Shoplifting is up. With the economy down, shoplifting is on the rise. According to an article in the New York Times, many of the shoplifters are first offenders. The tough economy is driving them to it, and not only are they stealing the things they need, personally, but they are also stealing goods they can sell on EBay and other online auction sites.
On the average, shoplifting is a costly proposition. Around $35 million daily is lost to shoplifting, or shrinkage as it is more politely known. Reportedely, one in eleven persons have shoplifted. And now the number is climbing. Surely, first timers who find they can get away with it will make it a habit. And routine shoplifters will ply their vocation much more intensively.
To better facilitate the shoplifters, there are websites willing to sell them fake receipts for a variety of goods. With that in mind and with the economy in a long term slump, you can pretty much be sure that shoplifting will continue its increase. In fact, I would predict those mid-income people used to buying above their heads for luxury items they can no longer afford may resort to shoplifting to support their consumption habits. It is more than just stealing necessities, but the items so many feel they are due.
How to prevent against it? Technology helps. Security cameras, security tags, all the stuff that has been on the increase. Certainly heavier fines and jail sentences may serve as deterrents to the novice. But in the end you may well need a presence in your retail environment. And finding the right presence is not necessarily as easy as it first appears.
You have to find someone who is strong and intimidating yet has the discipline to deal with suspected shoplifters correctly. There are always liability issues afoot, especially with those who are embarrassed, angry, and wish to retaliate. Whether you are right or wrong, just going to court is expensive. Then there is the need for the more discrete security person, the one who mingles and blends unnoticed in the crowd. That person can spot the shoplifter and accost them at the proper time. Usually, this means waiting until the thief is outside the store.
The thing is most retailers resort to hiring on the cheap. They feel any body will die, just hire cheap and call it cost effective. But if the security people you hire are ineffective, then you are just wasting your money and you are losing your goods. It is best to recruit carefully, have a good preemployment screening program in place. Run professional reference background checks to review your employment candidate’s psychological makeup and his ability to handle people. Again, you don’t want someone who will behave too harshly, or one who is half-asleep on the job. Or discover the person you hired for security is stealing from you as well. It has been known to happen.
Check them out before you hire.
