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  • #1

    Grab 'n' Go

    ...is not the way most people shop.

    The way my old store was set up, the jewelry counter and purses were right by the main door. Two doors, one on each side of the service desk. It was about 15 minutes to closing one night; I was working jewelry. So at this point, I'm windexing the glass, getting the sheets out to cover the displays, closing the register, etc.

    Two young girls (16-ish) were hovering around the front door with LARGE armloads of merchandise. Baby clothes, junior clothes, sunglasses, men's accessories, just as if they were grabbing anything and piling it on. While one kept watch at the front door, another loaded up some Coach and Dooney & Burke purses. I'm trying to keep an eye on these two without them noticing me, but they do.

    SC: "Whatchu lookin' at!"
    Me: derrrr....um, nothing (I'm VERY non-confrontational)
    SC: "You think we is pretty?!? Stop staring!"

    I notice that the AM/MOD is hovering around one of the doors, and I'm guessing she's talking to LP. I give her a glance and she motions for me to get out of Dodge, which I'm all too happy to do. (There wasn't any jewelry out in the open at this point).

    So I grab a rack from the fitting room to run back when I hear "F*&K"!!! Followed by the beeping of our door sensors. Yep, the geniuses made a run for it. They were just waiting for their ride. AM called mall security, who were nearly run over by the getaway car. They got the license plate number and called the police.

    I offered to give the police a description, I got a really good look at both of them, but AM told me they had them on tape. AM also let all of us go on time, while she stayed with the cops for a while. She estimated they got away with $2000 of merchandise.

    I have no idea what happened after that, but I was just I had been working for that chain for nearly 18 months, and had seen a lot of scams, but I'd never seen a blatant grab and run like that. There are probably a thousand different and better ways I could've reacted, but...I was scared! I'm rather short, and these girls were practically Amazons. I'm really surprised our AM didn't lock the doors but...oh well....
    "Even arms dealers need groceries." ~ Ziva David, NCIS

    Tony: "Everyone's counting on you, just do what you do best."
    Abby: "Dance?" ~ NCIS
    Tags: None
  • #2
    They actually left their Coach and Dooney and Burke bags out for them to grab? Thats kind of asking for it. Every store I've been to has them in cases.

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    • #3
      One of the boldest moves I've ever heard of anybody making happened to my dad. He was working at a gas station/repair shop. When he got on the clock he noticed a guy sitting at the bus stop at the corner of the property reading a book. Nothing out of the ordinary except that he sat there even though 3 buses stopped for him. The evening mechanic, who came in at the same time as my dad, finished up an oil change on a 68 Jaguar XKE that the daytime mechanic started. As soon as the car was parked outside, the guy from the bus stop came in wanting to pay for his service. Dad pulled the repair order, the guy paid cash, grabbed the keys and left. He understood then why this guy let three buses pass. It suddenly made sense why he had been reading a book and letting the buses pass. Except that...

      You got it. It wasn't his car. He (the thief) got the car for about $10. About 2 hours later the real owner showed up looking for his Jag and when he found out that Dad gave his car to the thief, he went ballistic. He called the cops. My dad had a hard time convincing the cops that he hadn't arranged for it to be stolen. If it weren't for the owner of the station showing the cops that neither my dad nor the night mechanic were there when the car was dropped off, he might have gotten in big trouble. This was in 1969.
      Last edited by bigjimaz; 03-03-2008, 08:52 AM.
      This isn't an office. It's Hell with fluorescent lighting.

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      • #4
        Our AM-Merchandise was completely incompetent.....
        "Even arms dealers need groceries." ~ Ziva David, NCIS

        Tony: "Everyone's counting on you, just do what you do best."
        Abby: "Dance?" ~ NCIS

        Comment

        • #5
          I'm sorry, but any place that puts the most expensive items near the door deserves it, I think.

          HOWEVER, they were beyond stupid to stand there more than long enough for you to see what they were up to.
          Unseen but seeing
          oh dear, now they're masquerading as sane-KiaKat
          There isn't enough interpretive dance in the workplace these days-Irv
          3rd shift needs love, too
          RIP, mo bhrionglóid

          Comment

          • #6
            My boyfriend used to work at HHGregg (electronics and appliances) and told me one day they had a plasma TV stolen. Apparently some guy came in, walked to the back of the store where the TV's were (straight shot from the door) and picked up a display TV and walked out the door with it.

            I probably would have voted to let the guy keep the thing! lol. Being bold enough to do something like that and the employees not even saying anything about it...
            "What size can I get you, ma'am?"
            "Red."
            "Okay...I'll check the red for you, but what size do you need?"
            "RED!"
            "..."

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            • #7
              Quoth AdminAssistant View Post
              I had been working for that chain for nearly 18 months, and had seen a lot of scams, but I'd never seen a blatant grab and run like that.

              Work in my store for awhile. It's a Wallyworld grocery store and quite a few times a week people will walk right out the front door with literally a cartload of groceries. We've had guys walk behind customer service, grab a pack of cigs and run out the door. We also have the soda fountain/donuts (funnily enough called the "Grab n go station") right by the dang front door. MANY people walk in, help themselves and walk right out. I'm surprised my store makes any profit considering we seem to be shoplifter central. Sometimes we have enough staff to man the front doors, but they usually put the eldest person they can there as it's not supposed to be stressful. Somebody intent on stealing things isn't going to let a senior citizen stop them.

              Funny thing about the cartload of groceries, these people seem to live within walking distance or at least they parked their car out site of the store but close enough to walk to it. My CSM/A.M's have been able to stop a few people by running and catching up to them. Then usually the people ditch the cart and run.

              Then there's out crack LP officer, standing by self check, reading a magazine or chatting, stating he HAS to stand by self check because, according to him, most of the theft happens there. No, idiot, most of the theft is happening right at the front door!
              "Not only do I not know what's going on, I wouldn't know what to do about it if I did."
              George Carlin

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              • #8
                The suits at my company have pulled some similar boners.

                One year they called for PS2s to be put on an endcap in electronics, instead of in lockup where they usually were. Store manager asked if it would be okay to leave them in lockup and was told no, PS2s are a hot item and we want them front and center, just put spider wraps on them.

                Of course a bunch of PS2s then go walking out the door, after the thieves first take them to one of the several blind areas in the store and cut off the spider wraps.

                Then this last Christmas corporate had us set up a "gift giving" aisle of electronics gift items. Included in this were several PS2s bundles (game system, one controller, game, and maybe a t-shirt or something). Corporate had us secure them with special spider wraps that sound an alarm if they are cut.

                Problem solved, right? Right? WRONG! The bundles were packaged in cheap, thin, flimsy cardboard boxes that could easily be torn apart to get at the stuff inside without disturbing the spider wrap and setting off the alarm. Which of course was not lost on the thieves. It was common for us to find scraps of cardboard boxes and still-fastened spider tags stuffed in the corner in Sporting Goods.

                Not to mention this was a mind-numbingly stupid idea because if you wanted to buy an item from this aisle, you had to walk across the store to electronics to find somebody to take off the spider wrap or unlock the peghook for you.

                If corporate decides to repeat this amazing display of real-life stupid next Christmas, they should at least put this stuff near electronics. But....


                If it makes sense, it's not allowed
                Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Study hard. Be evil.

                "I never said I wasn't a horrible person."--Me, almost daily

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                • #9
                  Quoth Whyme View Post

                  Then there's out crack LP officer, standing by self check, reading a magazine or chatting, stating he HAS to stand by self check because, according to him, most of the theft happens there. No, idiot, most of the theft is happening right at the front door!
                  ugh, LP.....that's a rant for a different time and place. Suffice to say the guy at this store thought he was some kind of super spy. He was a pretty cool guy, and regularly bought us all pizza , but not super efficient at the job.
                  "Even arms dealers need groceries." ~ Ziva David, NCIS

                  Tony: "Everyone's counting on you, just do what you do best."
                  Abby: "Dance?" ~ NCIS

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Quoth Irving Patrick Freleigh View Post
                    If it makes sense, it's not allowed

                    I think that was the company motto at my store....
                    "Even arms dealers need groceries." ~ Ziva David, NCIS

                    Tony: "Everyone's counting on you, just do what you do best."
                    Abby: "Dance?" ~ NCIS

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