The retailers' dilemma
I've been speaking with Richard, a loss prevention manager for a high street food retailer - he'd rather we didn't say which - it's his job to try and prevent shoplifting.
Richard's critical of changes in the way the crime is dealt with following the introduction of on-the-spot-fines (Penalty Notices for Disorder), a view echoed by the Magistrates Association.
As a retailer shoplifting presents a challenging problem - naturally he wants to reduce theft, but he doesn't want his staff to put themselves at risk by following thieves out the shop or getting involved in a potentially violent confrontation. He's also conscious of the fact that some of those who steal may be the neighbours of his staff - he told me that some of his staff had been physically threatened outside of work after trying to stop a crime. For Richard it's all about deterrence, but how to deter the thieves without deterring customers? Quite a dilemma.
If you have a view on what Richard says in the interview below we'd very much like to hear your experiences. This interview will be part of a package that will run on iPM later in the spring.
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Comments
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When I was in my late teens & early twenties I worked in retail security for a number of retailers including Woolworths, Superdrug & B&Q.
Obviously there are certain things that set a store detective or guard's senses tingling (large bags being one) - however one thing you learn quite quickly is that there is no point in just sticking to stereotypes when looking for thieves. I arrested a wide variety of people over the years; young kids, foreign students with their teacher, drug addicts, a rent boy & even a 70 odd year old man who was out with his neighbors kids.
Retail theft pushes prices up for everyone & shops have to deter it. I agree that having a guard follow you is not a desirable experience, but if you're not doing anything of interest to him he should soon get bored and move on to someone else.
Maybe the answer is for stores to employ more plain clothes security staff. When I was in the job we had a far higher detection rate than our uniformed colleagues, which is obviously better for the retailer & if a plain clothed security officer is doing his job properly you won't even know you're being followed.
Anti social behavior orders being used to punish shoplifters is clearly madness. Repeat offenders should be dealt with appropriately, including custodial sentences. Retailers should be encouraged to make greater use of Civil Recovery Schemes.
Lastly can I suggest to Richard that perhaps he dress less conspicuously when he's out shopping, from what he said in the program I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was being followed because the security staff thought he looked out of place more than anything else.
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I've just realised the guy in the program wasn't Richard - I'm referring to the chap that described himself as something like "a 6ft fluorescent gnome"
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'Retail theft pushes prices up for everyone & shops have to deter it.'
-False. Businesses could reduce their profit margin in line with theft losses but instead CHOOSE to pay for theft via price rises.
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