live free

I just read a post about how a lifter here conceals hangers (I literally just read it and then now I can’t find it, sorry) by pinning them to her back.

I just want to warn everyone to check hangers thoroughly. I was at a store that i frequent (for actual shopping) not to long ago just browsing, and I happened to pick up a shirt and look it over. For some reason I decided to take a peek at the hanger (shouldn’t have done this on the floor but curiosity got the better of me) and I noticed a small hole in the bottom of this wooden hanger. The thicker plastic ones had them too.

For some reason it struck me as odd, so I looked closer and there was a very faint flashing light inside the hole. I ended up taking it to try on so I could look closer. The fitting room was dark so I took the opportunity to ask the attendant why the hanger was flashing. She was okay talking to me because I always chat people up and make friends with atrendants.

IT’S A GPS TRACKER. It’s like those little tags you can get to put on your things and use an app to find where they are!! Not only will it set off the alarm, but they can pull up a program to see where it is.

Then she said they are working towards getting more discreet ones that are basically undetectable. They’re expensive but they have helped catch more people.

I left after chatting with her and got curious. I went into several other stores and 5/7 of them had some kind of security device on the hanger. Whether it was just a soft tag or a full on GPS tracker.

It’s becoming more common in my mall because it’s near a few high schools so the theft rate is really high.

I wanted to publish this post to just tell my story; I’m seemingly at least a decade older than many lifters in the community and wanted to share where I’ve been, how I’ve gotten there, and what’s changed.

I’m going to start off by saying that this is gonna be long and probably boring, but if you’re into autobiographies then please stick with me lol. ———

bring a jacket that everyone your age wears. (ie. the n0rth f@ce) no neon colours bc that is memorable. neutral dark colours are good. better if it has a small logo that cannot be seen from far away bc 3 stripes is more distinguishable (unless everybody is wearing 3 stripes)

fold jacket over your arm and casually tuck things in the fold – acting non sus is KEY – be aware of blind spots, yada yada, all the standard concealment procedures

wear two pairs of undies and shove things in there. wear slim fit jeans, not too tight, not too baggy. 

omg get a womens tube top. now you can conceal on your torso woohoo!!

tie a sweater / long sleeve shirt around your waist. that helps hide weird bulges in the back.

practice concealing on your body at home, walk around, look at your reflection to see if anything looks amiss.

if the coat doesn’t have big pockets, you might wanna diy some fake pockets on the inside to prevent things falling out just in case.

you can wear loose fits and not look like sus. channel the (incredibly common) athleisure aesthetic – wear streetwear / sportswear brands if you have them. even tommy hilfig3r and r@lph laur3n are good

if you have high top shoes / boots, shove things in there…? maybe wear shoes bigger than your true size.

your outfit must never be too baggy. always aim for the normal fit that everyone else wears. do not be sus or memorable. 

no shifty eyes. know the blindspots and cameras. if a SA asks how you’re going, chill, they ain’t onto you, they’re just doing their job. you’re not doing anything wrong :)

when something catches your eye, look at the pricetag like a normal person. grab two, put the decoy back on the shelf after concealing ;) in a blind spot ofc!!

no sloppy concealments. only when you are 10000% sure no one can see (ie. cameras, SAs, busybody customers). be quick to conceal.

create a blindspot by crouching down if there are low shelves.

if you getting bad vibes, youre not being too paranoid. stop concealing and get out lmao. if there are no weird bulges, don’t waste time removing what’s already concealed. dont want them catching you in the act.

or if you have the time, DO remove if you fear getting busted with loot on you. however know that: SAs, LP and store manager are not police, they don’t have legal rights to pat you down.  whatever you choose, decisions like that are normally in the spur of the moment. prepare for the worst outcome.

be chill (neutral face) and walk out at the pace you feel is necessary. you might wanna take the route thats free of SAs. 

fake a phone call (to your mate, to your bae, tell them youre just leaving [store] and youre going to meet them at mcdonalds now) or play pokemon go

ive read almost caught stories where they got away (from beeping) by believing they didnt do anything wrong and telling the store manager that they didnt have to go back instore if they didnt want to, and walking far far away

read up on liftb\r tips on floor and fitting room concealment. 

play around with disguises. if you can look realistically older with clothes and hair, try that. same with younger. 

• you gotta be chill. if the sa swings by (which is required of them, chat up everyone in the section) speak with them briefly, even just the niceties. ignoring them tips off.

• unless it’s peak days (fri - sun) there’s generally only one person per section, except for clearance they usually have 2. men’s shoes&athletics are usually one section. then whatever’s the seasonal shoe (boots, sandals, etc). then regular stock (keds, sketchers, vans, comfy stuff) and women’s dress shoes. accessories generally are manned by anyone who happens to see someone in the section

• there’s generally an MOD and then another one of the managers will be floating around too.

• we definitely use those walkies to talk about suspicious characters.

•there aren’t many cameras, but they are there. cash wrap, hall to the bathroom, and one of the clearance corners are the ones i can remember rn from my store.

• i’ve seen a lot of people say to go to the clearance section to lift - i don’t recommend it. we’re trained to service the crap out of people back there because WE KNOW that’s where ya go!

• most athletic shoes are tagged, as well as our high end heels and “prom” shoes

• best way to lift, be the great customer. try on 4 or 5 pairs of shoes. pull the paper out try them on completely. have the boxes spread around you. when there are no other customers in the aisle & no sa’s, slip the pair you want into your bag. then clean everything up and put the boxes back approximately where they should be. if everything is left out, we’re gonna remember that bitch who made a massive mess.

• pro tip: put one of the smokescreen pairs on hold under a fake name. then you look way less suspicious.

• more often than not, if a column of boxes looks tidy, we don’t mess with it. closing is on a tight schedule and the stores are BIG.

• the sa’s aren’t allowed to confront you or accuse you. all we can do is call the police/mall security and try and keep you in the store.

Adidas: Difficult to shoplift from. Cameras aren’t usually monitored, but staff are dedicated and can make a commission. They are usually inclined to try to stop theft. Tagging is frequent and efficient at Adidas stores.

Aeropostale: (going out of business) Cameras are few and far between. Cameras are never actively monitored, and most exist only to stop ORC/internal theft. Aero doesn’t chase and doesn’t prosecute. Their staff has little LP training and has no employees dedicated to LP. Staff usually don’t count dressing room items and don’t do much about even obvious lifting (other than calling mall security). Very easy.

Abercrombie & Fitch: Cameras aren’t actively monitored. Only LP is regular staff, but usually, only store managers call police or mall security. Staff sometimes counts fitting room items. A&F has a strict policy not to chase lifters, but they will call police or mall security. Often times they won’t press charges and will just ask for merchandise to be returned. Fairly easy.

American Eagle: Won’t chase, and cameras aren’t actively monitored. Staff usually count fitting room items, and fitting rooms are locked until you request one. They will prosecute if caught, but the only LP measures they take are calling police or mall security. Fairly easy.

Armani: Has a small staff-customer ratio, and lifting is almost impossible. Cameras are actively monitored, and staff follows customers around almost ubiquitously (just so they don’t have to search for a salesperson when they have a question or need help with something). Near impossible.

Banana Republic: Hardest of all the GAP Inc. stores. Has staff who is generally dedicated, and who will usually monitor cameras. Tagging is frequent so be careful and only conceal in dressing rooms. Will often chase, prosecute, and ban. They usually call police and mall security.

Barnes & Noble: Uses RFID tags on products over $40, all electronics, most manga, and most hardcover books. Cameras are not actively monitored but will be checked after a theft has occurred. Store managers are the only ones who have the authority to call the police. Store managers are the only staff who can trail shoplifters, but they will give aggressive customer service if they suspect you. They won’t chase you, and will simply call to you from the door and ask you to come back inside. If you refuse, they will try to get your license plate number. Gifts, journals, trinkets, moleskins, paper blanks and art supplies are never tagged. If you’re being followed, staff will back off every few minutes to allow you to dump the merchandise. Try to conceal in the kid’s section, as there are no cameras usually. Very easy store, but not for beginners.

Bath & Body Works: No LP and cameras aren’t actively monitored. The stores are small and have many employees mostly concentrated at the counters except for a greeter who helps customers with questions. They don’t prosecute, but they call mall security and will let them determine if police will be called. This is a store only good for small lifts, and then leaving quickly.

Bed, Bath, and Beyond: Stores vary. While cameras are usually monitored, and LP exists regionally, tall shelves and big displays make concealment much easier. Will chase, prosecute, and ban.

Best Buy: One of the most dangerous stores for a shoplifter. Has actively monitored PTZ cameras, and a stationary guard at all exits who monitors cameras and checks all receipts. They will call police immediately and will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. Staff can follow you into the restroom. Almost impossible.

Bloomingdales: Actively monitored PTZ cameras. Staffed with a team of LP professionals, and most staff has basic LP training. They will chase, prosecute, fine, and ban. Quite hard.

Books-a-million: They have very good cameras, but they aren’t actively monitored, and they usually don’t record. Employees are few and far between, and at some locations, the door alarms are fake. Most books aren’t tagged, regardless of price. BAM usually has expensive autographed copies of books that can be resold at a larger profit. (This is my personal favorite store).

Burlington Coat Factory: Cameras are usually actively monitored. Won’t usually chase, but there are no specific policies. Will always call police, and will usually ban or ask you to leave even if you pass the POS with unpaid merchandise.

Carson’s: Cameras are actively monitored. LP rotate regionally, but have been cut back since the sale of Carson’s to the Proffitt Holding Group. Most stores outside of Illinois don’t tag many items, except for designer handbags and other items over a couple hundred bucks. Staff will call police even if someone is thought to be concealing merchandise. Fairly difficult.

Chanel: Staff is very dedicated and classy. One employee is always looking at cameras. While it is one of the easier designer stores, it is still extremely risky. Your best bet is a grab and run.

COACH: Same as Armani.

Costco: Receipt-checkers make theft hard. If they see you stealing they will call police and prosecute. As it is a membership-only store, they have all of your information in the central computer system. Don’t lift from Costco.

CVS: Cameras are usually non-actively monitored. LP rotates regionally, usually working two, 8-hour shifts per week at specific stores (especially when large thefts are discovered). CVS is usually bad a tagging merchandise that Corporate would want tagged. Regular staff won’t chase, but LP can confront you in store, but they will only try to get your license plate. Medium range difficulty.

Dick’s Sporting Goods: While they employee LP and actively monitor cameras in most locations, LP is poor and there are may easy blind spots to conceal in. Only security is concentrated near the firearms section (for “safety reasons”). LP usually won’t chase, but they sometimes break company policy. Police will almost always be called once a lifter leaves the store. Medium difficulty.

Dillard’s: Cameras are monitored actively, and a few LP are usually working. They don’t typically employ plainclothes AP/LP, but treat all customers as potential LP. Dillard’s will chase, ban, and prosecute. When a large lift is attempted, LP will not hesitate to physically detain lifters.

Dollar General: No LP, and staff is usually older. Strict no chase policies are in place, and cameras are not actively monitored. Easy.

Dollar Tree: Oftentimes, the cameras are fake. Few employees are usually in store. DT doesn’t want to waste money on security or LP because their products are cheap. Basically a free-for-all. Beginner-level store.

Family Dollar: Sometimes they don’t even have cameras. At most they will have four employees in the store, but they usually only have one or two. Extremely easy as long as you watch over your shoulders.

Five and Below: Among the easiest stores. Staff mostly remain at the counter unless they are stocking items. They will call police after a lifter has left the store. Cameras are few if any, and aren’t actively monitored. Five and Below only really cares about ORC and internal theft, but employs no LP. Staff don’t care to stop obvious lifters, and will usually just attempt to get a license plate number, or picture of them.

Finish Line/Footlocker: Both don’t monitor cameras except ones in the back (to prevent ORC). Staff won’t chase, but they will ban, prosecute, and try to get a license plate number or picture of the suspect. LP is regional, and is usually called in after thefts.

Food Lion: Generally an easy store. At matt locations, the check-out lanes “block” the exits which makes the possibility of being spotted greater. Cameras tend to be monitored (especially when big shipments are coming in). LP is nonexistent, and it is up to managers to stop you. Food Lion will ban, and sometimes prosecute. Police are almost always called.

Gamestop: Usually they only have one or two non monitored, non-recording cameras. Employee(s) will usually remain at the counter or on the sales floor, so theft or concealment is difficult. Higher end electronics are kept in locked cabinets. Efforts to lift from Gamestop are usually futile.

GAP: Easier than Banana Republic. Cameras are usually not monitored, but are well placed. Cashier desk is far from the main door. Door alarms are ubiquitous in use. LP situation unknown. Be cautious and don’t conceal on the floor unless the item is small.

GNC: Won’t chase. No LP. Doesn’t actively monitor cameras (cameras are very few). Regional managers are usually concerned with and tasked with tackling internal theft. Employees will at most try to get a license plate, and they may ban you if they see you conceal in store.

Gucci: Good LP and PTZ cameras. They won’t hesitate to tackle you and do anything to retrieve merchandise.

H&M: Frequently uses plainclothes in US stores. Cameras are sometimes actively monitored. LP at H&M is fairly good for a small store. Will usually call mall security if they think someone is stealing.

Hobby Lobby: Fairly easy, but still the hardest craft store. They do employ limited LP who will try to apprehend shoplifters once they pass the POS. Often they will ask for the merchandise back and just ban you. Police are called if any employee or customer is physically injured or if threats are made. In that case, they will prosecute.

Hollister: Cameras aren’t monitored, and there is no LP. Many stores have door alarms as a deterrent, because they are too far away to be seen or possibly heard at the cashier desk. Hollister will call mall security. They won’t chase, but they will ask for merchandise back or issue a Civil Demand, and they will ban permanently.

Home Depot: While they actively monitor cameras and employ LP, Home Depot LP is usually ineffective at stopping small theft because they have such a large store to cover, which has extremely expensive items spread throughout.

Hot Topic: Difficulty of HT stores varies wildly. Most don’t have cameras, but some have one near the front desk. In either case, the cameras aren’t monitored unless a robbery or major theft has occurred. There is no LP, but regional managers can be called in if a large theft has occurred. Staff shouldn’t chase you, but store managers have been known to break this policy in an attempt to get pictures or license plate numbers. They will usually call mall security, but not police. Staff usually follow and pester suspected lifters, and they will pretend to straighten displays new you. Their main technique is to offer you something that matches what they think you’ve concealed (this is to intimidate you into dumping the merchandise). Be careful.

Jo-Ann Fabrics: Very easy store. Many displays near the store entrance make it easy to conceal and leave quickly. There is no LP, but if they see you conceal, they will customer service you to death. Police might be called. Managers can try to call you back into the store, but won’t chase further than the sidewalk. Signs stating “Shoplifters will be prosecuted” are deterrents that make up for a lack of LP or security monitoring. Cameras around these signs are fake, and all Jo-Ann cameras have a blindspot within a 5 feet cone of the camera.

JC Penny: Lax LP as far as most department stores go. LP is employed and they actively monitor cameras. Plainclothes are used in high shrink stores.

King Super’s: Extremely good LP, who ESPECIALLY HEAVILY monitor the alcohol. Cameras are always actively monitored. KS LP will go to extreme lengths to apprehend lifters. Police are always called after concealment, or in the event of assault of a staff member.

K-Mart: Surprisingly decent LP who sometimes actively monitor cameras. Cameras don’t always record. They will always chase you, but won’t get physical unless you touch them or try to flee.

Kohl’s: Not too hard to lift from if you conceal in the dressing rooms and leave quickly. Plainclothes are common, and LP is good at making fitting room stops. Never try to return stolen goods to Kohl’s, because they try to flag the serial numbers of stolen merchandise. LP will enter the fitting room cubicle next to a suspected lifter, and will listen for any suspicious noises. Door alarms are very sensitive, so be careful. Company policy encourages LP not to make stops based ONLY on a door alarm being triggered. Issues large Civil Demands, and will report these to collection agencies. Kohl’s, however, cannot enforce a Civil Demand.

Kroger: Decent LP, who often pose as shelf stockers, and will trail people who conceal merchandise. Kroger tends to case-build on known lifters. Cameras are monitored most of the time, but are sometimes turned off around closing time.One of the harder grocery stores.

Lord and Taylor: Employees are encouraged to chase and are given incentives for preventing shoplifting. L&T usually will issue a large civil demand and f**k up your credit score in the process, but they will prosecute if it is an exceptionally large theft, or if people are hurt or threatened. Be cautious.

Lowes: Similar to Home Depot, but with less LP. Cameras are usually monitored, especially over the board cutting and cord cutting areas. This is to protect them from lawsuits if someone injures themselves.

Lush: Lush is usually busy which can be either a help or a hindrance to lifters. There are no tags or door alarms, and the front desk is often far ways from the door. There is usually one or two chasers and at least one employee giving demonstrations on the sales floor. I’m not sure about the camera situation, but I know if caught they will ban you, but won’t usually even try to get the products back because the bath bombs and such probably can’t be resold after having left the store. (information requested by /u/slkondak)

Macy’s: Quite hard. Often has large teams of LP in store ranging in size from two to as many as ten. Company policy demands that LP follow the 5 steps to make an apprehension. Cameras are fairly good, and are always being monitored. Head LP managers have access to store cameras even off duty, and will call police if alarms are triggered after closing time. Always chases (incentives are given to employees), and sometimes they prosecute, and sometimes they issue civil demands - no policy determines which they do.

Martin’s (closing): Not to hard. They have considerably less LP and general anti theft measures that Kroger. Cameras are almost always actively monitored because Martin’s has large management teams at every store.

Meijers: Will chase. Usually they won’t employ dedicated LP, but they will have someone monitoring cameras most of the time.

Mervyns: Dangerous store that will chase, ban, and prosecute. Cameras are always monitored.

Michael’s: Beginner level store. At more urban stores, expensive art pencils and markers are locked up, but many stores don’t bother. Spray paint is always locked up. Cameras aren’t monitored unless to investigate ORC. Employees are located at the framing counter which is near the main offices, so keep that in mind. Blind spots are numerous. Easy as pie.

Michael Kor’s: Probably the easiest designer boutique. Staff is very dedicated, and treats customers well. If they think you may be lifting, they won’t hesitate to call police and or mall security and stall you until they arrive. Not many bags are usually on display, so theft is noticed extremely quickly. If you must lift from there (they do have BEAUTIFUL bags and wallets) get in and get out.

Nike: Usually strict about theft. Cameras are few, but store managers sometimes monitor them. Tagging is frequent. They might chase, but will try to get a license plate number and will always call police.

Nordstrom: Dangerous, but not impossible. They have dedicated LP, and regular staff get bonuses for reporting shoplifters. They will chase you usually, but will usually have police waiting. Nordstrom case builds for shoplifting, so don’t return to the same store planning to lift. Cameras are numerous and are actively monitored. Glass cases containing designer wallets and things are usually able to be opened and only appear locked. Staff won’t confront you for opening the case (according to my cousin who has worked there for 9 months). Be careful.

Office Depot/Max: Very very easy. A personal favorite of mine. They almost never monitor cameras. Employees there are worked to death and really don’t care. If a door alarm sounds, keep walking. They can’t confront you just based on a door alarm beeping. No LP, and management only cares about internal theft. The cleaning supplies aisle is usually the best blindspot. Some items are spider wrapped. Many things have an RFID tag in them such as headphones, and fine writing pens. These tags are always stuck to the inside of the box. It’s easy to tell, because the box will have been resealed with scotch tape. Side note: Office Max vastly overprices post-it notes, so please steal those <3

Old Navy: Easiest of all the GAP Inc. Stores. Staff usually doesn’t care, and most are not on the sales floor. Dressing rooms are usually messy which makes it easy to conceal. Stealing shoes from Old Navy is easier because there are no shoe boxes. LP exists regionally in urban areas. Cameras are usually actively monitored. Will generally chase, ban, and call police.

Pet-Co: Cameras are usually only located near the front of the store. No LP, and cameras aren’t actively monitored. Management only cares about preventing internal theft because pet stores generally have low shrinkage. Employees won’t chase, and many won’t even call police.

PetSmart: Generally the same as Pet-Co. PetSmart holds a lot of dog training classes, so these are good times to lift. Cameras are sometimes reviewed at the end of the day (per company policy) but this rarely happens, especially in small stores.

Rite Aid: “Little to no lp unless it becomes a major problem such as repeated lifts of alcohol or electronics. Most cameras are fake. Not actively monitored. Poorly trained staff amd managers. Store policy is not to stop suspected lifters but it varies store to store. My moms old manager was a hard ass and tacked more than one person with no repercussions. He has since retired and her new manager has a no confrontation policy. They will however build a case. They got one lady who had been stealing wine bottles for 3 months. They call police and will take further legal action. Multiple blind spots even if cameras are active.if you spot the manager out of the office99% of the time that means nobody is watching cameras. And even if the manager is in the office they are usually overworked and underpayed so its no issue usually.”

Ross: Medium difficulty. They have limited LP, but cameras are usually monitored by one employee with radio contact to the managers. They will often simply ban shoplifters, and won’t call police if they get their merchandise back.

Safeway: Can be one of the more difficult grocery stores. Cameras are of decent quality, and are usually being watched. If electricity to the store is cut, the cameras will continue to record using a separate backup generator. LP is regional and rotates around stores with high shrinkage. Most stores in wealthier areas can go several months without a visit from district LP.

Sam’s Club: Same as Costco, but a little easier. They can be fairly easy to lift from if you conceal well and move fast. If you’re not obviously carrying anything, the receipt checker will let you pass.

Sears: Sears has cut back on LP, but still has LP agents in almost every store. LP that is there is highly trained. Sears will sometimes “bait” people into lifting. Some stores don;t have tower alarms. Cameras are always monitored. Sears will chase, and usually prosecute, but might issue a Civil Demand if you cooperate with their LP.

Sephora: Dangerous. Has very good LP and PTZ cameras. They will always have at least 2 or 3 agents in the store, not including plainclothes. They will chase, call police, and issue civil demands. If employees or customers are hurt, threatened, or if excessive amounts are stolen, they will prosecute. Civil Demand notices come with 1-2 year trespass orders (this applies to all Sephora’s except those in JCP or Macy’s).

Sheetz: One of the easier convenience stores to lift from. Cameras exist, but are generally not being monitored, except in the aftermath of large thefts or robberies. There are always at least two or three employees behind the counter. Most stocking is done late at night or after closing, so employees usually stay behind the counter unless they’re cleaning a machine. They won’t call police unless there’s a robbery. If an employee sees you shoplifting, oftentimes they tell you just to never come back. Quite easy.

Spencer’s: Difficulty varies. Most stores have decent low hanging cameras, but they aren’t usually being watched. They use a lot of ink tags on clothing items. Spencer’s keeps most expensive items such as sex toys in the back of the store, or on high shelves where you need to get employee assistance to reach. When lifting at Spencer’s, have an idea of what you want, and get in and out in under 10 minutes.

Staples: Very easy. Older stores have very wide aisles, and mostly fake cameras. Newer stores have shorter, narrower aisles and have real cameras. There are almost never any employees looking at cameras, and there are no real LP efforts to speak of. Employees will congregate near the main door if they see someone concealing, and they might follow at a distance. If you see two or more employees standing directly at the door, DUMP THE GOODS, and leave.

Stop & Shop: Surprisingly a difficult store. They use decent LP, and lots of decent quality cameras that are constantly monitored. They will almost always prosecute and rarely issue Civil Demand notices. Chase policy depends on the store, but they usually will chase or apprehend past the POS.

Sunglass Hut: No LP, and cameras aren’t actively monitored in mall stores. Glasses are almost all tagged, and employees are told not to leave customers alone in the store with merchandise. Regional managers will often investigate ORC and noticeable shrinkage reported in inventory.

Target: Notoriously hard. Cameras are extremely numerous and are very high quality. Some can PTZ. LP are extremely dedicated, and regular staff are given bonuses or incentives for reporting shoplifting to LP. Target will always chase, call police, ban, or rarely issue a Civil Demand notice. Don’t lift from Target. They will basically take what you stole and shove it up your ass. Also, Target case builds and shares known lifter info with other stores, so they can get you up to a felony amount before contacting police.

Things Remembered: Laughably easy. Most stores lack security cameras and those with them are never monitored. The large engraving station is in the back, so if your location has cameras, assume someone is near them. Staff don’t usually care and will stay at the desk. No LP at all. Mostly the company cares about preventing ORC. Concealing is easy as long as you’re in a blind spot from the cashier desk. Their items are expensive and are never tagged. Have fun.

Toys R Us: Store management may act as LP, and cameras are sometimes actively monitored. Company policy is to not detain parents who are with children under 8. (Regardless of if the child or parent is the lifter). They will usually call police, and may prosecute if they can’t get their stuff back. No specific LP personnel.

Tuesday Morning: Doesn’t chase, will prosecute, and will ban. Always calls police. There are no dedicated LP, but the company likes to hire former LP from other stores as managers in their stores.

Ulta: Difficulty varies. Stores in malls are usually harder because they often request their storefront to be near the mall security office. Freestanding stores are easier, but staff with call police, and usually issue a Civil Demand but sometimes prosecute. Cameras are PTZ and are almost always monitored. Many items are tagged.

Vans: Staff are usually pretty dedicated, and will offer aggressive customer service to suspected lifters. Vans usually calls mall security, and lets them determine whether or not to call police. Cameras are usually in most stores, but are monitored after a theft is noticed.

Virginia Diner Shoppe: Like taking candy from a baby. Large shelves and fairly expensive products make this a nice place to snatch some gifts for the ladies in your life.

Walmart: Poor LP, whose budget and resources have been slashed in recent years. LP efficiency can range from store to store, but it is often easier to lift from Walmarts in higher income areas. Walmart will almost always chase, and will often prosecute. Company policy is not to prosecute under $25, but this is usually left up to the store or district manager. Staff sometimes, but rarely act as LP. Cameras are always actively monitored, but camera quality isn’t the best, and a cone blindspot exists directly under most cameras because they can’t tilt.

Walgreens: Won’t chase, but will prosecute. No employees are dedicated solely to LP/AP, but store managers can act as LP at their own discretion. Employees are encouraged to try to get plate numbers by looking through windows. Police can be called after the fact. Cameras aren’t usually monitored, but the employee break area is near the cameras, and the manager can access the camera feed through his computer (at newer locations).

Wawa: These stores have some exits away from the cashiers desk, which makes them easier to steal from. Cameras are sometimes monitored, but when the store is busy, they usually aren’t being watched. Cashiers may yell to lifters who have left the store, and will sometimes try for a license plate number. Oftentimes they will leave cartons of cigarettes out on top of the checkout desks. Good place to try to lift smokes, for those of you who use tobacco!

Wegman’s: Easiest grocery store. Despite being a MASSIVE store, cameras are few. Many employees work in the store, but are often too busy to even help regular customers. Someone is always watching the cameras, but the only LP that is always used is managers doing sweeps of the store, or near suspected lifters. Exiting through the market cafe is best, but watch out for employees coming in and out of the catering office. Wegman’s won’t chase (usually), but may call police, and will ban. Wegman’s does a lot of charity work, and if caught, you can sometimes get away by apologizing profusely, and saying you’re hungry and are having trouble feeding your family. They almost always will give you a few small food items and some coupons and let you leave.

Zumiez: Typically doesn’t have cameras, and they are never being monitored. There is usually an employee near the skate stuff near the back room, so pay attention to where they are and where they go. Sales counters are usually far from the door, so you will have extra time to get away if someone notices you. Most hats are tagged, and certain stores will tag shirts, pants, or Herschel bags. Staff won’t chase, and are slow in calling mall security. No LP, except regional managers who will pop in occasionally, or whom are called in. Staff are generally friendly, but are too busy texting and kicking around, so they won’t do much if they suspect you of lifting. They’re supposed to wait until you’ve left the store, and then they will send your description to security.

7-Eleven: Small stores, usually with a few employees. Cameras aren’t being monitored, but the highest ranking employee in the store has access to them. If you’re sealing alcohol they will usually phone the police. They may try to get your license plate number, but they generally won’t do much unless you’re causing a disturbance.

**Please note that individual stores are different. There are many differences between mall stores and freestanding stores. Company policy can be broken, and many times it is. LP’s job is to prevent theft, and they are usually very adamant at doing so.**

This was written by an LP, i merely copied and pasted it. REBLOG AND INFORM

Despite what you may have heard, there is no perfect shoplifting method. You can be caught NO MATTER how you try to steal. A lot of it is the luck of the draw. Is LP in the store? Are they busy with another shoplifter? Are they watching you? There is no way you can be sure. You can be sure however, that you significantly increase your chances of getting yourself caught when:

10)You carry a flat purse or back-pack: Fairly obvious, right? Not only is this an attention grabber, but it also makes the LP Agent’s job much easier. Your bag was flat, and then magically became full right after all the merchandise you were carrying disappeared. Did the LP Agent watch you fill your bag? That does not really matter. The LP Agent did not need to see concealment (See my article: The 6 Steps of Loss Prevention) to confidently make a stop on you. It is fairly obvious. Most LP Agents will make that stop. On top of being obvious, entering a store with an empty bag can also bump your charge from petty theft to burglary.

9)You over-act: You pick up the item you plan on stealing. You begin tapping on it, wiggling it, playing with it, and looking around like everything is cool. Yes, people actually think this works. When you take this approach you are basically telling LP Agents “Hey, I am not going to steal this! Look, I’m playing with it out in the open. I wouldn’t be doing that if I were going to steal it.” Then you steal it. Happens all the time.

8)You under-act: You pick up the item you are going to steal and immediately palm the item, or hold it behind something. You then quickly walk off to the most deserted part of the store. The race is on. The LP Agent knows he needs to get a view of you, either on camera or on the floor to witness the concealment.

7)You are overly friendly: You come in and immediately start chatting with store employees. You’re such a nice person! You would never steal. This will work when trying to deceive regular workers but LP is not falling for it. I have even had employees try to stop me from making an apprehension because they thought I was going to make a bad stop on that “nice” person. When I see someone being overly friendly with cashiers, managers or anybody with a name tag, I immediately become suspicious. They could be a genuinely nice person but nice people steal too.

6)You fail the “scare test”: When I suspect somebody is a shoplifter I will often give them the scare test. This means I will have several people walk past the area where my suspect is looking at items. A normal shopper will pay little to no attention to who is around them. A nervous shoplifter will turn their head at everyone that passes by. Often times they will look them up and down evaluating whether or not they seem like an undercover. When this happens it is a good indicator that I should set up on this person and wait for them to “go”.

5)You are bringing non-clothing items into the fitting room: Some people actually think that if they conceal merchandise in the fitting room that they can not be arrested by Loss Prevention Agents. This is because it eliminates the possibility of the LP Agent’s step # 3. This might work on some LP Agents, but certainly not the one’s that are good at what they do. If I see someone bringing something into the fitting room that is not supposed to be tried on such as DVDs, Jewelry, makeup, etc., they have my full attention until I see them exit the fitting room carrying that merchandise. Believe me, bringing stuff into the fitting room is a false sense of security and it will get you caught.

4)You are leaving an evidence trail: You select the item you want to steal. You are not sure if the item will make the door beep or not so you decide to remove the item from the package. Or maybe you want to pretend the item was already your’s so you rip the tags off. Now you can conceal the item. However, you also need to rid yourself of the package. So you discard it on the shelf, or you hide it behind something. You just made the LP Agents job 95% easier. Maybe they did not see you conceal the item, but they did see you toss something down or hide something. They find the package. Now LP knows what the item is, they know you removed it from the package (this is vandalism and is illegal), and they know you are up to no good. When you walk out of the store, all the LP Agent needs to do is approach you with the empty package and demand that you return the item. They will likely tell you that you are on video opening it (you may or may not be). They will tell you that if you do not return the item you will be charged with vandalism (this trick is likely against their LP policy but it is completely legal). Once you produce the item you are under arrest for theft. It is a lose-lose situation that you created by leaving a trail of packages and tags.

3)You have “shifty” eyes: Everyone knows that you are not supposed to blatantly look for cameras or look around for people when you are going to steal. However, it seems that the majority overcompensates. When you look up to the ceiling and then side to side without moving your head, you have “shifty eyes”. Shifty eyes get shoplifters caught every day. In fact, if I am about to give up on a perspective shoplifter and they shift their eyes, I will watch them until they leave the store, no exceptions.

2)You use two hands: As an LP Agent, nothing catches my eye more than somebody with both hands on the sales shelf. When an honest shopper looks at a product of interest on the sales shelf, they typically take the item in one hand and remove it from the shelf to look at it in the open. When a shoplifter puts both hands on a product and does not remove the object from the shelf it is a DEAD GIVE AWAY that they are opening something. I have caught shoplifters that I otherwise would not have even noticed simply because they used two hands!

1)You just plain look like a shoplifter: You know who you are! This is by far the most common reason people get caught. If you fit the stereotypical profile of someone who would likely shoplift you are likely being watched as an “easy stat”. So if you have 10 facial piercings, and a bright green mohawk, or if you’re just a shady looking character, don’t do it.

PSA TO ALL LIFTERS

Everything people have said before is true

No cameras anywhere, they’re literally against company policy. People steal shit all the time, but we’re always doing things so we never notice. And even if we do, we’re not allowed to confront you because the company doesn’t want a lawsuit.

Someone recently asked me how I get my hauls from Sephora since they’re pretty big in size so I’ve decided to post my updated how-to!

PREP: Before I go into the mall I make sure I have a jacket, different store bag from another store in the mall with a shirt or something in it to look less sus, and look semi nice.

INSIDE: Walk into the mall with your other store bag and your purse on your arm. Just hold your jacket. I walk into Sephora and am usually greeted by an employee. Smile and say “I’m just looking today, thanks” if asked if they can help you. You belong here! You know what you’re doing! Grab a store bag to put what you want in it. I just casually look around with my phone out scrolling through the Sephora app with my list of what I want on it. Don’t spastically move around to a million different aisles. Organize yourself and try not to have to go to the same aisle for more than a couple times. This will cut your time and look like you’re just looking at stuff and wasting time. Also, make sure to check for tags on your products when you first pick them up! If they have a tag, take it off and put it on another product you aren’t taking. When you pick the products you first want up, make sure to look legit interested! Check the price, read the product info, etc.

After I find the products I want and have them in the Sephora bag I find my blind spot. I know where the blind spots are in the Sephora’s I go to, so just find yours or make your own. Watch out for employees and customers! Casually slip the product from the Sephora bag into your other store bag. Do not look around quickly and throw products into the bag. This is the definition of sus and you will get caught. I usually slip more than one product into the bag at a time, like a couple palettes at once or a few lip products at once. Make sure it’s quiet and doesn’t bang around, is not sus, etc. When I’m done I throw my jacket into the bag on top of the products and pretend to answer my phone. I talk like I’m talking to my mom or something. Blah blah, I’m in Sephora, I’m leaving now, blah blah. Put your Sephora bag back with the others and carry on the conversation out the door. If you beep don’t turn around, just go! You’re too busy talking on the phone to notice that the beeper accidentally went off anyway right? Sephora is usually the last store I go to in the mall since I lift so much there so once I’m out of the store I head to the car and gtfo.

AFTER: Leave the store/mall and get to the car. I don’t open anything or mess with anything until I’m away from the mall. If I want a piece of gum from my purse I will get that piece of gum when I’m on the road. I am not going to waste any time on that mall property. Also, I usually won’t come back to that mall/store for another couple months so that’s a plus.

1.) SAs really don’t have training in loss protection. 2.) jewelry is THE highest shrink department; it is always watched in the manager’s office (it’s a pretty obvious cube in a corner of the store) 3.) Managers have cameras in their office they watch through. Usually they don’t pay attention, they’re too busy with paperwork. 4.) there’s no incentives for catching you 5.) bathrooms are unlocked 6.) “security scan all aisles” - it will overhead announce. Dump and leave. Fast. 7.) no LP 8.) yarn is a good blind spot 9.) cashiers can’t touch you, can’t chase you, nothing. We can’t 10.) nothing really has tags, because we couldn’t deactivate at the register. Like there was no magnet to deactivate with.