I'm a store manager for a large retail chain, what do you want to know?

I've seen a ton of post of people asking "how do they catch shoplifters?" or "why do people get caught for shoplifting and others don't?" <br>There's a ton of factors that go on before an shoplifter is caught. <br>First off, yes we do watch you. When you walk into the store we know. <br>We have cameras everywhere, including the parking lot. <br>Why do some people get caught and others don't? <br>Well, it depends on how busy the store is. If its a slow day then the LO is most likely looking at every person that walks in. <br>Once you've been "spotted" we can zoom in on you and watch your very move. <br>Take something and put it in your pocket? <br>We know. <br>Put something in your bag? <br>We know. <br>If you're with someone else and one of you distracts the other to put something in your pocket or bag then you're doing it wrong. <br>It's not hard to tell when someone is working with someone else. <br>It's honestly kind of funny to watch. <br>There are some people that come in on a daily basis and we let them go because we can't afford to lose an employee to sit at the police station all day waiting for them to be processed. <br>There was a man that uses to come in everyday and steel $100worth of stuff each day. <br>We knew exactly who he was and what he was doing. <br>It didn't happen often but sometimes the LO would go in the stock room to do something and the cameras would lag just enough for him to get something and put it away. <br>One day he came in as the LO was driving out. <br>She drove back around and parked on the other side of the building and when she came back in we caught him. <br>Now, about taggint. <br>Those tags are either RF or am. <br>RF are the easier kind to take off by yourself. <br>You can use a strong magnet to get them off. <br>The am are the hard kind. <br>You need one of those devices to get them off. <br>As for the ink... <br>I've been doing this for 10 years and I've seen the ink go from a brownish color to black. <br>You can buy stuff to get the ink off of your clothes. <br>I use LA's totally awesome. <br>Its cheaper and works better than anything else I've found. <br>As for the sensors... <br>We can only set them to look for one kind of tag at a time. <br>If we choose to look for RF then the am won't set it off. <br>We only change what kind of tag the sensors are looking for if we get a lot of shoplifting of the other kind of tag. <br>Most of the time its set for RF. <br>I only change it every 6 months or so. <br>I've never kept track to see if its more effective not to change it. <br>The sensors are based on the color of the tag. <br>RF is usually red and AM is usually blue. <br>I could be wrong about the colors. <br>It's been a few years since I remembers the colors of tags. <br>We can't turn the sensors off. <br>There is a button we can push to move a sensor but it only moves it for 10 seconds. <br>As for EAS. <br>EAS are the stickers you find on some items. <br>EAS are only on certain items. <br>Toilet paper, laundry detergent, ect. <br>We can also buy the EAS tags and put them on anything we want. <br>There's items that you wouldn't think we would put an EAS tag on but we do. <br>We don't always have an LO in the store. <br>Sometimes the LO is home sleeping. <br>I've worked at 3 different stores for this company and only 1 has an LO on site all the time. <br>Sometimes I'll be working and the LO will contact me and let me know they're watching someone. <br>They'll also tell me if they've taken something. <br>If they have then I'll usually go to the door and watch them or go pretend to stock something near where they are. <br>I've dealt with shoplifters for so long that it's just second nature on how to deal with them. <br>When we catch you, just be honest with us. <br>Don't lie. <br>We have all the evidence we need on camera and body cam. <br>We don't need a confession to convict you. <br>Lying just irritates us and we're more likely to let you go with just a ban. <br>When you're honest with us we might let you go with just a ban. <br>I've never caught someone and let them go without even a ban. <br>Loose an employee for the day and possibly have to pay for someone to be off work. <br>Hell no, im going to get something out of you. <br>If you're with someone then we will hold you and make you tell us the truth. <br>I've had people say "im not telling you anything" and ill say "then you're not leaving until you tell me the truth" <br>They'll keep saying no and I'll keep saying you're not leaving. <br>I've only had 1 person not to tell me the truth even though they knew I wasn't bluffing. <br>I kept her at the store for almost 5 hours until she told me the truth. <br>You don't scare me bitch. <br>I've only had 1 person ask for a lawyer. <br>I pulled her aside and told her "you're not in trouble enough for a lawyer. <br>If you want one you can wait until the police get here." <br>She said okay and never mentioned a lawyer again. <br>Don't fight when we catch you. <br>That's just fucked up and you're honestly a piece of shit if you think thats okay. <br>That's assault and you will be charged with more. <br>Do NOT try to run. <br>I've had people try to run and I've chased them down. <br>I've had people get in their car and try to leave and I've stood in front of their car and took pictures of their tag. <br>Don't try to bribe us. <br>We don't care if you're offering us $100. <br>We don't care if you're offering to clean the stock room for a month. <br>I've had people try to trade their underwear for letting them go. <br>Oh hell no. <br>I'm not stupid enough to take your dirty underwear. <br>And I'm definitely not going to touch any of you. <br>Gross. <br>Don't try to play dumb. <br>We don't care how "dumb" you play it out to be. <br>We have the evidence. <br>I don't give a shit if you say you "forgot". <br>That's bullshit and everyone knows it. <br>If you do actually forget (which doesn't happen) then you will stop and pay when you realize it. <br>Don't play dumb with me. <br>Im not stupid enough to believe you. <br><br>Edit: <br>Oh my god... I didn't expect this many responses. <br>Yes, I've caught family and friends. <br>No, im not confrontation. <br>I'm actually very quiet. <br>I work best alone. <br>When I confront a thief I'm not yelling. <br>I'm actually very calm and quiet. <br>I don't cuss people out. <br>I'm very nice and respectful but also very firm. <br>I've had people ask me if im mad at them. <br>Im not mad at you, im just doing my job. <br>The police have never gotten mad at me for not letting someone go. <br>They're here for a job and im doing mine. <br>I don't care if you're stealing food. <br>I have no control over what gets sent to the police. <br>If we catch you then you're going to jail. <br>I'm not paid enough to let you go. <br>I've only had 2 people get let go by the police. <br>One was a kid that took some candy and the other was a man that took some eye medicine for his wife. <br>I've never let a kid go. <br>I've also never caught a kid. <br>Shoplifting is a felony charge where I am. <br>Some places it's a misdemeanor.