I’m ex-Macy’s security guard – we always know when shoppers steal for two reasons, it’s the fastest way to catch thieves

A FORMER Macy’s security guard has warned that staffers know when shoppers are trying to steal goods.

Theft has become a major problem for retailers and stores have resorted to issuing a range of measures designed to combat it.

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Edward Mighetto (@somighetto) has said there are two obvious ways stores can catch thieves.

One is when shoppers are caught fiddling with tags.

He said it’s the “fastest way” staffers can catch suspected shoplifters.

Mighetto has also said that store workers can monitor thieves’ behavior by watching surveillance footage.

Surveillance cameras are just one of the tactics used by stores to try and combat theft.

Organized retail crime has become an issue for retailers across the US.

Mark Mathews, the vice president for research development and industry analysis at the National Retail Federation, described organized retail crime as a “burgeoning threat.”

He warned: “These highly sophisticated criminal rings jeopardize employee and customer safety and disrupt store operations.”

Last September, the NRF revealed that shrinkage costs retailers $94billion.

Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette warned that organized retail crime is growing in many parts of the US.

He said: “These are crime levels we haven’t seen before.”

Gennette said department stores are now using radio frequency ID tags so staffers can better monitor stock levels.

The company is also hiring more security personnel for stores and securing high-end brands with locked cables and censors.

Meanwhile, Target CEO Brian Cornell warned that the impact of shrinkage is putting huge pressure on the company’s finances. 

In an earnings call earlier this month, Cornell warned: “The unfortunate fact is, violent incidents are increasing at our stores and across the entire retail industry.

“And when products are stolen, simply put, they’re no longer available for guests who depend on them.

“And left unchecked, theft and organized retail crime degrade the communities we call home.”

Cornell has also alluded to some of the measures that the popular chain is taking, ranging from installing more fixtures to protect goods and “adjusting assortment” in affected stores.

Richard McPhail, the chief financial officer of Home Depot, has also lamented the surge in organized crime.

CRIME SPIKING

He told CNBC: “The country has a retail theft problem.” 

In March, Home Depot’s vice president of asset protection, Scott Glenn, told CNBC that crime was spiking into the double digits.

He said: “I can tell you that in our world, we know that crime is increasing. We see it every day in our stores.”

Macy’s, Target, and Home Depot are not the only chains impacted by crime.

Walmart has introduced a range of measures that are designed to deter shoplifters.

Goods such as coffee machines and blood glucose strip tests have been wrapped in spider wrap, beauty items have been stored in cabinets, and Walmart staffers monitor self-checkout lines for any suspicious behavior.

A head cashier, known only as James, told The Guardian he felt like a predator when monitoring for theft at his store in Washington state.