Oompah Oompah, stick it up ya jumpa!

nearlynew

fedupfreda wrote: »

The majority of stuff stolen, IME, tends to be smaller, high value items like booze, razor blades and batteries, which is why they are usually security tagged up to the eyeballs, and the last 2 tend to be on aisle ends where the staff can keep an eye on them as well (You would be surprised how many customers think they can take things out of their packaging and smuggle them out that way).

Razor blades* are the most shoplifted item in the world and it's easy to see why.

They are small, high value items for which there is almost limitless demand and are therefore very easy to sell.




* the poncy 5 blade refill ones that sell for about £5 not the disposable type I buy in wilkinsons at 10 for 28p

:money:

treliac

nearlynew wrote: »

Razor blades* are the most shoplifted item in the world and it's easy to see why.

For all those wanting to slash their wrists at the state of the country.

Snooze

nearlynew wrote: »

Razor blades* are the most shoplifted item in the world and it's easy to see why.

They are small, high value items for which there is almost limitless demand and are therefore very easy to sell.




* the poncy 5 blade refill ones that sell for about £5 not the disposable type I buy in wilkinsons at 10 for 28p

:money:

You must have a face like a bag of mincemeat if you use them to shave with! :eek: In my experience of using cheap razor blades they should come with a box of tissues and roll of plasters for when you've finished.

R

fc123

99% of our shoplifting was from a few pros and druggies.

The druggies are the worst as they will just grab armfuls and run....doesn't bother them if it's tagged...someone will have a detacher to 'rent' to them.

The druggies would also do the knife and till grab...never happened to me personally, thank God, but happened next door and I knew a a craft shop owner who had her face slashed with a stanley knife many years back in SE London whilst looking after her shop with her toddler.

We had a massive problem a few years back and the staff were very intimidated. We spent thousands on EPOS to track stock, returns etc, CCTV, Tags with exploding ink, moved the changing rooms. extra staff cover...it was like war at the time. Town had a scheme to ID the worst offenders and we had security radios (at great cost) and would report sightings.

I had a £1500 grab theft on CCTV, showed it to Terry, who ran the town scheme and he reeled off their names one by one. Nothing ever happened to them though.


The biggest loss though is what I call Middle England Theft....scam returns, the 'wear it once' brigade, they buy a party dress, wear it out, bust the zip or unpick the seam and come back shouting for a refund as faulty goods.
I sorted out quite a few serial returners when I took over our shop everyday a few years back as they aren't 'good quality' customers to have...though they genuinly think they are...regular, like the shop and products, buy them wear them and ....then return them.
We had a lot of people who dressed themselves all year on endless credit notes.

I have heard that this has increased a lot in the past year.

I remember a chain shop manager complaining about the smoking ban as you could always smell the smoke if someone had partied in a return...then you couldn't as everywhere was smoke free.