Taking Care of Our Valued Shoplifters

[ShinyGreenApple]

At my store, there are two ladies who are well known for trying to lift stuff from us. They frequent the store at least once a week and LOVE the self-check registers (Gee, I wonder why). Early one Saturday morning, I'm standing at the self-check pay station on the GM side when my phone rings. It's the cashier working the self check on the grocery side. She warns me that said bandits are in the store and will probably come to my side since they know she watches them and probably don't want to mess with her. Another cashier, we'll call her "Jan", comes to give me my break, and I warn her about what I've been told. Sure enough, I come back from break, and she's standing about 18 inches away from one of the registers with a big grin on her face. They're heeere! "Esther" who was working one of the speedy checkouts, has also taken interest in said "customers" and is helping us out. The bandits are not happy. Their method is to pick up those big 22qt tubs and fill them with merchandise, ring up the tubs, and waltz out the door. Or they'll ring something up, bag it, remove the bag, and then turn their back and stuff the thing full with other items. And they don't like being watched. We recieved lots of nice comments. . .

"You don't need to watch me!"
"You can stop lookin' at me now!"
"Whatchyou lookin' at? Bitch. . ."

Ugh. Then they discover that somehow in all their commotion, oh, dear, their bread has somehow gotten smashed and they want Jan to go get them another one, which she quite happily (haha) agrees to do. Bandits are not happy that Esther and I do not accompany Jan on the long, dangerous trip to the bread isle. I really don't like they way they're trying to intimidate me, so I start randomly walking around, collecting returns, etc.

"Hey. Hey WHERE are you goin'? What about mah bread?"

Me: "Oh, she went to go get you some, she'll be right along!" All the time with that big dumb 'happy to wait on you' grin stuck on my face.

While waiting on Jan to return with the bread, they find a reason to walk round behind Esther's register, not speaking directly to her, but making sure she heard their comments about not knowing "What that mofo bitch's problem is". No, they did not say "Mofo". I'm cleaning this up for sake of being on the safe side. They stopped by the pay station and gave me the same lovely name. Apparently, Jan had already been dubbed while I was on break. Jan returns with bread, which I later learned, she simply took a walk and brought them back the loaf that was smashed.

I love Saturdays!

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I sincerely hope they get busted soon.

[Anakah]

I may sound kind of ignorant but why exactly are there self-check outs? Didn't they think of the possiblity that stealing would be the number one thing that would totally screw that system? And exactly how does it work? Debit only? I don't think we have it out here. I've only been helped by cashiers...
Okay, quite honestly I don't know how they work and I'm curious.

[leaping_baby]

I may sound kind of ignorant but why exactly are there self-check outs? Didn't they think of the possiblity that stealing would be the number one thing that would totally screw that system? And exactly how does it work? Debit only? I don't think we have it out here. I've only been helped by cashiers...
Okay, quite honestly I don't know how they work and I'm curious.

Well, self-checkouts are a lot more complicated - but that's kind of known information.

You can your item, wipe it on a little mat next to the scanner (to make sure that whatever you have it not security deviced), and then you place it on the space made availabe. This space, that you put your items on, are also scales. So you cannot ring your next item until you put it on the scale. The scale weighs it saying, "Yes, that's the item" (metaphorically speaking), and then your screen clears and you move on to the next item. We also have security alarms at the end of the self-checkout. So if there's anything that you might have stolen, it will go off and our self-checkout-on-duty will check your reciept, or take off the tags, etc.

The people that work self check-outs also has a screen that shows all four of the customers items. So they always know whos buying what.

[Worker-Intellectual]

They called you a bitch, mofo bitch, give the cashiers all sorts of attitude, and try to steal stuff every week...

...and they still aren't banned?

[Becks]

They called you a bitch, mofo bitch, give the cashiers all sorts of attitude, and try to steal stuff every week...

...and they still aren't banned?

I share the quoted incredulity.

Honestly, what does a person have to do to be banned from your store?

[phillippbo]

I share the quoted incredulity.

Honestly, what does a person have to do to be banned from your store?

If it's anything like the stores I've worked, there really isn't much they can do to get banned. After all, until they've actually burned the store to the ground, they're "valued customers"...

[XCashier]

Their method is to pick up those big 22qt tubs and fill them with merchandise, ring up the tubs, and waltz out the door.

Doesn't the scale register the weight discrepancy? Or do your self-checks have scales?

I agree, these two hags should be banned. I wish stores weren't such pathetic customer asskissers, and would ban those who deserve it (shoplifters, scam artists, violent customers, etc.)

[hawkchick11]

I know that the self checkouts at Walmart are set up so large items you can hit the skip bagging button and just stick your item directly in the cart.

[Lehk]

I know that the self checkouts at Walmart are set up so large items you can hit the skip bagging button and just stick your item directly in the cart.

i would have to assume this brings up some kind of indicator on the attendant screen, which would have to be acknowledged before the sale can finish.

[Kogarashi]

i would have to assume this brings up some kind of indicator on the attendant screen, which would have to be acknowledged before the sale can finish.

Unfortunately, no. All it does is show "Item not bagged." It's generally a good idea to look up to see what sort of item is not bagged (like a fishing rod or a bag of dog food, for instance), but not all cashiers pay attention.

[Tito]

Their shoplifting experience was ruined? Quick, check PFB!

[dispatch]

it's amazing what some people get out of stores, my father has told mne horror stories of shoplifters walikng out of stores with 20" TVs clutched between their thighs and a guy I worked with at a warehouse told me that the whole fad of "gangstas" wearing coats several sizes too big was started because it made shoplifting easier.
a freind of mine once baffled the loss prevention department at her store (and everyone else) when she found an industrial sized muffler, a good 4 feet long, had been stolen out from under EVERYONE, all that was left was the box

[Argabarga]

It's possible someone just unboxed it, tucked it under their arm, and walked out with it, sometimes, nobody questions you if you look like you know what you're doing, even if at the same time, there's somthing that isn't quite right about it all.

I guess too many folks think that thieves stand out somehow, like they wear striped shirts, tiny Lone Ranger masks, and carry around burlap sacks with "$" printed on the side.

[JustaCashier]

You had to know this was coming......

"Is that a muffler in your pants, or are you just happy to see me?"


Mike