Crime Prevention Seminar 2011

1. Crime Prevention Seminar2011 Robert C. Devine Executive Officer Stoughton Police Department

2. Crime Prevention Triangle

3. Break-Ins and Burglary • Reduce opportunities • Doors and locks • Windows • Exterior entrances • Increase risk of being caught • Lighting • Alarms • Surveillance • Reduce expected rewards • Property marking • Target removal

4. Beware of Re-victimization • Inform other businesses in the area of what happened because they are also at risk. • Keep an eye out for suspicious behavior. • Follow a routine to make sure the building is properly secured. • Notify the police of the incident. • Police “Text a tip”

5. Employee Theft • Don’t hire thieves in the first place • Always perform background checks • Consider dishonesty tests • Interview more than once

6. Theft at Point of Sale • Cash registers are vulnerable areas in many stores. Dishonest employees can steal from you quite easily unless you know the signs and how to prevent this kind of theft. • 1) Watch out for loose change, match sticks, or bits of paper with markings on them around the cash register area. These are often used by cashiers to help them remember the amount of extra money in the till that is to be pocketed later. For example, a nickel means five dollars, a penny one dollar, and so on. When questioned about the loose change, the cashier can simply say a customer forgot her change. Match sticks or bits of paper can be dismissed by cashiers as trash. • 2) Be extra suspicious of cashiers who keep a small calculator close to the cash register. • 3) Make sure customers can see the amount rung up on the cash register. If the display is turned away from their view or is covered, this could mean the cashier is under-ringing purchases in order to pocket the money later. • 4) Look out for an excessive number of "NO SALES." These can be used as a way of opening up the cash drawer when there is no one around to take out money and pocket it. • 5) Also watch out for an excessive number of "VOIDS." This could mean the cashier is canceling sales that actually occurred in order to pocket that amount of money.

7. Refunds • 1. People steal merchandise from the business and then return them for a refund (either to the business from where they took the item, or to any other participating stores). • 2. Staff members keep the receipts from previous sales and use them to process refunds later on (usually cash, but sometimes credit card). • 3. People buy merchandise at sale prices and then return them for a full-priced refund at a later date. • 4. People buy products or merchandise from the business, use them, and then return them for a refund.

8. Sales Floor • Wander around, apparently aimlessly? • Go into the staff lounge area when it isn't their assigned break time? • Socialize with employees in other areas when they are supposed to be working? • Bring their bags or purses out into the sales area?

9. Robbery • Late Hours • If a business is open late there is a wider range of time in which it could be robbed. • Late at night there are fewer people around, so a robber has less chance of being identified or caught. • One Clerk • Businesses with only one clerk are at a greater risk for robbery, especially at night • Cash or Valuable Merchandise • The most desirable target for a robber is cash. • A business with large amounts of cash around is a desirable target. • If the business sells products that are valuable and can easily be resold then they are also a likely target

10. Robbery Prevention • Take extra precautions when opening and closing a business • Don’t make drops part of a routine • Watch for suspicious “customers” • Greet all customers • Encourage non-cash transactions • Maintain as little cash on site as possible • Use a drop safe • Hang signs detailing that very little cash is in registers • Do NOT obstruct view into the store with posters, etc. • Keep business well lit • Place register in strategic position, elevate if possible • Use one entry and exit

11. Shoplifting • Dress- • Heavy clothes in summer • No coat in winter • Worn clothes • No shoes • Act- • Come in pairs • Take quick glances • Little interest in items asked about • Nervous, flushed • Hold quick conversations with others • Move- • Leave area of store quickly • Walk funny (hands down, etc.) • Walk behind sales counter • Move quickly to fitting rooms • Carry- • are carrying wrinkled or dirty bags • take a lot of garments into the fitting room • are carrying a large open purse • are carrying cash in their hands Be very wary of

12. Shoplifting Watch more carefully Dress- Baggy clothes Act- Don’t seem to know what they want Move- Walking in an unusual way Have a baby stroller Roaming aimlessly Go into bathroom Carry- Bags, bundles, boxes, coat over arm, briefcase, newspaper, arm in sling

13. Shoplifting Don’t worry so much about Dress- Dressed for weather Tight fitting clothing Act- Paying attention to nothing but merchandise Come in alone and ask for help Move- Carry- Aren’t carrying anything

14. Remember • Look at how people dress, act, and move, and what they carry,NOT their age, sex, or skin color

15. DOs DON'Ts • Be friendly and helpful to customers • Keep displays and work areas tidy • Pick up fallen clothing and hangers often • Keep the fitting rooms locked (or monitor them very closely) • Check the fitting rooms often for clothing, hangers, and ripped-off price tags • Spend a lot of time talking to other employees and not paying attention to the customers • Attempt to catch a shoplifter after he or she has left the store (unless you are specially trained for this) What Employees can do

16. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design • As mentioned, make things visible (lighting, obstructions) • Cut back shrubs, use only short thorny types • Find blind spots in your business and compensate for them (cameras, mirrors) • Make sure your equipment is effective (banks, low cameras) • Elevation • Shelves that can be seen over • Keep expensive merchandise at the back of the store • One way in and out / vestibules

17. Scams • Always changing • Phishing • ID Theft • Theft of Internet services • Pranks • Latest

18. If Victimized • Call PD Immediately • Try to observe anything (description, vehicle, etc.) • Plate numbers key • Use your equipment • Don’t be hero, be a good live witness