To Turn in a Shoplifter, Yes or No?

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

I get back from Canada then we head out to Connecticut on Sat for a week then Li and I go to Hawaii for 2 weeks.

Thought you already did that whirlwind tour.

Enjoy!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

You could have asked her if she needed any lube for the ear piece pivot hinge points. Maybe get a sale out of it too.

[The Gaijin]

Oh, Uncle Leo - how could you!

[Mule]

I was in the check out line in a department store once around Christmas. A guy in scrubs is walking out the door with something the size of a volleyball under his shirt. I guess I could have yelled, but I was amazed nobody saw him. Another time I was in line at the grocery a young guy with a basket full of meat rolls uo & takes position by the "in" door. I tell the cashier, "that guy looks like he's getting ready to run with all that meat." She looks & goes back to work. Somebody comes in the door & off he goes. I tell the girl. She looks & goes back to work.

[osidak]

turn them in - some stupid punk just tried to break into my wifes car - did about $1000 in damage to the door and didn't even get in (guess he never heard of a hammer)

the cop that took the report could not have cared any less or showed anymore that the report would promptly find the trash can. Five other cars that I know of got broken into in the same lot - the lot is covered with video cameras at that.

that pisses me off

[azasadny]

Turn shoplifters in. We all get penalized for their theft by having to pay higher prices.

[TerryBPP]

For stealing sunglasses, hell yes turn her in!

Now if someone is stealing food from the grocery store I wouldn't. Thats a necessity and one way or another people have to eat.

[Rick Lee]

Shoplifting is rarely something people do because they can't afford to buy what they're stealing. It's a psych. disorder. I knew a girl in high school who busted for shoplifting and she certainly had the money to buy whatever she wanted. Didn't Wynona Rider get busted too? How many millions does she have? Remember Claude Allen? I highly doubt people steal food from stores because they can't afford to eat any other way, at least not in this country.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by Super_Dave_D

Shrink is passed onto the paying consumer!

There... Fixed.


Having served some time in retail I can tell you these two things:
1) Most stores have a policy of "do nothing". That is because the cost of a lawsuit FAR outweighs the cost of any pair of sunglasses.
2) Most cops have a policy of "do nothing" unless they actually witness the lift.

And here is the bonus issue.. 3) Most clerks get paid minimally, and will not want to get into an argument, fight, or shooting to earn their $6/hr.

[TerryH]

There is so much liability at stake that Home Depot fired employees who confronted thieves.....

http://www.koco.com/news/13441545/detail.html

[Super_Dave_D]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

There... Fixed.


Having served some time in retail I can tell you these two things:
1) Most stores have a policy of "do nothing". That is because the cost of a lawsuit FAR outweighs the cost of any pair of sunglasses.
2) Most cops have a policy of "do nothing" unless they actually witness the lift.

And here is the bonus issue.. 3) Most clerks get paid minimally, and will not want to get into an argument, fight, or shooting to earn their $6/hr.

Correct - being in the business we will not even approach someone unless a manager or an employee witnessed the theft AND only when they get out the door.

I would have done nothing – too risky to approach someone based on what someone else says.

I don’t agree on your bonus issue – I never had any trouble getting back up. Most young guys are more than willing to assist in a freebee beat down!

[Rick Lee]

The Home Depot employee disobeyed company policy. That's not the same as a customer reporting a shoplifter to a store employee. What the store decides to then do about it is their business and your hands are clean.

[911boost]

As a general rule, almost all stores / chains, etc., have a stated $ amount that they will go after the shop lifter for.

You would be surprised at the amount of shrink that is actually realted to the cashiers, employees, etc.

I do lots of retail security business for some very large compaines, and I could really tell you guys some stories.

Bill

[Porsche-O-Phile]

My wife used to manage a local coffee shop and hired on a very well-credentialed assistant manager with the blessing of her boss. Within 2-3 months she began suspecting less-than-savory behavior and started monitoring/checking by running additional reports, playing back surveillance tapes, etc. Documented a very clear and concise pattern of theft by this new assistant manager which cost her company literally THOUSANDS of dollars, yet she was specifically told by the security/loss prevention people to leave it alone and let it go.

Only MONTHS later (after losing much more money and essentially having to sit on her hands and do nothing other than continue to stuff her inquiry folder with "more of the same") did they finally decide to get off their butts and act - the assistant was (fortunately) met by loss prevention and the P.D. and led out in handcuffs.

Apparently she bonded out within hours and had another job at another coffee shop - in a managerial capacity, handling money - within weeks.

Unreal.

[M.D. Holloway]

so the thing is that most people would say that they would do something and most actually would but actually there is rational not to act. What a starnge world we live in...

[dentist90]

I'm very sure the store clerk (unless he/she owned the store) is grateful that you DIDN'T say anything. That would have put them in an uncomfortable position.

It's truly a sad commentary that our society finds it more expedient to ignore petty crimes than do what seems intuitively correct. So what if we inconvenience a shoplifter by detaining them or, heaven forbid, humiliating them publicly?

[DMRK]

I think I would have suggested to her to put them back. I would think she would since now she knows someone saw her do it.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by Super_Dave_D

I don’t agree on your bonus issue – I never had any trouble getting back up. Most young guys are more than willing to assist in a freebee beat down!

I don't deny that there are some who would go after the shoplifter. Even if just for the thrill of it. But most clerks I have been around won't do it. (I used to manage a store for a major auto parts chain)

[svandamme]

You're all wrong,
wrong,
wrong


y'all know nothing about dealing with thieves
the correct response is to follow the perp,
pretend to be a undercover store detective, bust her
and proceed to cash in a serious bribe AND the sunglasses and perhaps blackmailnookie ( it's the best) if she's fit

it teaches them that being stolen from sucks
and it rewards you for your time