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Shoplifters
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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A long standing friend of mine who has worked as a security guard in one of the top supermarket chains for over 10 years, was telling me that stock loss due to shoplifters was higher in this area than ever before.
I'm puzzled at how this can be.
Obviously cyber crimes get more sophisticated every day, however stuffing a frozen chicken up your sweater or a tin of beans in your pocket is basic stuff that human or camera security can easy see, is it not?
Or am I being naive? |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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The Asda near my house, people fill their trolleys up, then walk outside with it, throw it all in car then leg it. As easy as that.
Good for me because I get cheap food and household items off them  |
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By *ugby 123Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod O o O oo |
"
Good for me because I get cheap food and household items off them "
You might at the time but when the supermarkets raise prices because of shoplifting you will end up paying more anyway.
At the moment because of people who buy stolen goods, we are all paying for it.
( I appreciate the next comment may say it was tongue in cheek so I will just say I am answering an issue that is a big problem ) |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"The Asda near my house, people fill their trolleys up, then walk outside with it, throw it all in car then leg it. As easy as that.
"
I appreciate some can get away with this , but enough people to make lifting an all time high? |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"To the OP...some people are just serial shoplifters, but who knows whether the rise in this sort of crime is because some people need to feed their kids as they are below the poverty line"
I know the Why, what is puzzling me is the how? |
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By *ugby 123Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod O o O oo |
"To the OP...some people are just serial shoplifters, but who knows whether the rise in this sort of crime is because some people need to feed their kids as they are below the poverty line
I know the Why, what is puzzling me is the how?"
Ah sorry, well a frozen chicken up your top will be a bit cold so I am guessing the same as they have done for years, out of sight of a camera of course....or maybe the self service tills like the previous poster says  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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when i worked in retail was amazed at how much stuff was nicked - and what items as well - some people just want to get something for nothing - we had regulars who we almost had banter with they were there so often - team of 3 and no matter how closely we watched they still managed something - rarely got past the main door on the way out and police got involved and it stopped but they are very good at what they do |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"I suspect self scan tills play a major part in it.
How though?
Pretend to scan it? There is normally only one person tending to the section so they can't watch 20 tills at once "
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By *inaryGuyMan
over a year ago
Near the River |
"I suspect self scan tills play a major part in it.
How though?"
The supermarkets must believe that it saves more money not employing checkout staff than having some people walk out with unpaid stuff |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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There was a team of women from Glasgow who travelled all over great Britain robbing stores, allegedly stealing 10 grand of goods in a week. There must be loads more organised gangs doing it so it'll be a fair amount being stolen weekly |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I suspect self scan tills play a major part in it.
How though?
The supermarkets must believe that it saves more money not employing checkout staff than having some people walk out with unpaid stuff "
dont the tills speak though? as in unknown item in basket kind of thing - im sure the person on those tills listens out for stuff like that - those tills in our local shops are very close to the security guys |
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"I suspect self scan tills play a major part in it.
How though?
Pretend to scan it? There is normally only one person tending to the section so they can't watch 20 tills at once "
A woman was recently prosecuted as she had her own bar codes which she scanned, so she could save loads of money.
With self weigh items, no doubt people put expensive items on the scales and press the carrot button. Easily done. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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My daughter is a manager of a large well known fashion store on the high street, and they get targeted every day. One day last week they estimated £3000 of stock was stolen. That was just one day. But they are helpless as they cannot chase after a shoplifter. The trouble is the amount of stock which is stolen in a week amounts to more than it would cost for a security guard on the door but this company will not employ one.
It's ok but it's us consumers who suffer in the end because they hike the prices up on the products. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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My ex was a scabby bugger, used to buy iDJ magazine which was she restricted, scan it so the signal goes off for confirmation, when the check out operator came over he would hand over his razor blades and they would take the security casing off them and he'd just keep them in his hand and not pay for them. Used to save 12-14 each time!
I wouldn't have the guts!
Saying that though I did accidentally steal a £12 pair of kids pyjamas from Asda cos they were hanging on the Trolley when I paid for my groceries and neither me or the checkout operator noticed, was only when I walked back to my car I noticed but there were no tags on them so thought fuck it!  |
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"I suspect self scan tills play a major part in it.
How though?
The supermarkets must believe that it saves more money not employing checkout staff than having some people walk out with unpaid stuff
dont the tills speak though? as in unknown item in basket kind of thing - im sure the person on those tills listens out for stuff like that - those tills in our local shops are very close to the security guys "
If you're not going good to scan and item then don't put it in the bagging area as it weighs items on it. Some people don't put items there and put them straight back in the trolley due to items size and the till has the 'I don't want to bag this item option' so in theory you could scan and bag your bread and milk and forget to scan the patio set and gas bbq.
Lifters are getting braver because they know that security guards are a visual deterant only and won't attempt to physically restrain a person in fear of getting assaulted or charged for assault!
Unfortunately gone are the days when as a kid you'd be too scared of getting a clip round the ear from the shopkeeper and them telling your mum you nicked a 10p mix! |
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Good for me because I get cheap food and household items off them
You might at the time but when the supermarkets raise prices because of shoplifting you will end up paying more anyway.
At the moment because of people who buy stolen goods, we are all paying for it.
( I appreciate the next comment may say it was tongue in cheek so I will just say I am answering an issue that is a big problem )"
Quite true, as illustrated on Benefits Street. It's a catch 22, because the shops put their prices up to meet the loss and in turn, some people will 'order' and 'buy' off shoplifters, because it's too expensive. So it's not a 'victimless' crime.
When my son was working in a charity shop, I was surprised to hear that people actually steal from them too, or even swap price tags!
I've worked for a major retailer for over 20 years and have known staff also pinch things - a manager lost his job, because a vacuum cleaner was found in his car.
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By *orum TrollWoman
over a year ago
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"I suspect self scan tills play a major part in it.
How though?"
get things that weigh the same scan the cheaper item, put the more expensive item in the bagging area. computer can't tell the difference.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I've been dealing with career shoplifters for years, they see getting arrested as an occupational hazard. I've been told by many that for every time they get detained they get away with 20-50 more. When they gobto court they get a fine of a few hundred quid which is buttons compared to what they steal and sell on at 50% of retail. Most don't create a fuss, they admit the offence straight away and accept it, very few fight with guards or protest their innocence. Most steal to feed adrug habit, all this "it's to feed my kids" is nonsense. |
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"I've been dealing with career shoplifters for years, they see getting arrested as an occupational hazard. I've been told by many that for every time they get detained they get away with 20-50 more. When they gobto court they get a fine of a few hundred quid which is buttons compared to what they steal and sell on at 50% of retail. Most don't create a fuss, they admit the offence straight away and accept it, very few fight with guards or protest their innocence. Most steal to feed adrug habit, all this "it's to feed my kids" is nonsense. "
Have to deal with them too. This is pretty much spot on. We find they have moved on from chickens and steaks as they're too high risk. We still get it though, that and alcohol. Surprisingly, coffee and cheese are on the most stolen list around here. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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" Most steal to feed adrug habit, all this "it's to feed my kids" is nonsense. "
While I do agree to some extent to the first part of this.
I totally disagree with the last part being nonsense....they might be in the minority. But it certainly does exist. |
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"I suspect self scan tills play a major part in it.
How though?
get things that weigh the same scan the cheaper item, put the more expensive item in the bagging area. computer can't tell the difference.
"
No, it's the Tesco/Sainsburys style ones. Where you scan and bag as you go round the shop. Then just beep the scanner at the till.
I've accidentally stolen a couple of things that have not scanned properly...
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I've been dealing with career shoplifters for years, they see getting arrested as an occupational hazard. I've been told by many that for every time they get detained they get away with 20-50 more. When they gobto court they get a fine of a few hundred quid which is buttons compared to what they steal and sell on at 50% of retail. Most don't create a fuss, they admit the offence straight away and accept it, very few fight with guards or protest their innocence. Most steal to feed adrug habit, all this "it's to feed my kids" is nonsense.
Have to deal with them too. This is pretty much spot on. We find they have moved on from chickens and steaks as they're too high risk. We still get it though, that and alcohol. Surprisingly, coffee and cheese are on the most stolen list around here."
The likes of coffee, cheese, razor blades etc are sold in the pubs for easy money, go to any pub in Liverpool and within half an hour a gaunt druggy will waltz in selling a variety of goods at half price and they are never short of customers. |
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By *orum TrollWoman
over a year ago
•+• Access Denied •+• |
"I suspect self scan tills play a major part in it.
How though?
get things that weigh the same scan the cheaper item, put the more expensive item in the bagging area. computer can't tell the difference.
No, it's the Tesco/Sainsburys style ones. Where you scan and bag as you go round the shop. Then just beep the scanner at the till.
I've accidentally stolen a couple of things that have not scanned properly...
"
ooh could be accidental theft then, like has happened to yourself, and not shoplifitng. |
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No, it's the Tesco/Sainsburys style ones. Where you scan and bag as you go round the shop. Then just beep the scanner at the till.
I've accidentally stolen a couple of things that have not scanned properly...
ooh could be accidental theft then, like has happened to yourself, and not shoplifitng.
"
I doubt that accounts for all of the reported rise, but it'll be a factor.
It's quite terrifying now, hoping I don't get picked for a random check and scanned one wrong! Or my granddaughter put something in the trolley without telling me!
 |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Local Morrisons said that shoplifting went up enormously when they had to start charging for pastic bags. Now they get loads of people walking out with trolleys and baskets and security never know who has paid or who has not. |
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By *orum TrollWoman
over a year ago
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"
No, it's the Tesco/Sainsburys style ones. Where you scan and bag as you go round the shop. Then just beep the scanner at the till.
I've accidentally stolen a couple of things that have not scanned properly...
ooh could be accidental theft then, like has happened to yourself, and not shoplifitng.
I doubt that accounts for all of the reported rise, but it'll be a factor.
It's quite terrifying now, hoping I don't get picked for a random check and scanned one wrong! Or my granddaughter put something in the trolley without telling me!
"
lol, all kids do it i'm sure the shop would understand. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"
Good for me because I get cheap food and household items off them
You might at the time but when the supermarkets raise prices because of shoplifting you will end up paying more anyway.
At the moment because of people who buy stolen goods, we are all paying for it.
( I appreciate the next comment may say it was tongue in cheek so I will just say I am answering an issue that is a big problem )"
Totally agree
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There are all sorts of tactics used by shoplifters. I've had 2 spells working in supermarkets and seen many of them over the years.
They fill 2 or 3 trollies with identical items. Pay for the first one and leave. Come back into the shop with the receipt and walk out with the next trolley, if they get stopped they have proof of payment for the goods in the trolley.
The clothing departments rarely have staff looking after the fitting room all the time. They take a number of items in to try on, remove the tags and wear them out of the shop.
Buy bags of compost etc and conceal high value items in between them in the trolley, the cashier never lifts them up to check.
Work in gangs, security can't watch all of them. While one is action suspiciously and draws the attention of staff and security the others help themselves to whatever they want.
Conceal small items like make up in the pockets of clothing they are paying for.
Swap barcodes. Some smaller items on the home wares dept just have a sticker on them. I have stopped someone who did this. They put a 50 pence barcode onto a large joint of meat that should have cost nearly 20 quid. |
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"This thread is a good crash course for potential shoplifters. Some of the tricks I would never have guessed. I'm off to Aldi. See if they have a chainsaw. Wanted one for ages  "
Will your shoplifting technique be old skool or cutting edge? |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"When I worked in a supermarket people used to go into the changing rooms and remove the security tags. "
They must be good as most of the store staff struggle to remove them...even with the correct gear to get them off. |
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We had the other week. The target in opticians is designer sunglasses mainly but they have been known to steal any designer frame.
He came in and I recognised him as having attempted theft in a number of occasions, I stuck to him like shit to a blanket while he was in there and he left empty handed. Shop got busy and he came back when we were all serving other customers and helped himself to 3 pairs of men's sunglasses.
We've now removed one lens from all designer sunnies. Won't be able to flog them in the pub now! We also will not reglaze any brand new pair of glasses purchased elsewhere without the customer showing us a receipt.
I remember a thief in my old branch stole some ray ban frames all caught on cctv. They stupidly came back the next day to ask us to reglaze them, at which point we called the police and had them arrested. They aren't always the brightest firework in the box |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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My next door neighbour is an alcoholic and his trick is to go into Asda/Tesco get 3 boxes of Lager for £20 take them to his sons car go back in get another 3 boxes and a newspaper and only pay for the newspaper the second time, if questioned he has receipt for the 3 boxes of Lager  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"A long standing friend of mine who has worked as a security guard in one of the top supermarket chains for over 10 years, was telling me that stock loss due to shoplifters was higher in this area than ever before.
I'm puzzled at how this can be.
Obviously cyber crimes get more sophisticated every day, however stuffing a frozen chicken up your sweater or a tin of beans in your pocket is basic stuff that human or camera security can easy see, is it not?
Or am I being naive?"
Have you seen the size of a supermarket?
It's going to be difficult to keep eyes on every one of the hundreds of people who are in there at any one time.
They don't have enough security staff to cover everywhere |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The Asda near my house, people fill their trolleys up, then walk outside with it, throw it all in car then leg it. As easy as that.
Good for me because I get cheap food and household items off them "
this kind of thing became so common in my area all the supermarkets have gates now so you can only exit through a check out and there are security at the main doors |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"
Good for me because I get cheap food and household items off them
You might at the time but when the supermarkets raise prices because of shoplifting you will end up paying more anyway.
At the moment because of people who buy stolen goods, we are all paying for it.
( I appreciate the next comment may say it was tongue in cheek so I will just say I am answering an issue that is a big problem )"
Well a price rise wouldnt affect him if he's buying stolen goods lol |
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Good for me because I get cheap food and household items off them
You might at the time but when the supermarkets raise prices because of shoplifting you will end up paying more anyway.
At the moment because of people who buy stolen goods, we are all paying for it.
( I appreciate the next comment may say it was tongue in cheek so I will just say I am answering an issue that is a big problem )
Well a price rise wouldnt affect him if he's buying stolen goods lol"
If shoplifter sells at 50% of price if it was something at £20 would be £10 so if put up to £30 would be £15 . Everyone pays for shrinkage same as fraud insurance claims . We all pay more . |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Shopping trolley full of booze, they put stuff around the outside, creating a nest. Bag for life up spirits in the middle, push it out the entrance or near and pull the bags out and run. Called a box trolley fairly common you can get a few hundred quids worth at a time popular with Rumanian gangs.
Or foil line a bag to defeat the Tagging and just fill up at the bluray or PS4 chart wall in Asda and run they can get a couple of grands worth retail. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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When Working as a store detective I have with colleagues, detained shop lifters with the person they were handing goods over too in the past quite a few times. |
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I once seen a young girl order about 10 pizzas from the counter that makes them and when I got to the self check out all she had was 2 soft drinks in her hand, All the pizzas must of been under the pram she was pushing,
I recon supermarkets lose more money in waste stock and food going out of date then they do in people robbing them,
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By *ugby 123Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod O o O oo |
"
Good for me because I get cheap food and household items off them
You might at the time but when the supermarkets raise prices because of shoplifting you will end up paying more anyway.
At the moment because of people who buy stolen goods, we are all paying for it.
( I appreciate the next comment may say it was tongue in cheek so I will just say I am answering an issue that is a big problem )
Well a price rise wouldnt affect him if he's buying stolen goods lol"
Very true 
Although what if the robbers don't have any fish fingers in their stash and he wants them for his tea...he would have to pay the inflated price that the supermarket have put on because of the robbers |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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They often 'civil recover' off shoplifters they catch. As well as what the police sling at them they often get a massive bill towards the cost of security, their detention, restocking goods and any stuff you know they nicked and haven't been done for yet.
It works kinda like a civil parking ticket. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"
No, it's the Tesco/Sainsburys style ones. Where you scan and bag as you go round the shop. Then just beep the scanner at the till.
I've accidentally stolen a couple of things that have not scanned properly...
ooh could be accidental theft then, like has happened to yourself, and not shoplifitng.
I doubt that accounts for all of the reported rise, but it'll be a factor.
It's quite terrifying now, hoping I don't get picked for a random check and scanned one wrong! Or my granddaughter put something in the trolley without telling me!
"
i had that recently. It was a packet of pens. Now in mu defence i scanned them and put them ij my bag but when i checked the receipt it had gone through as something else and about 6quid cheaper . I Actually went back and told them and wasnt asked to pay the extra.
I also have had something neither myself or the check out lady noticed.. and only realised a few days later. When checking the receipt for something else.
Ive seen people scanning pastries through as bread rolls etc. Pink lady apples as cheaper.
I do think self service has made it easier and the fact that many shops no longer have the security guards they had a few years ago.
Was a few ladies near me get caught done for serial shop lifting . One would collapse while the other two walked out with stuff as obviously staff were busy dealing with the lady who was on the floor. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Three years ago we had someone caught shoplifting in the village shop. Very embarrassing for the staff as they did not really know what to do. The person was banned from the shop for life and now has to do a 60 mile round trip to Stornoway for any shopping and of course was shamed in the village. Their house is now up for sale. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Could an increase in shoplifting possibly be something to do with a rise in homelessness, poverty, starvation.
I know there are some who are just thieving bstrds but some are genuinely needy.  |
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If you are close to a motorway you will get the organised teams who travel across the network.
They target areas with easy exits and know that the police no longer prosecute as most stores now run a civil loss recovery claims system.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"If you are close to a motorway you will get the organised teams who travel across the network.
They target areas with easy exits and know that the police no longer prosecute as most stores now run a civil loss recovery claims system.
"
Used to work in one on the outskirts of Edinburgh and we'd regularly get travellers in who just filled their pockets and legged it. All pre CCTV so pretty much nothing you could do. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Something like 80% of shoplifting is to fund drug or alcohol habits.
Police will still prosecute, but only regular offenders, eventually. But it's worth noting if you ban someone and document it, and they know they are banned, its burglary as an offence if they then come back and re offend.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I used to be in retail and not even a manager, I've stopped many shoplifters and even chased many in my car. Eventually catching a gang of 5 who had split up. I know I'm not meant to put myself at risk but I can't help it, I love the buzz. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Although a lot of the druggy ones are full of hot air and totally harmless when you do actually challenge them you do get the odd ones who can be nasty little bastards.
I have actually had a syringe full of blood which he said had HIV in it put up towards my face and told I'd be stabbed in the eye if I tried to stop him taking the goods..a variety of vibrators and dildos!!!
Afterwards I rang the police who told me they'd be around soon.. And true to their word they were round within the next week and I'd only had to chase them up twice. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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When I was security at a shopping centre in Warrington a guy just walked out of ASDA with 42in tv I must add ASDA had their own security so if was not down to me being rubbish at my job lol we were site security not shop security. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"When I was security at a shopping centre in Warrington a guy just walked out of ASDA with 42in tv I must add ASDA had their own security so if was not down to me being rubbish at my job lol we were site security not shop security. "
Just the one? He must have been slacking, usually they put a load in a trolley. |
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