THE EMPLOYEE'S PERSPECTIVE:

IT IS A SAD WORLD OUT THERE....IF CATCHING SHOPLIFTERS AND PROTECTING THE STORE FROM CRIME WAS ALL THERE WAS FOR LOSS PREVENTION TO BE CONCERNED WITH, THE JOB WOULD BE A LOT EASIER. UNFORTUNATELY, 50 TO 70% OF A STORE'S TOTAL LOSS IS AS A RESULT OF EMPLOYEE THEFT. NOBODY LIKES TO THINK THAT THE CASHIER WORKING NEXT TO YOU, OR THE STOCK PERSON YOU WERE CHATTING WITH IN THE BREAKROOM, OR EVEN THE SUPERVISOR/MANAGER ON DUTY COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CAUSING THE STORE A LOSS, BUT THEY CAN. FOR EMPLOYEES TO GO CORRUPT IS ACTUALLY QUITE AN EASY PROCESS. EMPLOYEES CONSTANTLY THINK THAT NOBODY IS WATCHING THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL TOO BUSY MONITORING THE CUSTOMERS. THEY THINK THAT IN THE QUIET STOCKROOM WHERE THEY ARE SORTING OUT MERCHANDISE THAT THEY CAN QUICKLY SLIP THAT ITEM IN THEIR POCKET AND NOONE WILL MISS IT OR SUSPECT THEM. CHANCES ARE THAT THEY ARE CORRECT ON THAT ASSUMPTION AND SINCE THEY GOT AWAY WITH IT, THEY WILL DEFINITELY DO IT AGAIN. EVEN IF THEY PROMISE THEMSELVES THAT THIS IS ALL THEY WANT, THEY FIND THEMSELVES STUCK NOW BECAUSE IT JUST SEEMS TOO EASY TO NOT STEAL. NEXT THING THEY KNOW, THEY ARE STEALING MONEY DIRECTLY FROM THE TILL UNTIL ONE DAY, WHEN THEY LEAST EXPECT IT, THEY ARE APPROACHED BY LOSS PREVENTION AND ASKED TO ACCOMPANY THEM TO THE OFFICE FOR A LITTLE CHAT. SUDDENLY THAT EMPLOYEES WORLD COMES CRASHING DOWN ON THEM AS THEY ARE QUESTIONED BY L.P. STAFF. THEY REFUSE TO ADMIT THAT WHAT THEY DID WAS AN ACT OF THEFT BECAUSE THEY HAVE PROBABLY SO WELL CONVINCED THEMSELVES THAT WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS SO MINOR THAT IT ISN'T WORTHY OF BEING CALLED THEFT. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THEM, LOSS PREVENTION HAS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. THEY DON'T SEE THAT THEY CAUGHT THE EMPLOYEE WITH A CANDY BAR (QUITE PETTY, INDEED). THEY SEE IT AS 1 CANDY BAR DURING EVERY WORK SHIFT AND POSSIBLY MORE TIMES THAN THAT. SUDDENLY LOSS PREVENTION GIVES THAT EMPLOYEE A RUDE WAKE UP CALL THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CAUSING A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS TO THE COMPANY THAT EVEN THE EMPLOYEE WAS TOO BLIND TO SEE. NOW THE EMPLOYEE LOST THEIR JOB AND MAY EVEN BE PLACED UNDER ARREST. THE FREE RIDE IS OVER....THIS EMPLOYEE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN DISHONEST IN THEIR ENTIRE LIFE HAS NOW BEEN BRANDED THE "CANDY MAN".

---

LOSS PREVENTION'S PERSPECTIVE:

CATCHING AN INSIDER IS A LOT HARDER THAN GRABBING A SHOPLIFTER. WHY IS THAT? LET'S TAKE A LOOK.....EMPLOYEES ARE WORKING 8 HOURS A DAY, 40 HOURS A WEEK. THEY ARE SPENDING ALL THAT MUCH MORE TIME IN THE STORE. WHILE SHOPLIFTERS WANT TO GET IN AND GET OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT GETTING CAUGHT, EMPLOYEES HAVE TO BE HERE ALL THAT TIME WHETHER THEY ARE STEALING OR WORKING. AS MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS PERSPECTIVE, NOBODY WANTS TO THINK THAT ANOTHER EMPLOYEE IS IN FACT A THIEF. ALSO, SINCE THEY ARE SPENDING ALL OF THAT TIME WORKING IN THE STORE, THEY HAVE ALL THAT MUCH MORE TIME TO BECOME FRIENDS WITH LOSS PREVENTION; MAYBE HELP THEM MAKE A FEW SHOPLIFTING STOPS AND GAIN THEIR RESPECT. AND THEN TURN AROUND AND STEAL THEMSELVES. WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT AN UN-EXPERIENCED LOSS PREVENTION AGENT WOULD THINK? "IT CAN'T BE JOHN, HE'S A GOOD GUY, HE HELPED ME GRAB THAT $300.00 SHOPLIFTER AND FIGHT HIM TO THE GROUND". MEANWHILE, JOHN IS GOING HOME WITH AN EXTRA PAYCHECK THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE REPORTED TO TAXES!!!

SIMILAR TO SHOPLIFTING, A PERSON CANNOT TEACH ANOTHER PERSON HOW TO CATCH AN EMPLOYEE STEALING. ALL I CAN DO FOR YOU IS GIVE YOU ADVICE. FOR INSTANCE, DON'T FALL INTO THE TRAP OF THINKING THAT ANY EMPLOYEE IS GOOD.....REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY HAVE DONE FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT, AND REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG THEY HAVE BEEN WITH THE COMPANY AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEIR RANK IS, THEY CAN STILL MAKE A POOR DECISION AND START STEALING AT ANY TIME.

I HAVE BUILT A GOOD REPUTATION FOR MYSELF AT WORK. I CAN GO TO WORK EVERYDAY AND ENJOY THE JOB. THE EMPLOYEES, FOR THE MOST PART, THINK THAT I AM A GOOD GUY. MOST OF THEM WOULD JUMP IN AND HELP ME OR AT THE VERY LEAST CALL THE POLICE IF THEY SAW ME IN A STRUGGLE WITH SOMEONE. HOWEVER, THEY ALSO REALIZE THAT I AM 2-FACED AND MOST OF THEM UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE TO BE THAT WAY IN ORDER TO PROPERLY PERFORM MY JOB. THERE ARE THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG IN THE STORE AND HAVE SEEN MY OTHER FACE. I JOKINGLY CALL THAT OTHER FACE MY "INSENSITIVE BASTARD FACE". ALTHOUGH THAT MAY BE HUMOROUS, IT IS NOT TOO FAR FROM THE TRUTH. MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE STORE REALIZE THAT I CAN COME TO WORK EVERY DAY AND BE A NICE GUY AND BE THEIR BEST FRIEND AND SOMEONE THAT THEY CAN CONFIDE IN FOR THINGS. HOWEVER, THEY KNOW THAT IF THEY SCREW UP THAT I WILL HUNT THEM DOWN AND TAKE THEM IN. THEY REALIZE THAT REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH OF A FRIEND TO THEM THAT I MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST, THAT ONCE THEY CROSS THE LINE, THEY ARE OFF MY LIST. THEY ARE GOING TO THE SECURITY OFFICE. THAT'S MY JOB AND THEY UNDERSTAND IT. THIS IS SADLY THE WAY THAT YOU MUST BE IF YOU WANT TO CATCH EMPLOYEE THEFT. YOU CANNOT EVER SHOW FAVORTISM. EITHER YOU ARE A SITTING DUCK AND EVERYBODY RIPS YOU OFF AND GETS AWAY WITH IT, OR EVERYBODY GOES TO THE SECURITY OFFICE AND NO MERCY IS SHOWN.