How do you get caught stealing from a grocery store?

acemcmac

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
13,712
1
0
Just got my police scanner reconfigured for my new neighborhood. What a retard. He even waited in the store's office politley for 20 minutes while the police showed up to arrest him :confused:
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
1,997
126
Shoplifters are not usually armed felons. They don't escape in a barrage of gunfire and most are pretty easy to catch. An employee sees them, a couple of employees detain them and they have no choice but to wait for the cops to show up. Most realize that the penalties are not that severe, but fighting with the employees to try to get away makes things a lot worse. Our stores catch hundreds every year.
 

Trevelyan

Diamond Member
Dec 10, 2000
4,077
0
71
Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Shoplifters are not usually armed felons. They don't escape in a barrage of gunfire and most are pretty easy to catch. An employee sees them, a couple of employees detain them and they have no choice but to wait for the cops to show up. Most realize that the penalties are not that severe, but fighting with the employees to try to get away makes things a lot worse. Our stores catch hundreds every year.

Yeah except the store employees can't legally detain the "alleged" shoplifter...
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
1,997
126
Originally posted by: Trevelyan
Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Shoplifters are not usually armed felons. They don't escape in a barrage of gunfire and most are pretty easy to catch. An employee sees them, a couple of employees detain them and they have no choice but to wait for the cops to show up. Most realize that the penalties are not that severe, but fighting with the employees to try to get away makes things a lot worse. Our stores catch hundreds every year.

Yeah except the store employees can't legally detain the "alleged" shoplifter...


WRONG-O. Attempt to educate yourself. Retailers have a right to use reasonable force to detain and search shoplifters if they have probable cause to believe they're stealing. Contrary to the beliefs of misguided forum denizens who spout off on subjects they don't understand in many jurisdictions they don't even have to wait for the shoplifter to attempt to leave the premises. If an employee sees a person conceal an item like they're going to steal it that's plenty of evidence for the employees to tackle the thief and hold him for the police. In ALL jurisdictions it's completely legal to stop shoplifters as they attempt to leave.
 

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Some stores also have 'undercover' security. The store I used to work for did - they'd work a day or two a week. They caught plenty of people, too.
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
1,997
126
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Some stores also have 'undercover' security. The store I used to work for did - they'd work a day or two a week. They caught plenty of people, too.


Undercover security actually does a fairly poor job of things in grocery stores. It's a lot more effective in other types of stores. The best defense is simply training the employees in loss prevention. After a while you can easily spot potential shoplifters if you're taught what to look for and pay attention. All our stores have security people and banks of cameras, but most of the people we catch are spotted by the employees on the floor of the store. The cameras are almost always used as evidence to prosecute, they're rarely caught by people watching the video.
 

acemcmac

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
13,712
1
0
SCANNING LEGALLY
Your scanner covers frequencies used by many different
groups including police and fire departments, ambulance
services, government agencies, private
companies, amateur radio services, military operations,
pager services, and wireline (telephone and telegraph)
service providers. It is legal to listen to almost
every transmission your scanner can receive. However,
there are some transmissions you should never intentionally
listen to. These include:
? telephone conversations (cellular, cordless, or
other private means of telephone signal transmission)
? pager transmissions
? any scrambled or encrypted transmissions
According to the Electronic Communications Privacy
Act (ECPA), as amended, you are subject to fines and
possible imprisonment for intentionally listening to, using,
or divulging the contents of such a transmission
unless you have the consent of a party to the communication
(unless such activity is otherwise illegal).

This scanner is designed to prevent reception of illegal
transmissions, in compliance with the law which requires
that scanners be manufactured in such a way as
to not be easily modifiable to pick up those transmissions.
Do not open your scanner's case to make any
modifications that could allow it to pick up transmissions
that it is not legal to listen to. Doing so could subject
you to legal penalties.

We encourage responsible, legal scanner use.

Learn your rights ATOT!!!
 
Jun 4, 2005
19,723
1
0
I've got some computers, tv's, dvd players, etc, stacked in the backroom, and the camera is blocked by other boxes. I could walk out the employee exit and no one would know. -_-
 

preslove

Lifer
Sep 10, 2003
16,754
64
91
Originally posted by: LoKe
I've got some computers, tv's, dvd players, etc, stacked in the backroom, and the camera is blocked by other boxes. I could walk out the employee exit and no one would know. -_-

:confused:
 
Jun 4, 2005
19,723
1
0
Originally posted by: preslove
Originally posted by: LoKe
I've got some computers, tv's, dvd players, etc, stacked in the backroom, and the camera is blocked by other boxes. I could walk out the employee exit and no one would know. -_-

:confused:

I work in a grocery store. ;)
 

Reckoner

Lifer
Jun 11, 2004
10,851
1
81
Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Originally posted by: Trevelyan
Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Shoplifters are not usually armed felons. They don't escape in a barrage of gunfire and most are pretty easy to catch. An employee sees them, a couple of employees detain them and they have no choice but to wait for the cops to show up. Most realize that the penalties are not that severe, but fighting with the employees to try to get away makes things a lot worse. Our stores catch hundreds every year.

Yeah except the store employees can't legally detain the "alleged" shoplifter...


WRONG-O. Attempt to educate yourself. Retailers have a right to use reasonable force to detain and search shoplifters if they have probable cause to believe they're stealing. Contrary to the beliefs of misguided forum denizens who spout off on subjects they don't understand in many jurisdictions they don't even have to wait for the shoplifter to attempt to leave the premises. If an employee sees a person conceal an item like they're going to steal it that's plenty of evidence for the employees to tackle the thief and hold him for the police. In ALL jurisdictions it's completely legal to stop shoplifters as they attempt to leave.

You shouldn't make blanket statements like that. It all depends on your state's laws. In some states, you can be held liable for false imprisonment for holding someone in that scenario.

 

theknight571

Platinum Member
Mar 23, 2001
2,896
2
81
The store I worked at when I was in college had undercover security that would rotate between the local "branches" so they weren't at one store the entire week.

They worked in conjunction with security in the back that watched the entire store via camera, and would radio out when they saw/suspected someone.

We got a little training in loss prevention... but not much.

They cought pleanty of shoplifters...
 

BrownTown

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
5,314
1
0
IF you want to shoplift the chances fo getting caught are still pretty darn low. Even if your caught on camera or seen by 20 people if you get out of the store theres no way they are gonna be able to track you down. Of course its still probably not worth it since eventually you will likely get caught. Also, if you shoplift expensive stuff then the cahnces of getting caught are much higher since peopel might actually try to track you down.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
Originally posted by: JS80
Is what you're doing legal?

why wouldnt it be?

its fine. only time i think you can get in trouble is if you are useing the scann while doing a crime.
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
1,997
126
Originally posted by: PaulNEPats
Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Originally posted by: Trevelyan
Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Shoplifters are not usually armed felons. They don't escape in a barrage of gunfire and most are pretty easy to catch. An employee sees them, a couple of employees detain them and they have no choice but to wait for the cops to show up. Most realize that the penalties are not that severe, but fighting with the employees to try to get away makes things a lot worse. Our stores catch hundreds every year.

Yeah except the store employees can't legally detain the "alleged" shoplifter...


WRONG-O. Attempt to educate yourself. Retailers have a right to use reasonable force to detain and search shoplifters if they have probable cause to believe they're stealing. Contrary to the beliefs of misguided forum denizens who spout off on subjects they don't understand in many jurisdictions they don't even have to wait for the shoplifter to attempt to leave the premises. If an employee sees a person conceal an item like they're going to steal it that's plenty of evidence for the employees to tackle the thief and hold him for the police. In ALL jurisdictions it's completely legal to stop shoplifters as they attempt to leave.

You shouldn't make blanket statements like that. It all depends on your state's laws. In some states, you can be held liable for false imprisonment for holding someone in that scenario.


Again, WRONG-O. You will certainly be held accountable if you hold an innocent person. You will NOT be held liable for holding a guilty person in any jurisdiction I've encountered and as I'm in the business I've encountered most of them. A blanket statement is fine if it's true. Can you find a single jurisdiction anywhere in the US where it's false?
 

daveymark

Lifer
Sep 15, 2003
10,573
1
0
Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Originally posted by: PaulNEPats
Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Originally posted by: Trevelyan
Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Shoplifters are not usually armed felons. They don't escape in a barrage of gunfire and most are pretty easy to catch. An employee sees them, a couple of employees detain them and they have no choice but to wait for the cops to show up. Most realize that the penalties are not that severe, but fighting with the employees to try to get away makes things a lot worse. Our stores catch hundreds every year.

Yeah except the store employees can't legally detain the "alleged" shoplifter...


WRONG-O. Attempt to educate yourself. Retailers have a right to use reasonable force to detain and search shoplifters if they have probable cause to believe they're stealing. Contrary to the beliefs of misguided forum denizens who spout off on subjects they don't understand in many jurisdictions they don't even have to wait for the shoplifter to attempt to leave the premises. If an employee sees a person conceal an item like they're going to steal it that's plenty of evidence for the employees to tackle the thief and hold him for the police. In ALL jurisdictions it's completely legal to stop shoplifters as they attempt to leave.

You shouldn't make blanket statements like that. It all depends on your state's laws. In some states, you can be held liable for false imprisonment for holding someone in that scenario.


Again, WRONG-O. You will certainly be held accountable if you hold an innocent person. You will NOT be held liable for holding a guilty person in any jurisdiction I've encountered and as I'm in the business I've encountered most of them. A blanket statement is fine if it's true. Can you find a single jurisdiction anywhere in the US where it's false?

my g/f works for a major retailer in management. LP is told they are not allowed to touch the shoplifters if the shoplifters decide to flee. The best they can do is get the offender's description, make and model of car. license plate etc. and then call the police.

This has more to do with the policy of the store and less to do with the actul law.

YMMV for your local retailer.
 

garkon

Senior member
Aug 13, 2004
608
1
76
i remember when i was a kid(about 10-11), a friend and i went into the local k-mart. He decides that he wants to steal some video games, i wasent involved, i.e. i didn't want to take anything, i left the store and waited for him. He comes out of the store, and we're scott free, we start skating away, he's on a skateboard, i'm on rollar blades. Bout three seconds of skateing away from the store, and bam, security guard snatches my friend off his skateboard, skateboard still rolling(lol, was pretty funny looking now that i look back on it) They took him into the back room and showed him stealing the games from like 20 different angles. Whats this have to do with anything, well, guess in my area they have to wait for you to walk out of the store to detain you, as he was in the store for like ten minutes.
 
Jun 18, 2000
11,192
765
126
Originally posted by: garkon
i remember when i was a kid(about 10-11), a friend and i went into the local k-mart. He decides that he wants to steal some video games, i wasent involved, i.e. i didn't want to take anything, i left the store and waited for him. He comes out of the store, and we're scott free, we start skating away, he's on a skateboard, i'm on rollar blades. Bout three seconds of skateing away from the store, and bam, security guard snatches my friend off his skateboard, skateboard still rolling(lol, was pretty funny looking now that i look back on it) They took him into the back room and showed him stealing the games from like 20 different angles. Whats this have to do with anything, well, guess in my area they have to wait for you to walk out of the store to detain you, as he was in the store for like ten minutes.
Wasn't that an episode of the Simpsons?:confused:
 

dainthomas

Lifer
Dec 7, 2004
14,850
3,805
136
Originally posted by: KnightBreed
Originally posted by: garkon
i remember when i was a kid(about 10-11), a friend and i went into the local k-mart. He decides that he wants to steal some video games, i wasent involved, i.e. i didn't want to take anything, i left the store and waited for him. He comes out of the store, and we're scott free, we start skating away, he's on a skateboard, i'm on rollar blades. Bout three seconds of skateing away from the store, and bam, security guard snatches my friend off his skateboard, skateboard still rolling(lol, was pretty funny looking now that i look back on it) They took him into the back room and showed him stealing the games from like 20 different angles. Whats this have to do with anything, well, guess in my area they have to wait for you to walk out of the store to detain you, as he was in the store for like ten minutes.
Wasn't that an episode of the Simpsons?:confused:

Everything was an episode of the Simpsons.

 

RGUN

Golden Member
Dec 11, 2005
1,007
3
76
Originally posted by: KnightBreed
Originally posted by: garkon
i remember when i was a kid(about 10-11), a friend and i went into the local k-mart. He decides that he wants to steal some video games, i wasent involved, i.e. i didn't want to take anything, i left the store and waited for him. He comes out of the store, and we're scott free, we start skating away, he's on a skateboard, i'm on rollar blades. Bout three seconds of skateing away from the store, and bam, security guard snatches my friend off his skateboard, skateboard still rolling(lol, was pretty funny looking now that i look back on it) They took him into the back room and showed him stealing the games from like 20 different angles. Whats this have to do with anything, well, guess in my area they have to wait for you to walk out of the store to detain you, as he was in the store for like ten minutes.
Wasn't that an episode of the Simpsons?:confused:

Thrillhouse!!!!!

 

BrownTown

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
5,314
1
0
Look, I have shoplifted stuff before when I was a stupid kid, and i'm sure I'm not the only one here. Personally I never got caught, and really I guess I jsut find it hard to beliefe that the chances of getting cauight are all that high based on my personal experience. If someone had coem up and accused my I woulda jsut ran off and so what if they have a video of me stealing stuff, there are 50,000 other kids my age it coulda been, they couldnt ever trakc me down.