And this is why employees shouldn't go after shoplifters

[Sparkly]

When I’ve worked retail we were specifically told not to approach anyone we saw(or suspected) shoplifting.

Yup, we were told to contact security if we thought we saw a shoplifter and not go after them ourselves.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

My niece worked at a shoe store at Mall of American in MN that had a big shoplifting problem. Her boss told her to call the Mall cops when she saw a shoplifter but usually by the time they arrived, the shoplifters were long gone.

The manager said she wasn't getting a raise after her first year working there because there were too many shoplifters costing the store money so she quit.

 

[Jdbsfw]

A young mother was hit by a car and died many years ago at a Bennigan’s Restaurant in Texas because she was writing down the license plate of the kids that left without paying, awful tragedy

 

[StephMK]

DD is a retail mgr and they have regular shoplifters that they recognize. All they do is try to keep an eye on them and hope they leave soon.

DD ran into one nasty one while she was shopping at the mall, not at her store or on duty. The woman recognized her and started cussing at her. DD just walked out of that store and avoided her. Crazy people cannot be reasoned with so best to leave them alone.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

Something similar happened at my local Wal-Mart several years ago. An associate witnessed someone shoplifting and chased them out into the parking lot. They hit her with their car. And they were not going slow. She was seriously injured, and if I recall correctly, Wal-Mart paid for everything. But I also think they changed their policy on regular associates assisting with a shoplifting situation.
No job has ever been worth stopping someone from stealing anything from places I've worked. Stores have financial protection for shoplifting. People cannot be replaced.

 

[Starwind]

While in University I worked for a while as a loss prevention investigator at a major retailor (mall anchor store). Regular store employees and managers were prohibited from trying to stop shoplifters. Only LP could; the operations manager was allowed to assist us [but not stop someone on their own].

We were provided additional self defence training after an investigator at one of the chain's stores in a diferent state was stabbed while stopping a shoplifter and nearly died.

SW

 

[DisneyOma]

A young mother was hit by a car and died many years ago at a Bennigan’s Restaurant in Texas because she was writing down the license plate of the kids that left without paying, awful tragedy

tragedy, but not caused by the shoplifter, was it? So I'm not getting the point - she could have been hit even if she wasn't writing down the license plate number.

 

[luvsJack]

Most stores here have assert protection employees and stopping shoplifters is their job. Is that not a thing in other places? They aren’t security in that they aren’t trained in the same way and are not armed or uniformed. They work together to catch and hold the shoplifter and then either call the law or ban them from the store. Their main objective is to get the product back. Some of the stores have security too but they rarely help with the shoplifters and weren’t trained to do the same thing.

Some of the stores are going to a no touch policy for catching them which pretty much makes their job impossible. Dd has had a knife pulled on him, he has been punched, one guy had a box cutter and some have just been wild on drugs. He never fought back but was able to restrain the offender, but in some places they can’t do that at all so it’s gotten mostly to the point of just waving at them as they walk out the door. It’s too dangerous to do otherwise.

Since they went to this policy at one store it has gotten to the point that law abiding citizens won’t go there. It seems that many of those that would rob a customer weren’t sure just what all the ap could do and since they wore no store uniform, they never knew if they were around. They still don’t know if they are around but they also now they can’t really do anything.

 

[Poohlove]

When i worked retail i never went after shoplifters. I actually watched people shoplift twice at old navy and ignored it. I didnt get paid enough to play police officer.

When I worked at Old Navy they told us to limit our interaction with shoplifters to saying something like "Hey, there is a really nice shirt to go with that belt" (if they were lifting a belt) I heard that there were "regulars" who came into the store to shoplift but I never personally witnessed anyone taking anything.

 

[smiths02]

Did you not have any security in the store to call?

I wouldn't go after them either, but at least call the right people.

Loehmann's doing plain clothes "loss prevention." He did not have any law enforcement kind of training for this job. Basically, he would walk around the store, watch people, etc. They would spot and confront shoplifters, but if the person left the store before confrontation or put up any kind of a fight, he was not supposed to chase them.

In other words, many security guards aren't trained any better to handle the situation.

 

[dish rag]

tragedy, but not caused by the shoplifter, was it? So I'm not getting the point - she could have been hit even if she wasn't writing down the license plate number.

Probably would not have been standing where she was at the time.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The supermarket I worked in during college (in the early 80s, in a city in MA) also rewarded "loss prevention" efforts by employees, even if it meant going after someone. I got an award myself one month, but it didn't involve going after anyone, probably only because I worked in the back part of the store. Others who worked near the front would go after people pretty regularly. Nobody ever got hurt, and later we got a "loss prevention specialist" who was based in the store, and he dealt with shoplifters himself.

Times have certainly changed.

 

[DisneyOma]

Probably would not have been standing where she was at the time.

But she didn't get hit because of the shoplifter - she got hit because she wasn't paying attention.

 

[kirstenb1]

But she didn't get hit because of the shoplifter - she got hit because she wasn't paying attention.

Yes, but how often are you in a stressful situation, where you are trying to write down a license plate as fast as you can in a parking lot? OMG!! I'd say this was directly caused by the situation involving the deadbeat!!

 

[dish rag]

But she didn't get hit because of the shoplifter - she got hit because she wasn't paying attention.

I think that she got hit because of the shop lifter.

 

[Jdbsfw]

tragedy, but not caused by the shoplifter, was it? So I'm not getting the point - she could have been hit even if she wasn't writing down the license plate number.

She went after the thieves (that walked the check) if they would have paid, she wouldn’t have been outside writing down the plate number......

 

[EveDallas]

tragedy, but not caused by the shoplifter, was it? So I'm not getting the point - she could have been hit even if she wasn't writing down the license plate number.

She was hit because she was trying to prevent being punished for not confronting and/or attempting to apprehend non-paying customers as per restaurant policy.

 

[runwad]

Wow it sure is sad what this worlds coming to when shoplifters can just go into stores and take whatever they want with no worries. Not saying I want any employees hurt and I understand the whole not confronting them thing but still, geez

 

[ncc1701]

When my daughter worked retail at a very popular mall clothing store she was not allowed to confront shoplifters. Her instructions were to stay near the front and just get very close to anyone she thought might be shoplifting. The store did not do anything to suspected shoplifters. I guess having an employee follow you around was supposed to be enough.

That was what I was told at a Book Store & Department Store( both no longer in business).
The one Manager from HQ said we have insurance for the goods & nothing in the Store was worth any employee getting hurt or worst.

 

[cats mom]

Rules on confronting shoplifters likely depend on whether the goal is to get the merchandise back or to prosecute.

When I worked at a small boutique we were supposed to try to get the merchandise back. ie: I noticed you just put a necklace in your pocket sir, please allow me to hold it at the register for you while you continue shopping. That gave the thief an out, and most would take it.

When I worked at a large department store it was all about prosecution, so only management or security personnel who had been specially trained could confront shoplifters. Problem was one employee had to witness the shoplifter pick up an item, conceal it, and exit the store without paying, and the shoplifter could never be out of sight during the entire process. Catching people was tough.

I always wonder what happens in some of these cases where employees confront shoplifters while they're still in the store, because you'd never be able to get a conviction doing that, or at least that was the case when I went through training. Of course laws vary by location, so maybe that works some places.