Shoplifting is troublesome for employees working in the service industry. It’s an added, unnecessary stress.
Age, gender and social status are not accurate indicators of whether one will steal or not. I’ve witnessed people from all walks of life shoplifting, from an 8yr old girl to an 80yr old man. Here are some general things that make the employees at supermarkets and such suspicious of you being a potential shoplifter. No one wants to be falsily accused of being a shoplifter, so if you avoid these tell-tale behaviorisms, you won’t be suspected without due cause.
10. Wearing out of season clothing.
This is the easiest way to get noticed by the employees. If you’re wearing shorts and a tanktop in the dead of winter, you won’t really be suspected of shoplifting, as much as being thought of as a nutcase. If, on the other hand, you’re wearing a thick winter jacket when it’s blazing hot outside, you’re still thought of as a nutcase, but you’ll also be kept under the watchful eye of the staff present. A thick jacket is a good hiding place for stolen goods. In the winter, when everyone’s wearing thick jackets, you really have to look shady to be suspected of being a possible candidate for a shoplifter. Read on…
9. Carrying a large bag.
If you’re going to be shoplifting, you’re going to need some place to stow away the goods. This is common sense, which means that if you walk into a store carrying a HUGE (empty) bag, chances are you’ll be asked to either leave the bag at a register when you enter the store or open it for the cashier when leaving. If you are in fact asked to leave or show the the contents of your bag, don’t be offended. Trust me, the clerks would rather not have to suspect you of anything sinister, but because there are people who shoplift, innocent people must be inconvenienced. We apologize.
8. Spending a long time browsing, then not buying anything.
Sure, many people just browse and then exit the store because they haven’t found anything they need. It’s when you spend a disproportionately long time shuffling through items, especially those which are at a high-risk of being jacked, you’re likely to be watched. Usually people just can’t make up their minds or don’t really know what they’re looking for, but, alas, some people are just looking for an opening, a lapse in the clerks’ attention, a chance to grab and run.
7. Looking like a shady, suspicious character.
If you enter a store looking like you want people to be suspicious of your actions, that’s exactly what will happen. The terms “shady” and “suspicious” are pretty vague, so here’s a list within a list to further explain what you should not look like or wear to avoid being suspected of shoplifting:
- Looking like a hobo.
- Looking like you’re on a cocktail of numerous recreational drugs.
- Wearing a trench coat or hoodie with the hood up.
- Wearing sunglasses at night.
- Looking nervous.
- Being fidgety.
- Mumbling to yourself.
- Being a wobbly person (i.e. drunk as a dodo).
- Trying to conceal your face with a scarf or bandanna.
- Carrying an open bag.
- Running around like a mad man.
- Wearing a thick jacket in the summer (see #10).
- Practising your magic skills (i.e. making a DVD disappear).
- Continuing the one above, carrying an item, then have it mysteriously not be in your hand a few aisles later.
- Wearing a skimask. (I know it might be really cold outside, but you have seen yourself in the mirror, right?)
- Having an extremely deliberate look on your face.
- Looking like you’re going to steal something. (No, seriously, if you’ve worked in retail long enough, you will recognize this look.)
6. Putting your shopping in your pockets or bag instead of a cart/basket.
First of all, there is never a need to put ANYTHING from the shelves into your bag or pockets. That’s why stores have baskets and carts for your convenience. If you’re witnessed putting something in your pockets or bag, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO EMPTY YOUR POCKETS OR BAG. There are baskets and/or shopping carts next to the entrances so you don’t have to use your pockets. If you can’t find a basket or a cart, ask an employee as to their whereabouts. If you did put stuff in your pockets, don’t be offended if you’re asked to empty your pockets. How exactly is the clerk supposed to know for sure that you’re actually going to pay for the stuff in your pockets?
5. Using the wrong exits to leave the store.
Supermarkets and grocery stores generally have a system where you’re supposed to enter the actual store area from one place and exit through the registers. That’s why the entrance gates don’t open in both directions. The surest way to get someone running after you or suspecting you of shoplifting is by bypassing the barrier by hopping over it or doing the limbo under it. Nor should you exit through it when people are entering. IT IS NOT AN EXIT! A supermarket chain I used to work at had people at several locations leaving through the entrance carrying a big ass TV at several locations, so the cashiers were told to report ANYONE using the entrance as an exit.
4. Running out of the store past the registers.
I don’t care if you’re running late for your bus, I will stop you if you run past my register. Why? Because that’s how I’ve stopped several thiefs trying to run away with beer. If you are in a hurry, WALK past the register and SHOW the cashier that you don’t have anything on you.
3. Glancing around all the time, as well as glancing at the employees all the time.
Say, you look mighty nervous. Don’t worry, the security guard and/or the clerks will calm you down. No, seriously, glancing around is another great way to get noticed. If you’re glancing around, looking nervous, you come off as VERY suspicious. If you need help and that’s why you’re glancing around, go to an employee and ASK for help. If you’re glancing to find a spot where you can slip something into your pocket, don’t worry, that’s why the store has security cameras. This is behavior which’ll definitely get you to be followed very closely.
2. Walking briskly, especially when entering the store.
Although most shoplifters try to hide their mischievous behavior in some way, some idiots use the speedy way. Walk in briskly, go to the item you’re going to steal, and walk straight out, all the time keeping the same brisk pace. I’ve witnessed this several times myself, and I’m still surprised at how arrogant this approach is. Good thing is, these are more noticeable and thus a good description of them can immediately be passed on to the police. Words of advice to every customer: don’t be in a hurry, as speed walkers will definitely be noticed.
1. Walking out of the store without buying anything.
Now this one needs a bit of clarification. First of all, everyone does this. I’d go so far as to say that on a typical day as many as a fifth of all customers just browse and leave without buying anything. Perfectly normal behavior, as buying something from every store you enter is not a requirement. The proper etiquette with walking out the store without buying anything? Allow the cashier to notice you, let the cashier know you’re not buying anything, show your bags to the cashier, and don’t be in a hurry. If you walk past the register without saying a word and with your glance averted, someone will yell or run after you. Do you REALLY want everyone around you at that moment to think you might be a shoplifter?
Consumers: If you’ve ever been (incorrectly) suspected of shoplifting, what did you do to provoke this?
Clerks: Did I leave something out? What makes you suspect someone of shoplifting?
I have purposely limited this list to just 10 sections, in the interest of keeping this post short and simple. If you have anything to add to this list, please write them in the comments section below. Don’t forget, if you have a story relating to this post, from either side of the counter, let’s hear it!
The customer is NOT always right. If you agree with this, or wish to know what to do and not do as a consumer, please subscribe to this blog’s updates by the way of the RSS feed or email subscriptions. Thank you for shopping at the Consumer Etiquette Guide, now go and make someone have a nice day at work!
January 10, 2008 at 9:55 am |
never got caught