SPOTTING SHOPLIFTERS IS NOT THE TYPE OF THING THAT CAN BE TAUGHT TO SOMEONE. IT CAN ONLY BE ACQUIRED BY JOB EXPERIENCE. YOU CAN BE TAUGHT WHAT TO LOOK FOR AND THE DIFFERENT STYLES OF SHOPLIFTING AND EVEN SURVEILLANCE TECHNIQUES. HOWEVER, YOU CAN NOT BE GIVEN THE "EYE" OR SIXTH SENSE FOR CRIME. GENERALLY STORE DETECTIVES WILL FOLLOW A PATTERN. EITHER THEY HAVE THE "EYE" FROM THE BEGINNING, THEY ACQUIRE THE "EYE" ALONG THE WAY OR THEY NEVER ACQUIRE THE "EYE".
IN MY PERSONAL CASE, I ACQUIRED THE "EYE" ALONG THE WAY. WHEN I STARTED IN LOSS PREVENTION, I WAS SO HORRIBLE AT SPOTTING SHOPLIFTERS THAT I WOULD OFTEN KICK MYSELF WHEN ONE GOT AWAY THAT I DIDN'T SEE. I WOULD SIT THERE AND MONITOR THE STORE ALL DAY AND NOTHING WOULD EVER HAPPEN. I THOUGHT I WAS WATCHING THE RIGHT PEOPLE, BUT I COULD NEVER CATCH ANYBODY UNLESS THE CASE FELL INTO MY LAP. IT WOULD DRIVE ME CRAZY BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO BE MAKING ARRESTS, BUT JUST HAD DIFFICULTIES. HOWEVER, I LOVED THE LINE OF WORK AND WANTED DESPERATELY TO GET GOOD AT IT AND I STAYED WITH IT. NOW, I CAN LOOK AT SOMEONE JUST BY THE WAY THEY ACT OR MOVE THEIR EYES AND BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT THEY ARE THINKING. I HAVE TRULY DEVELOPED AN "EYE" FOR SHOPLIFTING.
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO SHOPLIFT, THAT NO WEBSITE OR BOOK COULD EVER TELL YOU ALL OF THEM. NEW WAYS ARE BEING DEVELOPED EVERY DAY AND AS A STORE INVESTIGATOR, YOU MUST BE ABLE TO ADAPT TO THESE NEW ENVIROMENTS. BELOW ARE THE CATEGORIES THAT I FEEL ALL SHOPLIFTERS FALL IN TO. THESE CATEGORIES ARE COMMON IN THE L.P. INDUSTRY.
THE OPPORTUNIST:
ACCOUNTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 75% OF A STORES TOTAL SHOPLIFTING LOSSES. THE OPPORTUNIST IS NOT A REGULAR SHOPLIFTER. THE REASON THE OPPORTUNIST SHOPLIFTS IS BECAUSE THE OPPORTUNITY EXISTS TO DO SO (HENCE THE NAME). THIS ALL COMES DOWN TO GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SALES FLOOR HELP. THE OPPORTUNIST COMES IN TO THE STORE WITH THE FULL INTENTION OF MAKING AN HONEST PURCHASE. HOWEVER, AS THEY FIND THE ITEM THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, AND NOTICE THAT THERE IS NO STAFF ON THE SALES FLOOR AND NOBODY WATCHING THEM, THEY THINK THEY CAN GET AWAY WITHOUT RENDERING PAYMENT AND THEN THE NEXT THING THAT THEY KNOW, THEY ARE BEING STOPPED BY SECURITY AND ARE ESCORTED TO THE OFFICE. THESE ARE GOOD PEOPLE THAT JUST MADE POOR DECISIONS, AND YET, IF THEY ARE NOT STOPPED, THEY WILL CAUSE A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS TO THE COMPANY.
THE THRILL SEEKER
IS A SHOPLIFTER THAT IS NOT AS COMMON AS THE OPPORTUNIST. THE THRILL SEEKER IS A PERSON THAT GETS A THRILL OR A HIGH FROM SHOPLIFTING. THEY REALIZE THAT THEY CAN GET CAUGHT AND THAT THEY ARE GETTING AWAY WITH SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GET AWAY WITH. THIS GETS THEM INTO A MINDSET THAT THEY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO THIS IN ORDER TO GET THIS HIGH. THE ITEMS THAT THEY STEAL WILL MOST LIKELY BE SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T EVEN NEED AND PROBABLY HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR. IT PROBABLY WON'T EVEN BE A HIGH THEFT ITEM THAT THEY'RE TARGETING. IT COULD BE SOMETHING AS PETTY AS A CANDY BAR. HOWEVER, THE THRILL SEEKER IS NOT AFTER THE MERCHANDISE, IT IS THE HIGH THAT THEY GET FROM STEALING THAT THEY ARE AFTER. THAT'S WHAT MAKES THEIR DAY.
THE PROFESSIONAL
IS THE FINAL TYPE OF SHOPLIFTER IN MY TRIO. THE PROFESSIONAL IS THE LEAST COMMON TYPE OF SHOPLIFTER, HOWEVER, IT IS THE MOST DAMAGING IN A SINGLE CASE. THE PRO MAKES A LIVING OFF OF SHOPLIFTING. THIS IS HOW THEY PAY THEIR BILLS, SUPPORT THEIR HABIT AND SO ON. THEIR JOB IS TO TRY TO OUTWIT STORE DETECTIVES AND POLICE AND TRY TO MAKE OFF WITH AS MUCH OF A STORE'S MERCHANDISE WITHOUT GETTING CAUGHT. THE PRODUCT THEY STEAL BECOMES PART OF A SOPHISTICATED CHAIN OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND ON THE STREET. THEY SELL THEIR MERCHANDISE TO PEOPLE ON THE STREET FOR 50-60% OFF OF THE STORE PRICE. THEY IN TURN SELL IT AT FLEA MARKETS AND TURN A PROFIT FOR IT. THE PROFESSIONALS ACT DIFFERENTLY THAN THE AMATUERS. THEY KNOW THE LAW AND HOW IT APPLIES TO THEM. THEY HAVE PROBABLY SPENT TIME IN JAIL FOR THEFT AND PROBABLY HAVE DIFFERENT NAMES. IF CAUGHT, THEY MAY TURN VIOLENT AND WILL DO ANYTHING TO GIVE STORE SECURITY A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY.
