Organized Crime
Stop shoplifting gangs from hurting your shop.
Organized retail theft accounts for $30 billion in annual store-level losses, according to the FBI. Professional shoplifting gangs are such a problem that in January, President George W. Bush signed legislation requiring the creation of a national database to identify organized retail crime, which should help law enforcement officials target areas with high levels of this kind of activity.
Barbara Staib of the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention in Jericho, New York, says the organization's information gathered from convicted shoplifters indicates the best deterrents:
Organized retail theft accounts for $30 billion in annual store-level losses, according to the FBI. Professional shoplifting gangs are such a problem that in January, President George W. Bush signed legislation requiring the creation of a national database to identify organized retail crime, which should help law enforcement officials target areas with high levels of this kind of activity.
Barbara Staib of the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention in Jericho, New York, says the organization's information gathered from convicted shoplifters indicates the best deterrents:
- Attentive employees: "For a shoplifter, anonymity is key," says Staib. When your employees acknowledge a customer, it tells the individual that he or she has been seen and could be identified later. Train employees to watch for typical gang behavior where one individual creates a stack of items that will then be stolen by a second individual. Offer to keep selected items behind the counter.
- Electronic devices: Video cameras and electronic article surveillance tags, or EAS tags, make it more difficult to remove articles from your store undetected.
- Prosecution: Staib says shoplifting gangs have become more prevalent due to inconsistent shoplifter punishment and rehabilitation. Stores known for pressing charges on shoplifters are less likely to be targets.
 |
Latest Articles
Be Your Own Boss
Top 10
Low-Cost
Franchises
Thinking of starting your own biz? One of these franchise bargains could help your startup dreams come true -- without startup-funding nightmares.
10 Startup Bargains
Startup Help:
Startup Secrets
Secrets to Starting a Biz
No one ever got rich sitting in a cubicle, but starting your own biz is the surest route to your first million. These tips, tricks and inside strategies will help you get there.
Small Business Offers
AOL Find a Job
Settle Down
Looking for a place to start a new company?
Best of the Web
- Small Business Administration
Your U.S. Government Small Business Resource
- SCORE
Counselors to America's Small Business
- Internal Revenue Service
Tax Resource Center for Small Business
- Business.gov
The Official Business Link to the U.S. Government