NCJ Number
49178
Journal
Security Management Volume: 22 Issue: 7 Dated: (JULY 1978) Pages: 27-30,50
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF A SURVEY ON SHOPLIFTING IN 1977 ARE REPORTED AND COMPARED WITH A 1966 SURVEY. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PREVENTING SHOPLIFTING ARE PROVIDED.
Abstract
THE SURVEY WAS BASED ON 21,947 APPREHENSIONS REPORTED DURING 1977 FROM THE FOLLOWING SOURCES: 692 SUPERMARKETS REPORTING 16,255 CASES; 113 DRUG STORES REPORTING 3,927 CASES; AND 52 DISCOUNT STORES REPORTING 1,765 CASES. FROM 1966 THROUGH THE 1977 SURVEY, THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF ARTICLES RECOVERED PER APPREHENSION REMAINED AT AROUND THREE; HOWEVER, A STEADY RISE HAS BEEN RECORDED IN THE VALUE OF THE MERCHANDISE RECOVERED, EXPLAINABLE IN PART BY INFLATION. LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF THE PERSONS APPREHENDED IN 1977 WERE CONSIDERED PROFESSIONAL SHOPLIFTERS. IT IS ARGUED THAT THE HUGE LOSSES BEING SUSTAINED THROUGH SHOPLIFTING ARE DUE TO AVERAGE PERSONS IN LARGE NUMBERS TAKING SMALL AMOUNTS OF MERCHANDISE. IN 1966, INDIVIDUALS UNDER 30 YEARS OF AGE COMPRISED 60.8 PERCENT OF THE SHOPLIFTERS APPREHENDED; BY 1977 THE FIGURE HAD INCREASED TO 70.2 PERCENT. FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS ARE OFFERRED AS MEANS OF CONTROLLING SHOPLIFTING: MOTIVATE AND TRAIN STORE PERSONNEL IN THE PREVENTION OF SHOPLIFTING; UTILIZE TRAINED SECURITY PERSONNEL WHO ACT AS PUBLIC RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL AS ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS; OBSERVATION BOOTHS WITH SECURITY MIRRORS AND COMMUNICATION FACILITIES; IMPLEMENT A DYNAMIC LOSS PREVENTION PROGRAM WHICH IS FUNCTIONAL AND CONSISTENT WITH MERCHANDISING PHILOSOPHY, FORMULATE A WRITTEN POLICY PERTAINING TO ALL SHOPLIFTING PROCEDURES, AND PROVIDE IT TO THE POLICE OPERATING IN THE STORE'S JURISDICTION; AND OPEN COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN SECURITY SUPERVISORS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS. COMPARISON DATA ARE PROVIDED FOR BOTH SURVEYS.