is normally controlled at the front end of the store. An amateur shoplifter may try to remove a tag but will get frustrated quickly. The professional shoplifters know what tags can do and try to avoid them. I should also mention that the tags have electronic article surveillance technology built into them which is another facet of their deterrence value.
If you are not very familiar with Checkpoint security tags you may not be aware that they work best when used in conjunction with Checkpoint electronic article surveillance antennas. These are the things you often see at the entry/exit points of a store when you walk through the door. Electronic article surveillance antennas “sense” when a tag is carried into its radio frequency range and sound an alarm and flash bright lights to alert store employees that unpaid merchandise is being removed from the store. Though it may be a bit of a stretch, this is similar to the alert I would send out when I was at a checkpoint and I had a security breach and called for back-up. The alert the antenna sends provides an opportunity for store staff to stop shoplifting and recover merchandise through a receipt check. There are also times when the alarm at the door will be enough to cause a shoplifter to drop the item they were attempting to steal and run away. Either way, the merchandise is recovered for the store.
In the military, staffing checkpoints and beefing up security served two purposes. The first was deterrence, by making a potential target more unappealing to attackers because the risk of failing or being caught was greater. Second, it gave additional manpower to respond in the event a penetration was to occur. Checkpoint hard tags and electronic article surveillance antennas are a retailer’s equivalent to those checkpoints. The tags act as a deterrent to stop shoplifting and the antennas provide the alert to get staff to respond if a breach is taking place. Okay, I admit my analogy it may sound a little extreme but you get the point. Checkpoint hard tags can protect your merchandise and keep your profits growing!
Get more information on Checkpoint Hard Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
When I was a United States Air Force Security Policeman there were times I was posted at a checkpoint to the base flightline. While stationed at the post I would check identification cards to ensure that only authorized personnel were entering restricted areas. Unauthorized persons would either be turned around or detained and placed in handcuffs, depending on where the checkpoint was located. The purpose of these checkpoints was to protect Air Force planes and property from possible attack or sabotage from would be enemies. Since my military service happened to be mostly during peacetime, the only “attackers” I dealt with were during base exercises, although I did have to really detain a number of people at various times for entering restricted areas, most were just inattentive to what they were doing. In situations where I did have to detain someone I would alert other security personnel with a call over the radio for back-up. In a manner of speaking Checkpoint security tags fill a similar role. They stop shoplifting before it takes place because they act as a warning sign to potential thieves.
When Checkpoint security tags are placed on merchandise they serve as a warning sign to bad guys that crossing the line and stealing the protected item would be a very bad idea. Just as my job at the checkpoint was to deter someone from trying to gain unauthorized entry, Checkpoint security tags are a deterrent to unauthorized removal of merchandise. Checkpoint hard tags are designed to be pinned to an article of clothing in a place that will be visible to shoppers. The tags don’t interfere with trying on clothing, so shoppers can still make sure a piece of clothing fits before purchasing it. In most situations however, a shoplifter will choose to go after some other item that is not protected when they see the tags. If a store has an aggressive tagging strategy the shoplifter is likely to simply leave and steal somewhere else. The Checkpoint hard tags are designed in two pieces that connect together to create a tight fit and are not easily separated without the use of a detachment key, which is normally controlled at the front end of the store. An amateur shoplifter may try to remove a tag but will get frustrated quickly. The professional shoplifters know what tags can do and try to avoid them. I should also mention that the tags have electronic article surveillance technology built into them which is another facet of their deterrence value.
If you are not very familiar with Checkpoint security tags you may not be aware that they work best when used in conjunction with Checkpoint electronic article surveillance antennas. These are the things you often see at the entry/exit points of a store when you walk through the door. Electronic article surveillance antennas “sense” when a tag is carried into its radio frequency range and sound an alarm and flash bright lights to alert store employees that unpaid merchandise is being removed from the store. Though it may be a bit of a stretch, this is similar to the alert I would send out when I was at a checkpoint and I had a security breach and called for back-up. The alert the antenna sends provides an opportunity for store staff to stop shoplifting and recover merchandise through a receipt check. There are also times when the alarm at the door will be enough to cause a shoplifter to drop the item they were attempting to steal and run away. Either way, the merchandise is recovered for the store.
In the military, staffing checkpoints and beefing up security served two purposes. The first was deterrence, by making a potential target more unappealing to attackers because the risk of failing or being caught was greater. Second, it gave additional manpower to respond in the event a penetration was to occur. Checkpoint hard tags and electronic article surveillance antennas are a retailer’s equivalent to those checkpoints. The tags act as a deterrent to stop shoplifting and the antennas provide the alert to get staff to respond if a breach is taking place. Okay, I admit my analogy it may sound a little extreme but you get the point.
Checkpoint hard tags can protect your merchandise and keep your profits growing! Get more information on Checkpoint Hard Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Stop Shoplifting-4 WC Blog 157
Checkpoint labels-3
“Witless” Protection Program; Trying To Stop Shoplifting And Dumb Criminals, True Loss Prevention Stories Part I
Over the course of my careers, I have had to stop shoplifting, arrest intoxicated persons, conduct traffic stops for traffic violations, etc. Looking back on my U.S. Air Force experiences and my Loss Prevention experiences, I have to wonder what some people were thinking (or not thinking as the case may be) when they committed their crimes. Some people commit criminal acts, and in return for testifying against others, they are exonerated or given plea deals, they may even be placed in a Witness Protection Program. I have never dealt with those people. I, on the other hand, have dealt with some who should have been placed in a “Witless Protection Program” because they just…well, let my examples speak for themselves.
In one store which I worked, our team frequently focused efforts to stop shoplifting in the jewelry department where we saw a high stock shortage percentage. One day I watched a teenage girl as she stopped at a jewelry counter and began looking at earrings on countertop displays. I observed her select and place a pair of earrings in her pants pocket and head for the doors. Our earrings did not have any Checkpoint labels on the backers so unfortunately, no alarm sounded when people would exit with stolen earrings. Well, that turned out to be the case this time. The young lady exited, no alarm sounded, but I knew she had the merchandise so I stopped her and returned with her to go to the security office. As we arrived in the office, my shoplifter had a sudden “asthma attack”. I might have taken it seriously had I not observed her sliding the earrings from her pocket and trying to hide them underneath her posterior as she slid down the wall to the floor. She was very dramatic, wheezing, breathing hard and holding her chest with her free hand. I informed my suspect that if she got a break during her asthma attack I would appreciate it if she could hand me the earrings she had taken out of her pocket and was sitting on. It didn’t take too long before the “asthma attack” was over. Earrings recovered and teenager turned over to mom.
It isn’t always easy to stop shoplifting of some merchandise because it is so small it can be hard to detect. Then there are situations when it is apparent someone has stolen merchandise, but the suspect is clueless. In another store where I was the Loss Prevention Manager I encountered a “Nitwit” thief who decided to steal a Maglight flashlight. If you aren’t familiar with these items they are the large, aluminum flashlights often carried by police officers. This particular flashlight is nearly one foot in length. I watched from the end of the aisle as the perpetrator removed the flashlight from the peghook and placed it down the front of his pants. It was so long it stuck out of the top of his waistband. These items were protected with Checkpoint labels and when I followed him to the front of the store, as he started through the Checkpoint antennas, the alarm did sound and I stopped him. Once we were back in the security office he tried to deny he had anything despite the alarm activation AND until I pointed out the part of the flashlight that I could see! Yes, another candidate for the “Witless Protection Program”.
During my time in the U.S. Air Force, I was a Law Enforcement Specialist. On one occasion when I was on patrol I received a call to respond to a location for an attempted suicide. When I arrived I pulled in front of a red, fastback Ford Mustang and noticed a young man was sitting on the curb in front of this unique, classic car looking rather sheepish. The driver who was standing beside the suspect told me the young man had decided to try to kill himself by jumping in front of his car. The driver turned the Airman over to my custody and left. As I took the slightly inebriated Airman into custody I explained to him that the next time he decided to try to commit suicide, it would be best not to do it in front of the Base Commander’s car! My prisoner would have been a perfect fit for the “Witless Protection Program”.
There are plenty of thieves and just plain dumb criminals out there. Some are shoplifters. For those who shoplift Checkpoint labels work and can stop shoplifting. Keep your “wits” about you and protect the merchandise in your store and keep profits up.
Need information on Checkpoint labels? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Over the course of my careers, I have had to stop shoplifting, arrest intoxicated persons, conduct traffic stops for traffic violations, etc. Looking back on my U.S. Air Force experiences and my Loss Prevention experiences, I have to wonder what some people were thinking (or not thinking as the case may be) when they committed their crimes. Some people commit criminal acts, and in return for testifying against others, they are exonerated or given plea deals, they may even be placed in a Witness Protection Program. I have never dealt with those people. I, on the other hand, have dealt with some who should have been placed in a “Witless Protection Program” because they just…well, let my examples speak for themselves.
In one store which I worked, our team frequently focused efforts to stop shoplifting in the jewelry department where we saw a high stock shortage percentage. One day I watched a teenage girl as she stopped at a jewelry counter and began looking at earrings on countertop displays. I observed her select and place a pair of earrings in her pants pocket and head for the doors. Our earrings did not have any Checkpoint labels on the backers so unfortunately, no alarm sounded when people would exit with stolen earrings. Well, that turned out to be the case this time. The young lady exited, no alarm sounded, but I knew she had the merchandise so I stopped her and returned with her to go to the security office. As we arrived in the office, my shoplifter had a sudden “asthma attack”. I might have taken it seriously had I not observed her sliding the earrings from her pocket and trying to hide them underneath her posterior as she slid down the wall to the floor. She was very dramatic, wheezing, breathing hard and holding her chest with her free hand. I informed my suspect that if she got a break during her asthma attack I would appreciate it if she could hand me the earrings she had taken out of her pocket and was sitting on. It didn’t take too long before the “asthma attack” was over. Earrings recovered and teenager turned over to mom.
It isn’t always easy to stop shoplifting of some merchandise because it is so small it can be hard to detect.Then there are situations when it is apparent someone has stolen merchandise, but the suspect is clueless. In another store where I was the Loss Prevention Manager I encountered a “Nitwit” thief who decided to steal a Maglight flashlight. If you aren’t familiar with these items they are the large, aluminum flashlights often carried by police officers. This particular flashlight is nearly one foot in length. I watched from the end of the aisle as the perpetrator removed the flashlight from the peghook and placed it down the front of his pants. It was so long it stuck out of the top of his waistband. These items were protected with Checkpoint labels and when I followed him to the front of the store, as he started through the Checkpoint antennas, the alarm did sound and I stopped him. Once we were back in the security office he tried to deny he had anything despite the alarm activation AND until I pointed out the part of the flashlight that I could see! Yes, another candidate for the “Witless Protection Program”.
During my time in the U.S. Air Force, I was a Law Enforcement Specialist. On one occasion when I was on patrol I received a call to respond to a location for an attempted suicide. When I arrived I pulled in front of a red, fastback Ford Mustang and noticed a young man was sitting on the curb in front of this unique, classic car looking rather sheepish. The driver who was standing beside the suspect told me the young man had decided to try to kill himself by jumping in front of his car. The driver turned the Airman over to my custody and left. As I took the slightly inebriated Airman into custody I explained to him that the next time he decided to try to commit suicide, it would be best not to do it in front of the Base Commander’s car! My prisoner would have been a perfect fit for the “Witless Protection Program”.
There are plenty of thieves and just plain dumb criminals out there. Some are shoplifters. For those who shoplift Checkpoint labels work and can stop shoplifting. Keep your “wits” about you and protect the merchandise in your store and keep profits up.
Need information on Checkpoint labels? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Checkpoint label-4 WC blog 75
EAS labels-5
Stop Shoplifting-3
Electronic Article Surveillance-3
Make It Clear Thieves Are Not Welcome – Use 3210 Clear Checkpoint Labels
I recall the days when I worked as a Loss Prevention Manager and part of my job responsibilities included ensuring our merchandise protection strategies were properly employed. This included the training of a Merchandise Protection Team Member and my Loss Prevention Team Members who would assist in tagging and securing product. We had a lot of product we tagged, compact discs, video game software, computer software, digital video discs, health and beauty products, and so on. At the time we were using EAS labels (electronic article surveillance) that were solid white and had corporate information printed on them. I had to make sure that as my team tagged merchandise, as much as possible, product information and warnings were not covered up. Certainly you could never cover up a barcode that just caused havoc at the register (and an uncomfortable conversation with the store manager for me). In many cases this was a challenging task, especially if you consider the size of some health and beauty products and the lengthy warnings and usage directions on those products. There were even items I would like to have tagged, but the tags we had were too large and simply would not fit. Other items we would tag were rounded, such as large vitamin bottles. We did tag them but trying to get those tags to curve to fit the bottles was tricky. Checkpoint labels have evolved over the years. There are now options available that make it an effective tool to stop shoplifting of almost any product.
One Checkpoint label now available is the 3210 Clear EP Label. This label offers the protections afforded by larger, more traditional EAS labels but they have a clear, see through window that other EAS labels don’t have. These tags are also extremely small and can be placed on some of the smallest cosmetic products, such as lipsticks and mascara bottles. The window of the tag can be placed over a barcode and the barcode can still be scanned (no more uncomfortable conversations with a store manager!). Often cosmetics were a high shortage department for our store because we could not protect the products adequately to stop shoplifting. The items tend to be very small so concealment is easy, dropping them into purses or shopping bags or simply slipping them into pants pockets. Many Loss Prevention teams don’t make apprehensions for cosmetic theft alone because the merchandise is so small and there is a significant chance to make a bad stop. Now with the 3210 Clear EP label, should a shoplifter attempt to steal a piece of merchandise they are going to set off the electronic article surveillance antennas as they try to exit the store.
Being small does not make this Checkpoint label any less effective than other EAS labels. In fact, should a store use Checkpoint’s Evolve Electronic Article Surveillance platform, the performance of the 3210 Clear EP Label is increased up to 60%. As I consider the benefits of these labels, I know from experience that professional shoplifters depend on speed and stealth to be able to hit stores multiple times. They don’t want to risk an EAS alarm as they exit a store so they either try to avoid merchandise tagged with EAS labels or they try to remove labels. If they are stealing cosmetics, they are not counting on having to try to remove multiple little labels before concealing the products. The deterrence value of the 3210 label is going to stop shoplifting, or at least a large amount of it.
Your business may carry small products from medicines to cosmetics and until now you may not have been able to do much to prevent shortage due to theft. Today you can stop theft shrinkage by tagging your products with 3210 Clear Checkpoint label. Make it “clear” to thieves they aren’t welcome in your store.
For more information on Checkpoint labels contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
I recall the days when I worked as a Loss Prevention Manager and part of my job responsibilities included ensuring our merchandise protection strategies were properly employed. This included the training of a Merchandise Protection Team Member and my Loss Prevention Team Members who would assist in tagging and securing product. We had a lot of product we tagged, compact discs, video game software, computer software, digital video discs, health and beauty products, and so on. At the time we were using EAS labels (electronic article surveillance) that were solid white and had corporate information printed on them. I had to make sure that as my team tagged merchandise, as much as possible, product information and warnings were not covered up. Certainly you could never cover up a barcode that just caused havoc at the register (and an uncomfortable conversation with the store manager for me). In many cases this was a challenging task, especially if you consider the size of some health and beauty products and the lengthy warnings and usage directions on those products. There were even items I would like to have tagged, but the tags we had were too large and simply would not fit. Other items we would tag were rounded, such as large vitamin bottles. We did tag them but trying to get those tags to curve to fit the bottles was tricky. Checkpoint labels have evolved over the years. There are now options available that make it an effective tool to stop shoplifting of almost any product.
One Checkpoint label now available is the 3210 Clear EP Label. This label offers the protections afforded by larger, more traditional EAS labels but they have a clear, see through window that other EAS labels don’t have. These tags are also extremely small and can be placed on some of the smallest cosmetic products, such as lipsticks and mascara bottles. The window of the tag can be placed over a barcode and the barcode can still be scanned (no more uncomfortable conversations with a store manager!). Often cosmetics were a high shortage department for our store because we could not protect the products adequately to stop shoplifting. The items tend to be very small so concealment is easy, dropping them into purses or shopping bags or simply slipping them into pants pockets. Many Loss Prevention teams don’t make apprehensions for cosmetic theft alone because the merchandise is so small and there is a significant chance to make a bad stop. Now with the 3210 Clear EP label, should a shoplifter attempt to steal a piece of merchandise they are going to set off the electronic article surveillance antennas as they try to exit the store.
Being small does not make this Checkpoint label any less effective than other EAS labels. In fact, should a store use Checkpoint’s Evolve Electronic Article Surveillance platform, the performance of the 3210 Clear EP Label is increased up to 60%. As I consider the benefits of these labels, I know from experience that professional shoplifters depend on speed and stealth to be able to hit stores multiple times. They don’t want to risk an EAS alarm as they exit a store so they either try to avoid merchandise tagged with EAS labels or they try to remove labels. If they are stealing cosmetics, they are not counting on having to try to remove multiple little labels before concealing the products. The deterrence value of the 3210 label is going to stop shoplifting, or at least a large amount of it.
Your business may carry small products from medicines to cosmetics and until now you may not have been able to do much to prevent shortage due to theft. Today you can stop theft shrinkage by tagging your products with 3210 Clear Checkpoint label. Make it “clear” to thieves they aren’t welcome in your store.
For more information on Checkpoint labels contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Stop Shoplifting-4 WC Blog 145
Retail Theft Prevention-3
Loss Prevention And Cameras: More Than Just Retail Theft Prevention
When people think about what Loss Prevention Officers and Managers do, obviously the first thing that comes to mind is that their job is to stop shoplifting. This is one of the primary roles they perform, but the job really encompasses so much more. It is protection of merchandise as well as company property, employees and customers. Today we frequently hear people voice concerns about privacy and all of the cameras that are in use all around us. Local police have cameras on light poles and stop lights. Government offices have them through their hallways, in elevators and even at entrances and exits. Private businesses place them throughout their stores and even in parking lots. As a retail theft prevention tool, cameras can be invaluable in deterring, and helping to catch shoplifters and employees who are stealing. While I do understand some of the privacy concerns I have heard in the media, I would like to share a couple of experiences from my lengthy time in Loss Prevention that may give a slightly different perspective on closed circuit television cameras. I would also like to shed a little more light on what Loss Prevention teams really do on a daily basis.
One day when I was working as a Loss Prevention Officer for a department store, I was in our security office monitoring cameras but it was a relatively slow day. My efforts to stop shoplifting were proving futile it just didn’t seem anything was happening in the store. I shifted my attention to the outside cameras. I panned the parking lot with the cameras and noticed that several guys in a car were taking out an infant car seat. In my experience, usually car seats are placed in a car not taken out of it. The subjects put the car seat on the ground and re-entered the car, making no effort to place the seat in the trunk or anywhere else in the vehicle. While it may not have been retail theft prevention it was theft prevention I was concerned with. I contacted our local police department and provided them with the vehicle description and license plate information. They confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen from a nearby town about thirty minutes prior to my call. Since I was able to provide a description of the car and direction of travel, it didn’t take long for local police to find the car and arrest the suspects for grand theft auto.
In another instance, I was Loss Prevention Manager for a retail store and the area our store was located in was experiencing a spike in robberies and assaults. Several of the robberies had taken place on an access road behind our building and a neighboring store. While this was not a retail theft prevention problem it was a threat to our customers, many of whom walked from a housing complex near the store. We had a strong partnership with local police and in this case they sought our assistance to try to help identify the perpetrator(s). Cameras normally used to stop shoplifting were now focused on external crime prevention. We dedicated surveillance time to watching the tree line and access road for activity. When security was not in the building, we ensured exterior cameras were strategically positioned to get the optimum video shots and recorders were recording. It took about a week but our efforts paid off. A robbery took place behind the store and our cameras had recorded the event. We partnered with detectives and made copies of the videos. Within a few days police were able to make two arrests in the case and the robberies ceased.
Loss Prevention does work hard to stop shoplifting in stores, but that is not all they do. The next time you see those cameras outside of stores and in-store closed circuit television monitors know that it is likely someone is trying to keep you safe while you shop.
Get more information on Retail Theft Prevention, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
When people think about what Loss Prevention Officers and Managers do, obviously the first thing that comes to mind is that their job is to stop shoplifting. This is one of the primary roles they perform, but the job really encompasses so much more. It is protection of merchandise as well as company property, employees and customers. Today we frequently hear people voice concerns about privacy and all of the cameras that are in use all around us. Local police have cameras on light poles and stop lights. Government offices have them through their hallways, in elevators and even at entrances and exits. Private businesses place them throughout their stores and even in parking lots. As a retail theft prevention tool, cameras can be invaluable in deterring, and helping to catch shoplifters and employees who are stealing. While I do understand some of the privacy concerns I have heard in the media, I would like to share a couple of experiences from my lengthy time in Loss Prevention that may give a slightly different perspective on closed circuit television cameras. I would also like to shed a little more light on what Loss Prevention teams really do on a daily basis.
One day when I was working as a Loss Prevention Officer for a department store, I was in our security office monitoring cameras but it was a relatively slow day. My efforts to stop shoplifting were proving futile it just didn’t seem anything was happening in the store. I shifted my attention to the outside cameras. I panned the parking lot with the cameras and noticed that several guys in a car were taking out an infant car seat. In my experience, usually car seats are placed in a car not taken out of it. The subjects put the car seat on the ground and re-entered the car, making no effort to place the seat in the trunk or anywhere else in the vehicle. While it may not have been retail theft prevention it was theft prevention I was concerned with I contacted our local police department and provided them with the vehicle description and license plate information.They confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen from a nearby town about thirty minutes prior to my call. Since I was able to provide a description of the car and direction of travel, it didn’t take long for local police to find the car and arrest the suspects for grand theft auto.
In another instance, I was Loss Prevention Manager for a retail store and the area our store was located in was experiencing a spike in robberies and assaults. Several of the robberies had taken place on an access road behind our building and a neighboring store. While this was not a retail theft prevention problem it was a threat to our customers, many of whom walked from a housing complex near the store. We had a strong partnership with local police and in this case they sought our assistance to try to help identify the perpetrator(s). Cameras normally used to stop shoplifting were now focused on external crime prevention. We dedicated surveillance time to watching the tree line and access road for activity. When security was not in the building, we ensured exterior cameras were strategically positioned to get the optimum video shots and recorders were recording. It took about a week but our efforts paid off. A robbery took place behind the store and our cameras had recorded the event. We partnered with detectives and made copies of the videos. Within a few days police were able to make two arrests in the case and the robberies ceased.
Loss Prevention does work hard to stop shoplifting in stores, but that is not all they do. The next time you see those cameras outside of stores and in-store closed circuit television monitors know that it is likely someone is trying to keep you safe while you shop.
Get more information on Retail Theft Prevention, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Checkpoint Systems-5 WC Blog 156
Stop shoplifting-3
Checkpoint tags-3
Checkpoint Systems Help Recover Stolen Merchandise – But For A Day, Not The Way You Might Think
Checkpoint systems have the tools to stop shoplifting. From electronic article surveillance antennas to deactivation units, hand verifiers and Checkpoint tags, I have had the pleasure of using all types of Checkpoint equipment. On one occasion I even used a piece of equipment to stop shoplifting but I don’t think it was the way anyone at Checkpoint systems had intended the device to work. The item I am speaking of is a DV1000 deactivation verifier.
The deactivation verifier is a small, gray box with a button on top that is pressed to determine if an EAS deactivation pad is working. When held over a functioning pad, and the button is pushed a small light on the front of the unit turns green. When pushed any other time the light turns red. The verifier is simple to use but extremely helpful in troubleshooting equipment to ensure it is operating correctly.
One day I was working and observed a young boy enter our store by himself. I recognized him as a regular in our store who was usually accompanied by friends. I had suspected the youngster of shoplifting for some time but our Loss Prevention Team could not catch him. This particular day I observed him when he entered and so I was able to keep surveillance on him his entire time in the store. I watched the boy as he walked around looking at merchandise and picking things up and putting them back down. The youngster eventually picked up a handful of collector cards/ball cards and continued through the store, opening the cards and selecting the ones he wanted. After several trips back to the cards, he was done with his “shopping” spree and headed for the exit.
I followed the young man when he walked out the store, stopped him and brought him back in. The cards that had been chosen had Checkpoint tags source tagged in the packages but our Checkpoint Systems antennas did not sound because the packages and some of the cards had been discarded in the store. I took the culprit to the security office and told him to return the cards to me. He told me he did not have any cards. I made every effort to get him to admit to the theft and give me the merchandise back but he was tough and wouldn’t crack.
At this point I decided it was time to pull out all of the stops. I reached in my desk drawer and pulled out my lie detector, which happened to also look suspiciously like a Checkpoint DV 1000 deactivation verifier. I told the young man that the item I was holding was a lie detector and if he told me a lie the light would turn red. My would-be criminal’s mouth dropped open and the look on his face was priceless. I asked him if he had any stolen cards in his pocket. He told me he did not and I held down the button on the verifier. The light turned red and I told the boy that the lie detector proved he was lying. At that the boy sheepishly pulled the cards from his pocket and gave them to me. He also admitted to his prior thefts, confirming what I had suspected. I contacted the boy’s mother who picked him up and took him up.
Checkpoint systems are designed to stop shoplifting starting with the deterrence value of the antennas at the front doors to the Checkpoint tags and labels placed on merchandise. Contact Checkpoint and find out how they can help you prevent theft, but don’t bother asking about their DV 1000 “lie detectors”, they probably won’t know what you are talking about.
Get more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Checkpoint systems have the tools to stop shoplifting. From electronic article surveillance antennas to deactivation units, hand verifiers and Checkpoint tags, I have had the pleasure of using all types of Checkpoint equipment. On one occasion I even used a piece of equipment to stop shoplifting but I don’t think it was the way anyone at Checkpoint systems had intended the device to work. The item I am speaking of is a DV1000 deactivation verifier.
The deactivation verifier is a small, gray box with a button on top that is pressed to determine if an EAS deactivation pad is working. When held over a functioning pad, and the button is pushed a small light on the front of the unit turns green. When pushed any other time the light turns red. The verifier is simple to use but extremely helpful in troubleshooting equipment to ensure it is operating correctly.
One day I was working and observed a young boy enter our store by himself. I recognized him as a regular in our store who was usually accompanied by friends. I had suspected the youngster of shoplifting for some time but our Loss Prevention Team could not catch him. This particular day I observed him when he entered and so I was able to keep surveillance on him his entire time in the store. I watched the boy as he walked around looking at merchandise and picking things up and putting them back down. The youngster eventually picked up a handful of collector cards/ball cards and continued through the store, opening the cards and selecting the ones he wanted. After several trips back to the cards, he was done with his “shopping” spree and headed for the exit.
I followed the young man when he walked out the store, stopped him and brought him back in. The cards that had been chosen had Checkpoint tags source tagged in the packages but our Checkpoint Systems antennas did not sound because the packages and some of the cards had been discarded in the store. I took the culprit to the security office and told him to return the cards to me. He told me he did not have any cards. I made every effort to get him to admit to the theft and give me the merchandise back but he was tough and wouldn’t crack.
At this point I decided it was time to pull out all of the stops. I reached in my desk drawer and pulled out my lie detector, which happened to also look suspiciously like a Checkpoint DV 1000 deactivation verifier. I told the young man that the item I was holding was a lie detector and if he told me a lie the light would turn red. My would-be criminal’s mouth dropped open and the look on his face was priceless. I asked him if he had any stolen cards in his pocket. He told me he did not and I held down the button on the verifier. The light turned red and I told the boy that the lie detector proved he was lying. At that the boy sheepishly pulled the cards from his pocket and gave them to me. He also admitted to his prior thefts, confirming what I had suspected. I contacted the boy’s mother who picked him up and took him up.
Checkpoint systems are designed to stop shoplifting starting with the deterrence value of the antennas at the front doors to the Checkpoint tags and labels placed on merchandise. Contact us and find out how we can help you prevent theft.
Get more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
