The Bunker Blog

As I was doing my usual daily search of the web for all things LP related, I came across several interesting stories today. As I read and made my notes, I realized that there was a very clear theme to what I was seeing. In case you didn’t know it, Loss Prevention is a dangerous job. I am pretty sure that everybody I know in the loss prevention industry who has ever worked in a retail store has at least one “close call” story. We have all had those apprehensions that went bad; where we were either threatened or even injured by a shoplifter who decided to fight.

Most times, the shoplifter who fights is just trying to get away, and it all begins with a simple threat, showing a weapon, or maybe a push. But today in a Colorado Springs Walmart, we got reminded that some shoplifters carry firearms, and sometimes those firearms get used. Thank goodness nobody got hurt. Police are searching for the two suspects in that case.

Then in Oshawa, Ontario, at another Walmart, a shoplifter broke away from LP in the parking lot and jumped into a waiting vehicle, driven by a second suspect. The two then led police on a high speed chase that was stopped by police for safety reasons. The two suspects were both arrested a short time later in an apartment complex nearby.

In Atlanta, GA, a bold shoplifter has been blatantly stealing from a local Target. On one occasion when he was approached by loss prevention personnel, he pulled out an ASP baton and threatened LP. He then proceeded to take the merchandise and leave in a vehicle.

These are just a few examples of what shoplifters are capable of. We’ve written here many times about shoplifters who have used violence to escape and have injured store employees or loss prevention personnel. The question comes to mind whether it is a growing problem. I think it may be, but I wonder if the current economy or maybe the general impression of the state of the economy is driving people to justify stealing as a means to support themselves.

I mean, when a 62-year-old woman from West Linn, Oregon can net $215,000.00 in 2 years stealing high end merchandise and selling it on eBay, there is obviously a financial incentive to steal. When this incentive outweighs the risk, people will be more likely to take the chance.

So what are your thoughts? Do you think these incidents are the exception to the rule? Or, is this just another day in the life of the LP Professional? Comments below, please.

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A lot of retailers send out, via email or other media, what we call BOLO (Be On the Look Out) reports to other stores within their market. Some even share these with other retailers within the same market. This is a great resource for retailers to get ahead of professional thieves who travel to multiple locations within a market, or even from market to market, stealing or defrauding retailers as they go.

On October 24th, a jury in Greenville, SC awarded Rita Cantrell of Greer, SC $3 Million for defamation resulting from a BOLO sent out by a Target asset protection agent to area retailers. According to the news story reported by Fox, Cantrell, who works in loss prevention for Belk, went into a Target and did some shopping. When she checked out, she attempted to pay with a $100 bill. Target personnel suspected that the bill may be counterfeit, so they refused to accept it.

That’s when the BOLO was sent. Later, Cantrell was visited at her work by Secret Service investigators, who inspected the bill and declared it to be a real $100 bill. They also showed her the BOLO. I would assume that she was pretty upset. She was accused of counterfeiting, visited by law enforcement while on the job as a loss prevention agent, and her picture was spread throughout the area, to various retailers, with a report attached to it that claimed that she had attempted to pass counterfeit money.

Cantrell sued Target and won. The jury decided that she should get $100,000.00 for actual damages, and $3,000,000.00 in punative damages. Target has stated that they will appeal.

Here are my questions to you, my readers:

1. If you are in LP, does your company use this type of system to communicate with other stores/retailers?
2. If so, is it effective in deterring theft? How do you measure the effectiveness?
3. What guidelines do you think should be used? (ie. What constitutes a BOLO versus a simple report?)
4. Do you think the jury’s ruling was right? Too much? Too little?

Please comment on this post to let me know your thoughts.

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