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Keeping an Eye on
your Livelihood |
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Jim Magay |
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I
got a call from a friendly competitor, Premiere Optical's Gary Peterson. Gary gave us a heads up about a suspected shoplifter in the area. A young man of around thirty carrying a baby and a large coat was in his store and after he left they discovered 4 Cazals were missing. Calls to the police were futile. When the same gentleman came back to Gary's shop today, Gary and co-workers kept a close watch on him until he left. Then, not wanting the same thing to happen to others around town, Gary called with a warning
(Thanks Gary – very neighborly!).
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Last year we lost quite a few high-end frames to bold shoplifters – one "lady" actually stuffed a pair of Cavalli's down her bosom and boldly walked out the door, talk about feeling helpless!
Another pal of mine, Karen Philblade who owns a high end boutique called The Optical View in Framingham, chimed in with a story of a woman who popped in at closing time and tried on a Gucci Sunglasses, said, "Thanks" and booted out the door. Karen alertly followed her and confronted the miscreant. The woman, without any embarrassment handed Karen the almost stolen sunglasses and said, "they must have fallen in my bag!"
Is shoplifting a big problem today? Well five-finger discount specialists steal nearly $10 billion worth of merchandise from stores in the United States every year.
Common tactics:
Umbrellas: thieves can slide objects into the umbrella without detection.
Folded Up or Rolled Newspapers: Smaller items can easily be placed inside of a newspaper that has been strategically rolled up.
Baby Strollers: Easy to hide stuff inside.
Diaper Bags: Items can be easily hidden under diapers, bottles, and other items, - and who is going to search a diaper bag!
Large or Specially Made Coats: A shoplifter cuts slits in the pocket lining of their coat, and can reach for items without being seen. Watch for heavy coats on a hot day.
Shopping Bags: Many shoplifters will bring a grocery bag from another store and fill it up with items that they hide under stuff that is already in their bag. This is one reason that many stores will ask you to leave your bag at the customer service desk or they will staple your bag shut.
One Employee Stores: The creep enters the store and acts like they need something that is not on display. The store's only employee goes into the back room to see if there is more in stock. While the employee is searching, the thief rips off the store and is gone before the employee knows what hit him.
Crotch Walking: Women simply wear a full dress or skirt into the store; place an item between their thighs, and walk out of the business like it is any other normal shopping day.
The Consumer Ultimately Pays for Shoplifters, as Independent retail studies have estimated that shoplifting from retail stores cost the American public an average of 33.21 billion dollars per year. In fact, whole retail store chains have been forced out of business due to their inability to control retail theft losses, and the reality is that the cost of these losses are eventually passed on to the consumer.
So, keep your eyes open and have everyone stay alert – we can ill afford preventable loss!
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