Shoplifting

Shoplifting control is critical for all retailers. Dishonest customers must be disrupted and deterred. The first step in the process is understanding the threat itself. Different types of shoplifters present different challenges. Academics, law enforcement officials, and LP personnel have been differentiating and labeling types of shoplifters for decades, if not centuries. Groupings, or typologies, are based on perception and probably no one is much more accurate than another. For the purpose of this book, I have chosen to classify shoplifters into two broad categories, Professional or convert to cash, and Amateur/Opportunist/self-use, with corresponding subcategories. The reasoning is, by examining the motives behind a theft or thefts, the methods employed and the merchandise generally taken, individuals stealing from stores can be generally categorized. Theft motives do not denote skill level. And some academics prefer referring to expert and novice shoplifters as a further classification. Many criminal networks, just like any group, actually have hierarchies. In other words, the degree of planning, sophistication, skill, and financial gain realized vary widely. Keep in mind though shoplifters cannot be readily classified. The difference between one type and another is not a clear one. In fact, individual shoplifters may cross from one type to another as their motives and methods change. The point is to look for ways to reduce the negative impact any type of shoplifter has on your business. Understanding who is stealing from you, why, and how is an important first step (see Figure 5.1).