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“It seems to be never ending,” says Brenda Dooks about the shoplifters that plague her clothing store in downtown Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. She estimates she loses more than $200 a week to theft. She is so fed up with the problem, she once chased a shoplifter down the street to recover a stolen dress.
Though you might admire her nerve, experts counsel a softer, safer approach to protecting your investment. “Don’t be a hero,” says Christine James of the Retail Council of Canada. Her organization has put together an exhaustive list of low- to no-cost recommendations retailers can use to protect themselves. Identifying potential robbers is key. Arrange aisles and displays to leave an unhindered view to the back of the shop and provide adequate lighting outside (studies have found teenagers are less likely to loiter in lighting which makes them look pale and unattractive.) Pay close attention to how people act; shoppers will look at merchandise, shoplifters at you. And if you have doubts about someone? “Go overboard on customer service,” says James. Make eye contact – shoplifters hate to feel noticed. And remember the colour of their shoes. A thief on the lam may change their coat, but is unlikely to change their footwear.
Not all theft is caused by shifty looking strangers. For some businesses, especially in the food sector, employee theft can dwarf external threats. “Assume the worst about people,” says Peter Mombourquette, a business professor at Mount Saint Vincent University. He says owners should be “emphatic” about conducting background checks for new hires, enforcing workplace rules such as not bringing bags to work, and installing video cameras to watch over employees as well as patrons. While that’s easier said than done in the compact, family atmosphere of a small business, he warns that some people, especially in small towns where businesses are fewer, don’t understand the effects of ripping off their boss. “They see thousands coming in every day and think, ‘this guy is rich.’ They have no idea how small the (profit) margins can be.”
Video cameras may be the ultimate in high-tech protection, but don’t take them for granted. Brian Palmeter of the Halifax police says you have to make sure you get them placed correctly, preferably with the help of an expert. “You wouldn’t believe how many tapes we get here where you just see the top of some guy’s head!”
