Kindle Book on Retail Theft

[SecTrainer]

Author worked for 20 years as a retail theft agent and recounts numerous stories.

Catching Thieves: Inside America's Retail Stores - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008G6E0E2

It's $2.99, and if you don't have a Kindle you can just install the free Kindle reader on your PC or Mac, iPod, iPhone, Android, etc. (Link below - install the reader app first, and then when you buy the book it will be delivered to your reader automatically when you click "Buy Now" AND specify that the book is to be delivered to your reader).

You can also read Kindle books in your browser with the free Cloud Reader, which is the default delivery target if you don't select the reader. (When you install your reader, you'll automatically be given a Cloud Reader account. If you forget to specify your reader, no problem. In the reader, you can sync up with anything that's in your Cloud Reader. The main difference is that if you have the book in your reader, you can read it on your device without needing a live Internet connection.)

Here's the link to Amazon's reader apps: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.htm...cId=1000493771

[Security_K9_Guy]

Just downloaded it. we shall see

[Curtis Baillie]

Maybe you could do a review for us.

[capurato]

It is very lame. I checked it out as it was $2.99. It's not that informative, just war stories.

[SecTrainer]

It is very lame. I checked it out as it was $2.99. It's not that informative, just war stories.

I believe I said it was stories from the author's experience in loss prevention. As for whether it's informative or not, you're looking at a lemon and complaining that it's not lemonade. You do have to cut the lemon and squeeze it a bit if you want lemonade. No, it's not an instructional manual, but there's something to be learned from "war stories". Training comes in lots of forms, and telling stories is the most ancient, as well as one of the most effective, forms of training, going all the way back to the tribal fire.

I think I'd have new LPA's read the book, if for no other reason than to prepare them for the stupidity, the sneakiness, the different ways that people react to being stopped, the endless ridiculous excuses that thieves dream up and - if nothing else - the fact that people will steal anything and everything, including Roach Motels.

Sure, I'd tell them that it's one man's experience, too - and that it's not to be taken as a procedure manual, but it's certainly a window on the kind of things that they're going to encounter. The fact is, new agents exist in a world of continual surprise for quite some time, and anything you can do to reduce that or shorten the learning curve will increase their effectiveness. Forewarned is forearmed.

And there is some instruction in this book, by the way. For instance, if you had read far enough, you'd have run across the author talking about how when he was younger he used to relish foot pursuits, but now he has a different perspective. Looking back, he realizes now that he was just LUCKY (his emphasis on the word, not mine) that his pursuits didn't get him into serious trouble, and passes along the lesson he's learned:
______________________________________

Here’s some solid advice regarding foot pursuits: “The Farther You Pursue...the More Danger You Will Encounter!”

______________________________________

Now, I don't know about you, but I'd say that was worth the $2.99 right there if it helps convince just one new gung-ho agent that there actually is a reason behind the no-pursuit policy. And the fact that it's coming from a foot soldier who's been to the war, rather than some corporate hack "who has no idea what we deal with", will drive that point home.

In a way, the book reminds me of the books by Marc "Animal" MacYoung on fighting and self-defense. He tells a lot of "war stories" in his books, and like this author he uses the vernacular of the street. You can't help wonder if some of Animal's stories might not be a bit exaggerated - and he blows his own horn quite a bit (although he also talks about bad decisions he's made and some beat-downs he took as a result). Nevertheless, you're making a huge mistake if you think there isn't anything to learn from those "war stories". Squeeze the lemon.

[Security_K9_Guy]

Just finished the book and found it pretty interesting. I don't work LP but work very close with LP in making stops with possible runners, the dog has a very nice presence.

Most of the stories were very interesting and almost every one of them there is a tidbit of information you can take away from them.

For the price I would recommended it.