Hundreds of Lost iPads

…Could Be Returned
Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that airlines are sitting on hundreds iPads, tablet computers and e-readers that busy passengers are leaving behind.

Some airlines are nice
I guess. Virgin America, for example, says it donates some left behind iPads to San Francisco based charities after keeping them a length of time. Sometimes an airline will try to find the owner. But that’s made difficult by the lack of contact information airlines may have on travelers, the fact that most look-alike and the lack of help from tablet manufacturers, like Apple. And when an airline does contact someone, it’s a leap of faith that this is the correct owner anyway.

Others sell them along with other unclaimed baggage.

If someone attempts to remove the STOP Security Plate, the equipment is permanently marked as stolen.

Left at Security
Travelers at security checks are face similar concerns. Electronics and other valuables are forgotten, misplaced, or grabbed by the wrong owner, at security checkpoints every day.

And the Less Than Honest
Following a series of highly visible thefts by employees, the TSA points out that most of their 50,000 screeners are honest. And the airlines say the same.

Still, both have implemented programs to help keep honest people honest and to help allay the concerns of travelers. Some airlines police cleaning crews to help enforce rules sending abandoned items are sent to a central lost and found.

You Can Do Something

Here are some suggestions to help you find your lost iPad, tablet or other device.

• Don’t Leave it in the Seat Back Pocket.
  Sounds simple. But its easy to forget in already hectic flight. Put in your brief case right away.
• Tracking software. It does help. But remember, these only work when connected to a network.  One the power is out there’s no more tracking.
• Cloud Storage. At least you’ll have your data. And that’s usually more valuable than the device itself
• Mark Your Item.  Help those who want to return your lost iPad.
  Take a look at the STOP Security Plate. It’s a permanently affixed and barcoded metal tag that actively deters theft and promotes the return of your product. The STOP Plate marks your equipment with a verifiable registration number, clear warnings and indelible identification that makes your equipment useless to anyone trying to resell them.

  Plus, the 24 hour toll-free recovery hotline, makes it easy for airlines, TSA officials, pawn shops and others to easily find the product’s rightful owner.

  For example, when a laptop was found at Philadelphia’s airport a few weeks ago, United Airlines was able to return it to its rightful owner. And when a laptop stolen at Phoenix Airport in June 2010 was brought into a repair shop nearly 18 months later, the technician, calling to verify ownership, was able to reunite the computer with its rightful owner.

Inexpensive, so it’s Cost Effective
The STOP Plate program has proven so effective that major universities, corporations and government agencies have implemented formal STOP Plate programs. A few examples include the US Department of Defense, Yale, Michigan State, the State University of New York, Waste Management, Inc.

Give us a call to see how STOP Plates might help keep your iPad from disappearing.

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You can do something about shoplifting!

American Theft Prevention Products has tools to help retailers and others combat shoplifting and theft of a range of products, including iPads and tablet computers. Visit www.AmericanTheftPrevention.com or call 866-416-0999 or 847-972-6540.

Hawaii Five-0 Solves One Crime

The clue that led Kono to the crime

Ignores Another
Good thing the Five-0 crew were at the fundraiser with the Governor. They were able to begin investigating right away.

As luck would have it, the medical examiner was there as well. He was able to check the body with the Five-0 right there.

But on the February 13 episode (Season 2, episode 16) it took trendy Kono to recognize the real crime.

Dr Bergman:  Based on her broken fingernails, it seems as though she fought back. With any luck, I may be able to retrieve trace evidence of DNA from underneath them.

Kono:  Ha. It looks like she was ‘renting’ the dress for the night.

The less fashionable men were perplexed.

Danno:  What are you talking about?  What does that mean?

Kono:  When there’s a fancy party to go to and there’s a dress that you want and it’s out of your league, you buy it…and then return it the next day.

Look of wonderment from McGarrett.

Dr Bergman:  That seems dishonest.

Kono:  And yet perfectly legal.

And that was it. No follow up on the crime.

It may not be illegal, but even if it was, it would be pretty difficult to prove.

Still, wardrobing is a major problem.
Part of the $14 billion attributed to return fraud. One we wrote about in November. Over 61% of retailers said they experienced it last year.

As a retailer, you can’t sell used items as new. So you lose there. And when merchandise is off the shelves, legitimate shoppers don’t have the chance to buy your product. You lose again.

What Can You Do about “Renting” & “Wardrobing”?

I’ll just reiterate the options presented last month.

• Have and post a return policy
• Require id for returns
• Maintain a database of returns
• Require receipts for returns
• Issue refunds in the same method of payment as the original
• Consider a restocking fee for open, non-defective merchandise
• Train employees to recognize return fraud
• Use tools, like the home removable Alpha Shark Tag, that allow legitimate customers to take products home, but make ‘Wardrobing/renting’ difficult.

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You can do something about shoplifting!

American Theft Prevention Products has tools to help retailers and others combat shoplifting and theft. Visit www.AmericanTheftPrevention.com or call 866-416-0999 or 847-972-6540.

Are You Lending or Selling Your Product?

The Return of Used Items
Retailers are well aware that there are consumers who feel it’s just fine to “borrow” items from retailers. Use them and return them.  It might be a formal dress for the important wedding, shoes for a job interview, a large screen tv for the big game, or a ladder for the occasional around the house job.

“Wardrobing” is a Major Problem and Getting Worse
In the retail industry it’s called wardrobing. That’s the return on used, non-defective merchandise.  And 61.4% of retailers have dealt with this problem, says a study released last week by the National Retail Federation. That’s up twenty percent from just two years ago, when the estimate was a still serious 42% of retailers said they had to deal with this.

Buy/Return or Shoplift/Return
We’ve discussed the problem of return fraud in the past. For example, look at our Shoplift/Return Cycle article.  It’s a related problem. But with wardrobing the product is actually purchased, though there’s no intention of keeping it after use.

Shark Tag is an unobtrusive, though obvious, tag used to deter the return of used items, sometimes called "retail rental" or "wardrobing."

Like most retail theft prevention issues, it creates a dichotomy for store owners.  Fast, convenient return policies make for happy customers and often increase sales.  On the other hand, overly lax return policies often results include people returning  merchandise stolen from your store (that means you’re being robbed twice!!) or returning products from other stores, Sometimes consumers get the feeling that it’s ok to return merchandise that they’ve used.

But you can’t sell used or damaged merchandise as new.

What Can Retailers Do?
You can develop restrictive, though reasonable return policies. Whatever you do, you have to make sure it matches your needs, balancing customer service and loss prevention.

A few approaches might be:

• Require identification, and keep an internal database of returns
• Use a service that provides a database of return activities across stores and chains
• Require receipts for cash returns
• Only issue refunds in the same method of payment as the original purchase
• Consider a restocking fee for open, non-defective merchandise
• Train employees to recognize return fraud

Whatever you do, make sure your policy is clear to customers.

The Shark Tag
Alpha Security Product’s new Shark Tag is effective at deterring wardrobers from purchasing, using and returning items for a full refund.

Key features of the Shark Tag are:

Shark Tag can be used to protect hardware items

• Fastens securely with a pin to the front of a garment, providing a strong visual deterrent
• Pin can secure stores Return Policy if you want (ie, no returns or a restock fee if the tag is removed)
• Tag is easily removed at home by customer with household scissors
• Tag cannot be replaced on garment without obvious evidence of tampering
• The Shark Tag being used to preventing “retail renting” of home improvement items

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You can do something about shoplifting!

American Theft Prevention Products has tools to help retailers and others combat shoplifting and theft. Visit www.AmericanTheftPrevention.com or call 866-416-0999 or 847-972-6540.

Shoplifter Locks Herself Out

Is Everybody Getting Smarter?
Our last post mentioned that both shoplifters and retailers are getting smarter when dealing with theft.

image source: mrkeyman.com

But this report from the Cookeville, Tennessee Herald-Citizen shows that might not be completely true.

A Dollar Store employee claims to have seen a woman place several items into her purse. The employee approached the woman, giving her a chance to pay for the items.

“She walked out of the store, but when she got to her vehicle, she realized that she had locked her keys in the vehicle and she came back in,”

says the police report.

Not all shoplifters are professionals.

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You can do something about shoplifting!

American Theft Prevention Products has tools to help retailers and others combat shoplifting and theft. Visit www.AmericanTheftPrevention.com or call 866-416-0999 or 847-972-6540.

Everybody’s Getting Smarter

There’s a very interesting, and well written, article in this past Sunday’s Arizona Republic. Titled “As Criminal Gangs Get Smarter, Retailers Find Tools to Fight Back,” the writer details a range of products being stolen, methods being used by thieves, how retailers and police are reacting.

Despite Effective Theft Prevention, Thieves Continue to Multiply,
says the writer. “The petty shoplifters and price-tag switchers” are still part of the problem. But gangs, inexpensive and new technology and sometimes employees on the inside are increasing challenging retailers. And then, stolen goods are often farmed out to a complex distribution system.

In Your Town As Well
Increased retail theft in Phoenix, highlights the fact that what happens in one city impacts others. Earlier this year, the National Retail Federation added Phoenix and Las Vegas to Organized Retail Top Ten list.

Joseph LaRocca, the National Retail Federation’s senior adviser of asset protection, said that crackdowns of organized retail theft in other metro areas have prompted thieves to move into the Phoenix area.

Shoplifters do react to anti-shoplifting efforts. They move to where the shoplifting is easier.

You Can Do Something about Shoplifting

"This is called a spider wrap....It's proven very effective deterrent for us," Nate Hartle Target Sr Mgr for Investigations told MN Public Radio. (photo source: MN Public Radio)

The article points out that theft prevention means “walking a fine line.” You have to focus on retail security while still being customer friendly.

The article points to several techniques being implemented.

Target uses electronic “spider wraps,” which wrap around boxes of containing video players, televisions, gaming consoles and other often-stolen items. The wraps prevent boxes from being opened inside the store or taken outside.

The retailer and others also use anti-sweep hooks that prevent thieves from scooping up whole racks of products and bolting. There are locking racks that require an attendant to open and special hangers that prevent thieves from cutting merchandise off a locking rack.

There are certainly many more techniques, including cooperation with your local law enforcement authorities and other retailers.

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You can do something about shoplifting!

American Theft Prevention Products has tools to help retailers and others combat shoplifting and theft. Visit www.AmericanTheftPrevention.com or call 866-416-0999 or 847-972-6540.

Does Shoplifting Happen Only During the Night?

Imposing a Curfew for Shoplifting?

In the small town of Nailsea, in southwest UK, a 28-year-old man was convicted of stealing two bottles of aftershave from a local pharmacy / beauty supply store.

In addition to paying compensation of over $1,000 to the store, and $135 for the cost of prosecution, the convicted shoplifter was sentenced to an 7 pm  to 7 am curfew for two months.

Nailsea Town Centre. A man was sentanced to a two month curfew for shoplfiting from a pharmacy / health & beauty supply store.

This isn’t the first time this type of punishment was imposed on a repeat shoplifter in the UK.  For example, in Whitehaven, along the Irish Sea, a 23-year-old woman faced a similar sentence for shoplifting food and stealing alcohol from a supermarket.  And in Cornwall, a 33-year-old mother of five received the same curfew. She was convicted of stealing jeans from a local clothing store.

Does the Sentence Make Sense?

Maybe, maybe not. Sentencing in each situation is a different. In all cases, these were repeat shoplifters.

Were the judges concerned about the cost of holding someone in prison?  Were they looking at the personal situation of the convicted retail thieves and the  impact of home curfews as opposed to other penalties? Do they  judges believe shoplfiters steal primarily in the evening?

This isn’t a legal blog, so I’ll leave that to you to think about.

Prime Time for Shoplifters

As retailers, we know very well that shoplifting can occur anytime of the day or night.

That said, there are certain times that stores are more vulnerable.

• At opening and closing, when staff is busier and distracted
• During particularly busy times of the shopping day

You Can Do Something About Shoplifting

1. Have enough staff on hand during opening and closing.  Make sure you have sufficient coverage for both the required opening and closing routines, to help customers and to know what’s going on in your store.
2. Know your busy times.  People counters help you keep track of the hours you need increased staff.
3. Train your employees on proper customer service.  Let them know that great service is the number on theft prevention tool and the number one selling tool.
4. Allow your employees enough time to prepare the store before opening and do the necessary closing routines after customers are gone.
5. Keep Your Store Neat and Organized.  It keeps your sales staff busy and on the sales floor.  It helps point out missing items quickly.
6. Use Electronic Article Surveillance systems to help protect your inventory.  No other technology provides a more timely manner of letting you know if someone is walking out of your store with products they haven’t paid for.

Your thoughts? Share them here.

What do you think about the validity of curfews for shoplifters?

Do you know shoplifting’s prime times in your store?

What are you doing to help protect your store during busy times?
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You can do something about shoplifting!

American Theft Prevention Products has tools to help retailers and others combat shoplifting and theft. Visit www.AmericanTheftPrevention.com or call 866-416-0999 or 847-972-6540.

NRF Loss Prevention Conference 2011

It’s the largest conference in the US dealing with shoplifting and loss prevention. And it’s just ending in Dallas.

The conference deals with the full range of loss prevention issues, not just shoplifting and organized retail crime. It also covers safety, physical security and just about anything else that helps protect retailer assets. On display at the expo was everything from the from the latest technologies to “old school” proven solutions.

It’s one of those shows that are just as valuable for smaller retailers as it is for the largest national firms.

Here’s a link to a report on the show from NBC Dallas Ft Worth.

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You can do something about shoplifting!
American Theft Prevention Products has tools to help retailers and others combat shoplifting and theft. Visit www.AmericanTheftPrevention.com or call 866-416-0999 or 847-972-6540.

Shoplifting Ring Focuses on HBA

Florida Ring Busted
Tampa area police have busted a shoplifting ring that seemed to focus on health and beauty items….Products like Crest White Strips, Rogaine hair growth products and diet pills.

 

HBA Are a Major Theft Target
This Tampa area group of three is alleged to have stolen more than $200,000 worth of products in the past six months. And they are not alone.

Looking at theft in the North America, the  2009 Global Retail Theft Barometer identified “Cosmetics/perfume/beauty supply/pharmacy” as the market segment with the highest shrink rate.

Most Vulnerable Merchandise
In a presentation to retailers earlier this year, Professor Joshua Bamfield, principal author of the Retail Theft Barometer and Director of the Centre for Retail Research in the UK pointed out that “the most vulnerable merchandise” varies between retailers.

Generally speaking, however, merchandise becomes particularly vulnerable because of

• Resale Value
• Brand Desirability
• Product Size
• Total Demand
• Cult or Fad Interest
• Drug Relationship

You Can Protect Your Products
A study by the Loss Prevention Research Council, for example, showed a significant cut in shrink when stores used Alpha Keepers to help protect razor blades. A 2001 study, by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, showed shrinkage coming down nearly 70 percent when they studied the use of Checkpoint Electronic Article Surveillance Systems to help protect analgesics, vitamins, batteries, film, cosmetics and spirits.

Over the past several years, manufacturers have developed specialized products to help protect high risk health and beauty products from theft.

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You can do something about shoplifting!
American Theft Prevention Products has tools to help retailers and others combat shoplifting and theft. Visit www.AmericanTheftPrevention.com or call 866-416-0999 or 847-972-6540.

Flash Mob Shoplifting

Along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile — where the Black Eyed Peas opened Oprah’s 24th season with the world’s largest Flash Mob dance —  shoplifting is down this year. Arrests for retail theft are down two percent.

Theft from one group, however, has seen a dramatic rise. Juvenile arrests are up ten percent over last year. In Chicago, and throughout the country, “Flash Mob’s” are becoming associated with shoplifting as well.

Social Media
Authorities say that groups of youth have coordinated their shoplifting activity using social media…announcing times and locations of thefts.

In one reported Michigan Avenue incident, thieves yelled “Snatch” to start the raid.

Chicago area police and local business aren’t ready to call this an epidemic, yet. But this type of activity has taken place elsewhere in the US. And police are reacting with their own efforts.

You Can Do Something About Shoplifting
Working with local business, police have stepped up patrols and are monitoring social media.  Retailers are sharing information about thefts in the area. Stores are training their employees to recognize and deal with shoplifters. And they’re using anti-shoplifting products.

Police say these efforts are having a positive impact. There have been fewer cases of flash mobs targeting Mag Mile stores in recent months, Kenneth Angarone, Commander of the local police district told the Chicago Sun-Times “But,” he warned, “smaller groups — of two or three teens at a time — are continuing to shoplift in the area.”

Here’s what Flash Mobs are Meant for

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You can do something about shoplifting!
American Theft Prevention Products has tools to help retailers and others combat shoplifting and theft . Visit www.AmericanTheftPrevention.com or call 866-416-0999 or 847-972-6540.

LP in a Box

Loss Prevention experts say that

Theft, errors or fraud can account for more than half a retailer’s overall profit loss.

Can you afford to avoid the issue?
Are you looking to implement a more organized, sustained, loss prevention program, but don’t think you can afford a full-fledged loss prevention consultant?

Successfully implemented at small retailers and franchises throughout the US

LP in a Box ®
LP Innovations, Inc has put together a do-it-yourself program focused on educating employees and implementing procedures to cut loss and improve profitability.

LP In a Box includes material and guidebooks for management and associates focused on both internal and external sources of theft. The program helps managers carry out practices that the can detect possible areas of theft.

Materials Include:

• Employee Awareness Guide – introductory training
• Management Best Practices Guide – focused on both theft and error. Includes a roll out strategy and suggested activities
• Monthly Topic Posters – covering various topics and discussion points
• Store Audit Checklists – helps you implement “best practices”
• Stickers and Magnets – promotes ongoing loss prevention awareness
• Tender Validation Guide – quickly verify suspicious currency, credit cards and more

Specialized Programs
At this point, LP Innovations has developed a program aimed at retailers of all categories and a second program with items and text specific to convenience stores and fuel stations.

For more information
Click on this link or give American Theft Prevention Products a call. We’re dedicated to identifying and delivering the most cost-effective theft prevention solutions to retail, commercial and educational institutions.

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You can do something about shoplifting!
American Theft Prevention Products has tools to help retailers and others combat shoplifting and theft . Visit www.AmericanTheftPrevention.com or call 866-416-0999 or 847-972-6540.