| Theft in retail stores is thought to cost retail | | | | number of products which rightfully belongs to the |
| businesses between two and five percent of | | | | business or its customers. |
| sales annually. A theft policy could be the best | | | | Theft by employees and customers is a |
| step toward reducing the cost of theft in your | | | | reportable crime. |
| retail business. | | | | All occurrences of theft detected will be reported |
| Customer theft and employee theft kills retail | | | | to the police. |
| businesses. Despite knowing it exists, theft is | | | | If you suspect an employee of theft, please |
| often enabled by retailers not engaging with the | | | | report it to your manager or their manager (if |
| challenge in a professional and consistent way. | | | | appropriate) immediately. |
| Theft, especially employee theft, is like the | | | | Please acknowledge customers as they enter and |
| elephant in the room. Everyone knows that it | | | | leave. Make sure they see you see them. |
| exists but it is rarely discussed or acted upon. | | | | If you suspect a customer of stealing, please |
| Every retail business needs unrelenting | | | | report it to your manager immediately and watch |
| commitment to understanding, cutting and | | | | the customer carefully. |
| managing the theft opportunity and risk. | | | | If you see a process or policy which places the |
| A good starting place in any retail business for | | | | business at risk of theft, please report it. |
| dealing with the scourge of theft is in the | | | | Theft kills retail businesses. Help us build a strong |
| development of a Theft Policy. Such a document | | | | and healthy business for everyone here. Help us |
| lays out the position in relation to theft and the | | | | cut theft. |
| steps to be taken should there be a reasonable | | | | While not all that strong on the legal prose, this |
| suspicion of theft occurring. | | | | Theft Policy is designed to be accessible to |
| Here is the outline of a Theft Policy which I use | | | | everyone working in a retail business. It should be |
| when working with retail businesses. It is designed | | | | personalised to your business circumstances. |
| to be posted on a noticeboard in the back room | | | | Consider having the business owners sign it to |
| of a business. | | | | personalise it even further. |
| THEFT POLICY | | | | Update the Theft Policy at least every year. Ask |
| Do not steal from this business. While this may | | | | key employees for their feedback as they may |
| seem like an obvious statement, we state it here | | | | have suggestions which lead to an improved policy |
| because taking money for a drink is as serious a | | | | for your business. |
| crime as stealing a considerably larger sum. | | | | The best way to cut theft is to increase the risk |
| What we consider stealing would range from the | | | | of capture. You do this by establishing a Theft |
| taking of any amount of cash through to any | | | | Policy and being consistent in pursuing this. |