"THE 6 STEP RULE"

THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT TO PROVE IN ANY CRIMNAL CASE IS "CRIMINAL INTENT". HOW DO YOU PROVE THAT? OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN'T GO INSIDE OF THE SHOPLIFTER'S HEAD AND SAY: "YEP, THERE'S DEFINITELY INTENT HERE!!" AS A RESULT, WE MUST PROVE INTENT BY SHOWING THAT THE PERSON'S INTENTIONS WERE NOTHING BUT CRIMINAL ONES.

THE 6 STEP RULE IS PROBABLY THE MOST UNIVERSAL RULE IN THE ENTIRE FIELD OF LOSS PREVENTION. REGARDLESS OF STATE, ALMOST EVERY LOSS PREVENTION DEPARTMENT TEACHES SOME VARIATION OF THIS RULE TO THEIR L.P. ASSOCIATES. BY FOLLOWING THIS RULE, TO THE LETTER, LOSS PREVENTION ASSOCIATES CAN ALMOST ELIMINATE THE CHANCE OF MAKING ANY MISTAKES IN IDENTIFYING SHOPLIFTERS....

1) YOU MUST SEE THE PERSON APPROACH THE MERCHANDISE.(you must be certain that they did not come in to the area with the merchandise)

2) YOU MUST SEE THE PERSON TAKE POSSESSION OF THE MERCHANDISE.

3) YOU MUST KNOW WHERE THE PERSON HIDES/CONCEALS THE MERCHANDISE.

4) YOU MUST MAINTAIN CONTINUOUS AND UNINTERRUPTED SURVEILLANCE OF THE SUSPECT.

5) YOU MUST ENSURE THE MERCHANDISE HAS NOT BEEN PAID FOR.

6) YOU SHOULD APPROACH THE PERSON OUTSIDE OF THE STORE.

MEETING THESE STEPS ARE ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL TO THE PROPER PERFORMANCE OF YOUR JOB. IF YOU ARE MISSING 1 OF THESE STEPS, YOU ARE WALKING ON THIN ICE. IF YOU ARE MISSING 2 OR MORE OF THESE STEPS, YOU ARE ACTING WITH EXTREME IGNORANCE. IF YOU CONSTANTLY MAKE STOPS MISSING STEPS, YOU ARE A DANGER TO THE DEPARTMENT AND SHOULD BE FIRED.

1 & 2

THE FIRST 2 STEPS DISCUSS TAKING POSSESSION OF THE MERCHANDISE. BY MAINTAINING CONSTANT OBSERAVATION FROM START TO FINISH, THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU CAN PROVE IN COURT THAT NO MISTAKE WAS MADE. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF THE SUSPECT SAID: "I BROUGHT IT IN WITH ME"? YOU WOULD HAVE NO WAY TO PROVE OTHERWISE UNLESS YOU MEET THE FIRST 2 STEPS. WITH THIS IN PLACE, THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY WOULD HAVE A FIELD DAY ON YOUR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, YOU WOULD LOSE THE CASE, AND THE DEFENDANT CAN THEN TURN AROUND AND SUE YOU AND THE STORE FOR MALICIOUS PROSECUTION.

3

THE THIRD STEP DISCUSSES CONCEALMENT. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU STOPPED SOMEONE, BUT YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS AT ON THEM? IF THE PERSON ARGUES THE ACCUSATION, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO TELL THE POLICE TO LOOK FOR THE MERCHANDISE? DOWN THE PANTS, UP THE SLEEVE, UP THE SHIRT, IN THE SHOPPING BAG, IN THEIR BACKPACK, IN THEIR POCKET?????

4

THE FOURTH STEP DISCUSSES CONTINUOUS OBSERVATION. SUPPOSE YOU SEE THE FIRST 3 STEPS AND YOU KNOW THE SUSPECT HAS THE MERCHANDISE CONCEALED UP THE SLEEVE OF THEIR JACKET. LET'S SAY THAT YOU LOSE SITE OF THEM FOR 1 MINUTE. IN THAT 1 MINUTE LACK OF OBSERVATION, THEY SEE AN ASSOCIATE IN THE STORE LOOK AT THEM SUSPICIOUSLY. THEY IN TURN, GET CONCERNED THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SPOTTED AND DUMP THE MERCHANDISE IN THE STORE. YOU REGAIN OBSERVATION, AND STOP THEM OUTSIDE. THEY PLAY IGNORANT WITH YOU AND THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON THEM. YOU HAVE JUST MADE A NON PRODUCTIVE STOP. ALSO KNOWN AS UNLAWFUL DETENTION, EMBARRASSING THE INNOCENT CUSTOMER, AND MAYBE SOME OTHER CHARGES.

5

THE FIFTH STEP DISCUSSES MAKING SURE THAT THE MERCHANDISE HAS NOT BEEN PAID FOR. THIS IS ACTUALLY A NO BRAINER STEP. IF YOU HAVE MET THE FIRST 4 STEPS WITHOUT QUESTION, THEN YOU USUALLY MEET THE FIFTH STEP AUTOMATICALLY.

6

THE SIXTH STEP DISCUSSES THE LOCATION THAT YOU SHOULD APPROACH THE PERSON. IN ILLINOIS, THE LAW STATES THAT THE SUSPECT MUST BE PAST THE FINAL POINT OF SALE AND THAT THEY ARE INTENDING TO DEPRIVE THE STORE PERMANENTLY OF THE USE OR VALUE OF THAT MERCHANDISE. DIFFERENT COMPANIES INTERPRET THIS DIFFERENTLY. SOME COMPANIES SAY THE LAST REGISTER IS THE BEST PLACE OF APPROACH. HOWEVER, NUMEROUS COMPANIES STILL HAVE THINGS BEYOND THE REGISTERS SUCH AS LOTTERY MACHINES, COIN STAR MACHINES AND EVEN MERCHANDISE. TO US, THESE ARE KNOWN AS EXCUSES. "I WASN'T GOING TO STEAL THIS, I JUST WANTED TO BUY A LOTTERY TICKET."......GUESS WHAT, THEY WILL WIN. THAT IS WHY THE BEST PLACE TO APPROACH THEM IS IN THE FOYER OF THE EXIT, OR OUTSIDE OF THE STORE.