How do you know

@LoriAn (120)
United States
July 20, 2011 3:27pm CST
I work at The Home Depot and we suppose to get to know our people that come in there so I try to get to know them.Theives are all around us so how will I know what to look for in the people/theif around. My head cashier tells me If we are not recovering merchadise at least once during our shift we are just letting people still from us?This being said i have stopped shrink but not in the way of the customer walking out not paying for things.Dont get me wrong i want to catch them so what can make me more aware of what is going on? Is there anyone here that can tell me some things to look for so I can stop the theives in our store.
3 responses
• Estonia
21 Jul 11
Hei, LoriAn!!! I allso wanted to add to all other comments, that thives lot of times don't come to shops alone, thei have fellow members with them. One will take all your attention and other or others will steal what they can or want! Usually the theives wear big clothings, big jackets, trousers etc. Or big bags. You just have to keep eye on everyone, cause when i was working at shop there was a older lady, dressed realy elegant and polite..... and she tried to steal really expencive wallet.... So actually you have no sertan way to know if someone is theiv or not. but what you can do is keep all the theives known to all workers in your shop (if they wisit your shop let other workers to know what you know).
@kaylachan (57914)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
21 Jul 11
You can never truely know someone. This being so, you must know how to trust yourself. Theives are good (usually) at hiding themselves. They aren't going to make it obvious. So, you have to trust your gut. If you see someone who makes you feel uneasy, approach the situation carefully. Never openly accuse someone of stelling this often will set them off and cause a sceane. If possible avoid doing this. You do not want to insite a panic. After all, you aren't going to ever be completely alone. If you are ever unsure, go to another co-worker and ask for help... or ask them to alert the managment team. In a situation like this, if you suspect something while waiting try to interest the costmer in something to delay them from leaving. It's better to be wrong and cause a false alarm then it is to be right and let a would-be theif make off with some goods. Even if its omething small, it still counts against the store and creates trouble for them and will screw inventory over big time. You'll learn how to do it in time, but thease tips should help you out.
• Netherlands
21 Jul 11
First of all I would advise you to approach a possible thief with caution, you don't know if he is actually a thief and if he is what he will do when you catch him. So be aware! And if you catch someone who did not steal, please excuse yourself, or they probably will never come back! I don't know if the stores uses security patches on articles? these patches can be 'disguised' by thieves. They use aluminum foil glued in bags or deepfreeze bags (bags that keep your frozen goods cool til you get home) to prevent the alarm from going off. So you then could be aware of people shopping with these deepfreeze bags or big shopping bags. People acting suspicious, looking around them too often and going to those parts of the store that are out of reach of the camera, should be watched. Also people with long trenchcoats, you know what you can carry under there, should be watched, especially if they are acting suspicious. People with strolers, they tend to steal thing by hiding them into the stroler. Well these are just tips. It doesnt mean everybody in a trenchcoat, with a stroler or with a big bag is a thief but it could help you find some I guess. Tell me if you caught one.