How do you know if someone is stealing from a store?

Other tell-tale signs of shoplifters include:

Wearing large coats or baggy clothes.
Avoiding eye contact.
Watching the staff, not the merchandise.
Seeking shelter in dressing rooms to stash smuggled merchandise.
Lurking in corners.
Taking advantage of stores during peak hours.

What is your number one priority when you suspect someone of shoplifting?

1. Establish shoplifting probable cause – You must first have probable cause if you plan to detain a person suspected of shoplifting. This means you or your staff must have witnessed the person take your merchandise and attempt to leave the store without paying for them.

Can a store owner arrest a suspect for shoplifting?

However, if the person is a suspect of possible shoplifting, the store owner may need to keep visual contact to confirm the potential for shoplifting. The owner must provide training to someone that has the responsibility of apprehending the person and providing evidence that can help to convict the individual of the crime.

How to prevent and handle internal theft in retail stores?

Use a buddy system for the trash. Given that the trash is a popular method for employee stealing, have your employees take the trash out together. Thieves are less likely to try to stuff something in the trash bag when someone is there watching them.

Can a store owner legally detain a suspect?

For a store owner wanting criminal justice, he or she has the right to detain a person suspected of the crime. This detainment generally only lasts as long as the local law enforcement officers arrive to either arrest the suspect or to start questioning.

How much does shoplifting affect the retail industry?

But shoplifting can have a crippling effect on retailers — after all, inventory shrinkage costs the U.S. retail industry over $45 billion each year. So, while you may have a limited budget, it’s important to identify shoplifting as a problem and have a loss prevention plan in place. So, what’s a retailer to do?

Can a security officer detain you for shoplifting?

Being detained by a store or mall security office under suspicion of shoplifting is an experience no one wants to have.

How are retail stores used to prevent shoplifting?

Retailers sometimes employ plain-clothes loss prevention agents specially trained to detect, apprehend, and arrest shoplifters. Some retailers believe that arresting shoplifters is the greatest deterrent as the word is spread by store employees and gets out on the street.

Can a store sue a minor for shoplifting?

State civil demand laws often allow a store to demand restitution from a minor’s parents after they catch a minor shoplifting. A retailer should consider that it could be sued as the result of any detention for shoplifting.

What happens if you get a shoplifting citation?

The shoplifter will be issued a citation (misdemeanor and no outstanding warrants, etc.) which will give them a court date to appear to answer the shoplifting charge. The shoplifter will then be escorted from the store and will be advised to not return to the store under any circumstances (ask police for a no trespass warrant ).