Have Receipt… Will Shoplift
While shoplifting has always been a concern of retailers, in recent years criminals have been getting more sophisticated in their methods of operation. Some of the latest techniques involve discarded customer receipts that are obtained from various sources such as those found discarded in parking lots, external and internal trash receptacles, and via dumpster diving.
The shoplifter’s use the receipts to compile a "theft list", and then walk into the various stores with the receipts in-hand, gather up the items, and then often head straight to the stores return department. As a recent example of this type of activity, the Bellingham, WA police recently recovered dozens of receipts in a backpack that was tied to an ongoing shoplifting investigation that was using the same techniques referenced above
For more details, see the following komonews.com link:
Unless store security personnel are being vigilant, some of this may go undetected, especially in smaller businesses with limited security capabilities. Some examples of ways that help prevent this type of theft are:
- Customers being vigilant about not discarding their receipts on or near store premises.
- Store Policies that require items brought into the store to be returned, being tagged and verified, and then be brought directly to the return department.
- Requirements that Identification be presented on ALL returns.
- Limiting returns to the method of payment that was used.
- Stores keeping a list of "high Volume" returners for identification, if required.
– John