Retail security has fashionable trends like the business it protects and as with fashion new ideas are often old ones given a makeover! So it is with strategies to combat loss, writes Philip Moore.
Loss prevention is now a familiar title given to security personnel with the emphasis on deterrence rather than detection, with uniformed guards patrolling shop floors rather than incognito store detectives. What’s wrong with that? I hear you say.
Nothing at all, providing the strategy works and losses are reduced. By denying potential thieves the opportunities to steal, be they customers, management or staff, is a very worthwhile objective. Unfortunately, however good the strategy and however concentrated the deterrent devices and however dedicated the security team, not all the thieves will be deterred. What is often not appreciated is that the methods of dealing with the persistent dishonest can be critical to the business.
There are several options, the first is to ignore them. Before anyone says this is not a realistic answer, there are companies who advocate just such a policy. The reasoning is that employees are not exposed to risks to their safety, specialist personnel do not have to be trained in legal procedures and time and effort is not expended in making arrests and possible prosecutions.
The danger of turning a blind eye to a theft is the loss is not limited to that one incident. A high proportion of shoplifting is drug and alcohol related and retail businesses are targeted by users according to how easy or difficult it is to steal from them. So the softer the target the more thefts will increase. The sharing of knowledge on retail security operations amongst thieves is not confined to shoplifters. Dishonest staff also pool experiences with confederates, so it should never be a surprise when a member of staff who has been allowed to leave quietly after caught stealing, is seen next week working for another retailer in the high street.
Other options?
Some retailers have opted for recording dishonest incidents on CCTV and passing on subsequent video evidence to the police. The pros and cons of CCTV is a subject in its own right, you need to read my book! That apart, for such a strategy to be successful much depends on layout and monitoring of the system and the amount of resources the local police are able to devote to shoplifting.
The final choice is to arrest the dishonest in order to recover the cash or goods. This is simply an adjunct to the loss prevention strategy not an alternative because just making arrests is not an answer to reducing stock losses either. Even if those arrested only form a small proportion of the thieves who have not been deterred, formal procedures need to be in place and professionally trained security staff employed to deal with them.
Defining theft
Without going into all the relevant law on making arrests, I am often asked when should be made. As far as security staff are concerned the definition of theft is straightforward: the suspect has to be seen to take an item not belonging to them with the intention of keeping it without paying for it. It is always the matter of intent that causes the most doubt in police, prosecutors’ and courts’ mind. For this reason the practice of allowing a dishonest customer or member of staff to leave the store before arresting them has become commonplace. For example, it is much more difficult for a suspect to claim they intended to pay for the item when they are in the street outside.
What is a sensible course of action in many instances of theft has, unfortunately, come to be regarded by many as an inflexible rule, to the extent of believing any arrest made inside the premises is totally wrong, even illegal. Of course this is a mistaken belief which has no basis in law. Effecting an arrest before the suspect has a chance to leave may be entirely lawful, appropriate and correct, depending upon the circumstances of the arrest.
Wrongful arrests
Wrongful arrests should never be regarded as an inevitable consequence of an pro-active security team, rather it is indicative of weak and careless management. Of all the cases I have been asked to review, they are always a as a consequence of a lack of continuity in the observation, when the suspect has disposed of merchandise unseen or because there was total reliance on hearsay evidence or suspicions or hunches.
The downside of such cases is that they can have adverse financial and publicity repercussions far in excess of the value of goods alleged to have been stolen. Wrongful arrests can easily be avoided if a clear arrest procedure is set out with appropriate training and supervised.
Safety of retail security personnel
By the nature of their job retail security staff are more likely to be threatened by abusive and anti-social behaviour and run greater risks of violence and injury than ordinary store employees. Whilst they accept the risks when they take up employment in such a role, they must be provided with guidance and training on personal safety measures when dealing with potentially violent offenders.
This should be backed up with the issue of written safety precautions to each individual, some typical advice would be:
? If you think a person you are about to arrest is likely to become violent, do not take unnecessary risks. Your personal safety comes first, even if the suspect cannot be arrested or has to be released.
? Before making an arrest of a known violent offender the assistance of other security staff or the police must be obtained.
? If the suspect is armed or thought to be in possession of a weapon, no attempt to arrest them must be made. Seek police assistance and only follow them if it can be done at a safe distance.
? A female security employee must not attempt to arrest a male suspect without the support of other security staff.
? When making an arrest outside the store choose the location with care. Avoid secluded areas such as staircases or subways, on pavements stay on the inside of the suspect, furthest from the road. Be aware of objects on the street that could be used as weapons, for example, from nearby skips or building sites.
? Do not wear jewellery or clothing that could be used against you in retaliation to inflict injury.
? If an arrest cannot be made in the immediate vicinity of the store do not become involved in a prolonged pursuit.
Conclusion
This article has only been a quick overview of some of the aspects in dealing with dishonesty in retailing, as you will have already gathered there is no simple solution!
About the author
Philip Moore is the author of Shopping for Security. A guide to retail security, it was reviewed in the January 2008 print issue of Professional Security magazine. Paperback, ISBN 978-0-955724-10-7, £14.99. To order, visit www.retailsecuritybooks.co.uk
