The Bunker Blog

Seems like there is no shortage of stories about the rising rate of shoplifting and internal theft today.  Most of these news stories either directly or indirectly blame the rise on the recession.

There is also no shortage of new incidents like this one in Mississippi, where several employees at a local retailer were involved in a fraud scheme where the were paying either very little or nothing for merchandise from the store.

At the same time, retailers across the country are trimming down their loss prevention departments. Payroll budgets are getting slashed, and many jobs have been lost in efforts to cut costs and increase profitability.

With less bodies in the stores serving customers; less LP agents on the floor protecting the merchandise; and with retail crime already on the rise; things sure don’t look good for retailers’ shrink lines this year.

I still say this economic recession is an excuse when it comes to theft. However, employees whose schedules have been cut, who see that their company is cutting costs, starting with payroll; may be tempted to subsidize by stealing from their company.

Folks recently unemployed may take to stealing as a “means to survive”, at least  that is how they would justify it.

The fact is, this whole situation looks like the “perfect storm” when it comes to increased shrink. Sales are down, theft is up; there are less people protecting the stores, and more people stealing from them.

There are a lot of displaced LP agents out there who have recently been unemployed themselves. The jobs that do become available will be tough to get because there will be many more applicants than normal. This gives retailers the opportunity to stack the deck with their retail LP teams.

I have a feeling that some of us (retailers) are going to have that “punched in the gut” feeling when we see the numbers this year. It’s bad enough to see sales going down. Add increased shrink to that scenario, and well, you know what I mean.

We have to be prepared for, and expect the worst. At the same time, we have to continue to meet each new challenge with a renewed determination to hold the line. We may not make many huge gains in the war on shrink this year, but we can at least win a few battles, and make sure the enemy takes some casualties, as we hold the line on retail shrink for 09.

Good luck to us all. As always, feel free to comment. Discussion is welcome and encouraged.

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Below you will find links to two recent news stories about parents who take their kids shoplifting. I keep writing about this for two reasons: First, because it makes me angry that any parent would ever involve their kids in criminal activity of any kind; and secondly, because, according to my stats, you like to read about this. I’m not sure why that is, but I assume it makes you angry, too.

In one incident, according to police and Kohl’s Loss Prevention personnel, two women actually used their kids to conceal merchandise so they could take it outside without being noticed. I know, it’s an old scheme, and those of us in loss prevention have seen it over and over again. Still, it boils my blood to think that it’s not enough that these parenting geniuses would steal in the first place, but they involve their kids.

I have written about these incidents since I started this blog. One of the all time lows, in my book, for any parent is the case where mom and dad are so busy “getting away”, that they leave their ten year old daughter behind. Can you imagine how scared that kid must have been?

It seems like, at least once a week, there’s a new story about some so-called parent who brought their kids along an a shoplifting excursion. Some even use the kids as a distraction so they can ply their trade. The sad part is that the kids are being taught that shoplifting is okay, and even fun! It’s a game.

I’m not a big proponent of creating new laws, especially since we seem to have a hard time enforcing the ones we have, but it seems to me that we need to have special laws, with special penalties, for people who involve their kids in crime. The kids don’t have a choice, in most cases, but the parents, who are adults, do.

Moms Use Kids To Shoplift

2 Women Take Kids Shoplifting

• LP Community: Free Training For LP Professionals
• 2 Women, 4 Children, And A Shoplifting Story

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Here is another example of a desperate shoplifter who resorted to violence in an attempt to escape. Any one who thinks that the loss prevention profession is not dangerous is wrong.

These kinds of incidents happen everyday. If you were to read the posts on PrivateOfficer.com, you would see that Loss Prevention and Security Specialists are injured almost on a daily basis by criminals. This is why training is so important.

Even the most well-trained officer or agent can get hurt, though. When a shoplifter becomes violent, chaos usually erupts. Everyone would agree that a non-violent solution is best, but shoplifters don’t always cooperate, and sometimes become violent no matter what the loss prevention officers do to diffuse the situation. That is when the LP or Security Officer must rely on his training to get him through the situation as safely as possible.

I just hope that the courts make an example of this shoplifter, and that the officers who were injured get well soon.

Around 1:00 p.m., shoplifting suspect David Barnes was seen stealing items off store shelves inside the Wal-Mart at 715 East 78th Street and stuffing them inside a backpack. When he headed for the door, a loss prevention officer stopped him. Barnes then took out a four-inch blade and stabbed the employee.
When a second loss prevention officer stepped in to help, Barnes stabbed him in the leg. A Wal-Mart employee said she held one of the bleeding employees until help arrived. The officers were treated for their injuries at the scene.

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Technorati Tags: loss prevention,shoplifters,violent shoplifters,lp officers injured,crime,retail theft,walmart shoplifter injurs lp officers

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This is just sad. If you can’t trust the police, who can you trust? Right? I never had the displeasure of catching a police officer shoplifting. I have caught 2 lawyers and one doctor, though.

There’s a couple of key points in the story below that stand out to me:

1. He is on paid leave, at taxpayer expense, while this is being investigated. Innocent until proven guilty, I guess.
2. He stated that he had paid for the items in the cart with gift cards in the electronics department. Okay, where was his receipt? If he had just paid before walking out, wouldn’t he have a receipt? Oh, he lost it? Well okay, the store should easily be able to pull the transaction from their system, or even the register itself. I can’t see him being charged if the LP department didn’t have enough evidence to get a conviction. Especially considering he is the assistant police chief. Nope, his story just doesn’t hold water.

Want to talk about it? Leave a comment, or sign up at the forum and start up a conversation.

COLUMBIA, S.C. –

Authorities say Liberty’s assistant police chief has been charged with shoplifting after he walked out of Wal-Mart with several items without paying.

Investigators say 38-year-old Eric Todd Rampey turned himself in to the State Law Enforcement Division on Thursday and was released on bond.

Liberty Police Chief Leland Miller says Rampey is on paid suspension.

Authorities say Rampey purchased a DVD at a Wal-Mart in Central but then went back and put several items, including a flat screen television, ceiling fan and several toothbrushes in his cart and walked outside.

Charlotte Observer | 01/10/2008 | Asst. police chief arrested for shoplifting

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Still another shoplifter using a child to cover their misdeeds!! This is sickening. A grandmother steals clothing and hides it in her 4-year-old grand daughter’s baby doll stroller. Fortunately, this judge thought this was serious enough to make sure the grandmother spends some active time in prison. It may be only a month, but at least it’s something other than a fine.

Want to discuss this growing problem? Leave a comment and we can talk about it; or, visit our forum, register, and start up or join a discussion.

MEDIA, Pa. – A Delaware County woman accused of stealing clothing and other merchandise by hiding it in her granddaughter’s doll stroller is facing at least three months in prison.

Monica Vitale acknowledges shoplifting from Sears and CVS stores. She pleaded guilty Tuesday to retail theft and corruption of minors charges.

Senior Judge George Koudelis says the 42-year-old Vitale will serve at least 30 days in the Delaware County prison, 60 days on electronic home monitoring, and two years on probation.

Pa. woman faces prison for using child to shoplift (phillyBurbs.com) | Pennsylvania News

Technorati Tags: loss prevention,shoplifting with child,children shoplifters,shoplifting,crime,shoplifting grandmother

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