The best way to know how to catch a shoplifter is to practice prevention measures to avoid shoplifting in the first place. Employee shrinkage should also be a major concern that you and your business need to be aware of and deal with as well.
1. Know if there may be a problem in your business by being aware of your inventory, knowing your industry and being aware of your staffing habits.
Ask yourself if any of your sales floor is hidden from the employees’ sight at any point during the day. Ask yourself if you keep a large enough staff during the busiest hours or during the hectic holiday season.
Determine if your staff frequently finds hangers or loose price tags on the floor.
Analyze if your store is one with an industry-wide problem including the shoe industry, music stores, sporting goods stores and stores that sell cameras.
2. Watch out for shoplifting devices.
Keep an eye out large open bags, particularly ones that are resting at the feet of a shopper.
Watch customers with large purses carefully.
Stay on the lookout for customers that bring a baby carriage into the store. Some shoplifters not only use baby carriages, but they also install false bottoms to hold more loot.
3. Make sure that your staff is aware of the number of items a customer takes into a dressing room and how many he or she comes out with.
If there is a discrepancy in the numbers, there may be an indication that shoplifting has taken place because many shoplifters will simply layer stolen clothing under their existing attire.
4. Watch for groups that come into a store and then separate.
This allows to have more people than employees so that at least one of them can stay unattended by your staff.
5. Be aware that shoppers can try to trick staff by sending store employees to the back room to retrieve something
The thief then steals from the store and departs before the employee comes back to the front of the store.
6. Take additional steps to protect your business.
Hire a security staff to deter shoplifters and to be in charge of catching them.
Install closed circuit cameras to aid in the identification and prosecution of shoplifters with the police. Having the proof to provide to the authorities will help you catch and prosecute the offenders.