Hello all, looking for some advice.

[wtf9862]

Hi folks,
I introduced myself in the Introduction Forum, but I figure I should pop in here too. I'm a rather new Loss Prevention Officer for a clothing store. We use CCTV for the most part to catch theft. I am wondering if there are any good books or sources of information on the loss prevention field? It's my supervisor and I, and that's it. We're kind of a slow store, but I'd like to learn as much as I can about loss prevention. I have a handful of apprehensions, but I feel like I am missing something. Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

[N. A. Corbier]

IFPO (www.ifpo.org) has a course on Retail Theft Protection, and there are the various books that can be found at ASIS.com, PIMall, and Amazon.

Liz Martinez, a contributor to Security Info Watch, has several articles on retail theft prevention, as well. They are accessable on the main site, which you can reach by clicking "home" at the upper menu bar.

[Guest]

Security and Loss Prevention by Philip P. Purpura is a good resource.

[SIW Editor]

Congrats on your new LP position. Check out http://www.securityinfowatch.com/retail for news, columns, features about security in the retail marketplace.

Our calendar also lists some retail/loss prevention events which have educational components:

http://www.securityinfowatch.com/calendar

Best regards,
Geoff Kohl, editor
SecurityInfoWatch.com

[Serpico]

I read a lot of articles and a book or two on the subject, but I found that the best way to get better was to read all previous incident reports in the store. Also, pick a naive employee and "make friends" with them. Try to pick one that you think is somewhat shady. He/She will tip you off to employees planning/committing theft and suspicious customers. It sounds bogus, but your job isn't to make friends with the employees. We have a rule against cell phone use while on the clock, so I waited and found a target on her phone. She ended up tipping me off to about 20 stops in a 6 month period.

[wtf9862]

Thanks!

To all who replied,
Thank you very much for the advice. I regularly read what is available here at Securityinfowatch, and will look into the suggested books.

To Serpico,
Excellent advice! I'm still getting my feelers out in my store. We certainly have enough of the shady types where I work. My current problem is a lack of hours. There are many people I've yet to see at my store, or I see them once a month because of my part time status. I will begin employing the "friend," tactic with a few of the employees.

[WMISLP]

advice

The best advice I can give is, that anyone can catch a shoplifter on a camera but the real task is floor walking. I would challenge you to go out and walk the floor and see how good your skills are and build your hiding skills. You are going to notice that once you feel comfortable fitting in with the environment around you, things will start popping out right in front of you. Plus the rush is much more intense. I have been doing this for 8yrs and I still get a rush when I do an apprehension. Try it and tell me what you think.

[wtf9862]

I will really have to work on my floor walking skills. Every once in a while I give it a try, but, I work in a relatively small store. However, my main problem comes from the employees. Everyone, to include management will ask if I caught anyone, or they will begin to talk to me about work. With that said, it would be a difficult task to walk the floor without someone messing it up for me. Since I am working with my boss tomorrow, and we only have one working controller for the cameras, I might try my hand at some floor walking.

[HotelSecurity]

I will really have to work on my floor walking skills. Every once in a while I give it a try, but, I work in a relatively small store. However, my main problem comes from the employees. Everyone, to include management will ask if I caught anyone, or they will begin to talk to me about work.

That reminds me of one of the most embarassing things that happened to me I was 17, in Police Technology in college. We had college jackets with POLICE TECH in big letters on the back. I was walking along the main street of Montreal when I saw one of my teachers sitting in a car with the window open. I stopped & started talking to him. He was a detective ON A STAKE OUT! When he saw my jacket he whispered to me the get the heck away from him!

[wtf9862]

Haha. I can imagine that must have been an embarassing day.

[WMISLP]

Floor walking

You need to tell them the same as must LP's tell employees and mgr's. DON'T APPROACH ME UNLESS I TALK TO YOU. You must make it very clear to them.
If you don't tell them that they are spooking people away from you and you are trying to watch someone.

[wtf9862]

I'm trying to come up with a diplomatic way to handle things. The store management is cordial to us in LP, but very resistant to helping out. Sometimes, they're just plain old rude to us. That's fine, but it makes for a strange working environment. Also, my boss doesn't seem to have a problem with the way things are currently working. Could be that he doesn't want the extra fight. I don't know. It's why I am trying to find a new job in retail security. I really enjoyt the work, I just dislike having management call me curses to my face.