anti theft

[eyeglsman]

Hello all!!!

looking to find out what other offices use for security against shoplifting. We are noticing a larger amount of shoplifting lately in our office:finger:

[LENNY]

Are they professional?

[eyeglsman]

We have a large amount of medicaid patients, we are one of 3 places that take this in New Hampshire:shiner:. We seem to have a large # of new "Immigrants" coming in.

[Aarlan]

looking to find out what other offices use for security against shoplifting.

Shotgun.



AA

[GOS_Queen]

Before I left dispensing, we had 2 sets of shoplifting fiends (two that were known :o ). They were repeat offenders - known in the optical community - known by the police.


They were NOT what you might typically think of when it comes to shoplifters - they were middle-aged, white. One guy worked alone and the other was a man, woman couple.

The man wears a bulky camo colored jacket with many pockets. It doesn't matter what time of year. He often stalks the stores in the mall and makes the rounds. He also will stop by the DR's offices/private opticals. He seems to wait outside when he can see that it's busy and then he comes in when he can't get "personal" attention.

This guy will even force open the locked cases (the store I last worked at had a sunglass center that was tucked away in a corner).

He knows his brands and seeks specific high end ones.

He sells on ebay.

I found him on ebay and asked him a question about whether he had the vendor case, cloth and certificate of authenticity. He said his "distributor" didn't provide that to him ... R I G H T ...

The couple works as a tag team. Usually, the woman will act as a buyer. The husband does the lifting. From the pictures we have, they are a very well dressed couple - by looks ~ someone you'd like to have at your next dinner party. :( Their "M.O." is to distract the help so that the man can look like he's just biding his time and then rip you off because they think you are thinking of the woman who is shopping and not him.

In another store, another state, I was called and told to be on the lookout for a couple who came in asking for a repair (which "had" to be done in the back due to the set up of the optical). When the optician returned, there were trays and trays of glasses missing.


Here's some tips I think are easy:

1) have anything spendy locked up; it makes harder to get to (not impossible but more difficult)

2) if you MUST work alone, think about how you handle repairs;~ do you have to leave the front unattended while you go to the back to do the repair? Can you bring your frame warmer up to the front? Can you bring a small selection of nosepads/screws to the front so you don't have to leave? Why do you have to leave your floor unattended?

3) Look for "out of season" clothing like jackets with lots of pockets.

4) Be aware of "couples" - is one occupying your time while the other is left alone? Be sure to engage them both - check how the other one is "doing" ; try to get the other one involved in the process.

5) Anaylize your layout - can you see the entire room from anywhere else in the room? If you have any "tucked away corners", you can install a simple camera, alarms on the locked cases, a "security" mirror up above (I don't know what to call that - it allows you to see what's going on around the corners).

6) In one higher-shrink location, we had static cling stickers on the mirrors that announced that "we reserve the right to use hidden cameras to catch shoplifters" (something like that). We didn't actually HAVE the cameras, just the stickers. :shiner: My staff LOVED to see me "in action" with this! If I had someone I suspected of being a shoplifter (with large shopping bags, huddled together over the high end products, not wanting ANY help or attention )
I would go over to the mirror with the sticker (which they were near) and I would tap on the glass and ask "are you getting this ... testing ... one...two...three..." If THAT didn't get them moving out of there.

7) If you are busy with someone and a new customer/patient comes in, be sure to multitask. Let them know that you or someone will be there shortly.

8) If you have someone that wants to look at something in a locked case, don't simply open it and leave them unattended.

9) Make sure that your frame boards are stocked every night and that their is not any "empty holes". If you sell off your board and there ARE empty spots, use something "creative" to fill it so that you know that YOU are the one the emptied it ... Fillers can be a vendor case or a sign that states "arriving soon".

10) Know your inventory and count the high end products each day (morning or night).

11). If you can't afford a "real" security tag system (with the scanner at the door and all) you can get "fake" security tag systems.


If you suspect that you have been hit by a shoplifter(s), be sure to jot down a description of the persons, what they took etc. Call other opticals in the neighborhood to let know them who to watch out for. Our state optician society actually emailed out a notice on the guy that sells on ebay. That was awesome! :cheers:

[Chris Ryser]

Hello all!!!

looking to find out what other offices use for security against shoplifting. We are noticing a larger amount of shoplifting lately in our office:finger:

Set up a couple of video cameras...................very visible...........conected or not.

This will act as a deterrent.

[chip anderson]

Chris didn't go far enough. I had such a problem, you need to set up working video cameras (sometimes you can find them at Home Depot with a monitor for $200 with two cameras and monitor) MAKE SURE THE MONITOR IS VISIBLE IN THE STORE TO THE CUSTOMER. ONCE THEY SEE THEY ARE ON CAMERA EVERYWHERE, THEY LEAVE!You don't want to prosictue, just get them out and your merchandise in the store.

Chip

My problem went away when I did this.

[Chris Ryser]

Chris didn't go far enough.

My problem went away when I did this.

That sounds even better. For the cost of a frame you you don't loose 15 others.

[Jacqui]

Shotgun.



AA

I kind of agree with Aarlan. One of my customers put up a sign that said "Guarded by Smith and Wesson", problem went away.

[okoart]

Put up signs and cameras.

This website might help with the cameras

www.x10.com

[Aarlan]

A small general store around here recently was held up by a bunch of hoodlums (awfully unusual in the boondocks...mostly cows and trees out here). Afterwards a sign went up on the front door, and if memory serves me correctly it read:

"Attn robbers:
I am now sleeping over with my loaded shotgun 3 nights a week...I welcome you to figure out which 3 they are.

Sincerely,
The Management"

[chip anderson]

I also (after theft of 28 frames and before camera's) concidered putting large brown stain on the carpet with caption: "Our last shoplifter"


Chip

[Johns]

Put up signs and cameras.

This website might help with the cameras

www.x10.com

I've got x10's in all my offices. They are nice, but the pictures are only refreshed every 5 seconds, so the picture is very jumpy. Each office has 4 very visible cameres. They are definitely a deterent.

We are changing over to a new system in a few months that will have real time video.

Do you want to know who really dislikes cameras ?


Employees!


Too bad...

[okoart]

I've got x10's in all my offices. They are nice, but the pictures are only refreshed every 5 seconds, so the picture is very jumpy. Each office has 4 very visible cameres. They are definitely a deterent.

We are changing over to a new system in a few months that will have real time video.

Do you want to know who really dislikes cameras ?


Employees!


Too bad...

If you are looking for some serious quality surveillance

Look at www.dttusa.com



Owners name is Sam
800.933.8388

[Chris Ryser]

You can also put in ione way mirrors to adjoing rooms and the observe the action from there. Rmplyees will hate that too and bee in strong opposition to that idea.

[fjpod]

Two of our receptionists face the dispensary at all times. We also have two false cameras set up.

Before we added the camera, we had a "funny" situation where a patient swiped one of our ugliest discontinued close-out frames. She tried to make believe that she brought the frame in and wanted new lenses in it. We immediately realized it was our frame because we used to make jokes about how ugly it was (it was one of those Nautica, red three piece mount, made of of plastic) and how we would give a bonus to anyone who could sell it.

Anyway, the staff was a little afraid to accuse her of stealing the frame, so they quoted her double for lenses. LOL. She walked with the frame because the lenses were to expensive.

When I heard about this incident. I called the woman at her home (she was a registered patient who just had an exam). I told her that I had checked the "serial number" of the frame that she presented at our office and that it was our frame. I also told her that if she didn't return it, I would call the police and tell them that she had stolen merchandise. She dropped it in our mailbox within 15 minutes.

Several weeks later, she tried to make an appointment for her son. We told her to go elsewhere. Truth is stranger than fiction.
:hammer: :p :finger:

[HarryChiling]

We had a funny situation with a shoplifter stealing a Cazal rimless frame from us, got into the case somehow. When he came back to put lenses into them we immediately knew they were ours and accidentaly *wink wink* broke them after explaining to the patient that if they would provide us with an invoice we would be more than happy to replace them he said thats OK and leaft. We exchanged the glasses and all was well.

[chip anderson]

From what my compeditors that handle them tell me, Cazals are more likely to be stolen than sold.

[harry a saake]

One store i worked at in Charlotte used to have the customer show the drivers license before any cazals were stolen, ooops, make that shown.
...Also try just picking up your phone when more then one person comes in, or you are suspicious, and say something like SECURITY, code three, Security code three, and say it so they will hear it.
...One funny incident i had a number of years ago, was after we caught an elderly lady stealing a plastic frame, was her reply, IT DOESN,T MATTER, MEDICARE BUYS ME A FREE PAIR OF GLASSES:hammer:

[HarryChiling]

Chip, you are absolutely right on that one. We maybe sold 2-3 pairs a year, but had more atempts at their theft than I could count. Most patients thought they were too gaudy or to expensive, and the patients that liked them in most cases could not afford them.

[cmchuck]

The cameras should help--the more visible the better. Rule of thumb--if they dont have a prescription with them, I get suspiscious.

I've got x10's in all my offices. They are nice, but the pictures are only refreshed every 5 seconds, so the picture is very jumpy. Each office has 4 very visible cameres. They are definitely a deterent.

We are changing over to a new system in a few months that will have real time video.

Do you want to know who really dislikes cameras ?


Employees!


Too bad...

[MarcE]

We have 2 after-hours break-ins in the last 2 years; and one thief was brave enough to steal the Dr's purse from her office during office hours (now serving 12 months at the Kansas State Radisson)

Never had even one frame stolen, not even an ugly one.

[DragonLensmanWV]

We've had several shoplifting incidents here. One lady was crowded around a display with several friends. After she left, we noticed one frame was gone. One of out lab techs at the time went to church with her, and mentioned to her that we had video of her at the store.(we didn't at the time) A few days later a box came in the mail from her with 4 frames she had stolen and an aplogetic note.
One woman stole two magnetic clips to put on her frame, but of course hers was not magnetic. I asked her about it and she brought them in and blamed her three year old daughter, who was not even with her either time.

Now we have three real cameras and one fake one recording to a hard drive and signs all around.
For Your Protection, Video Surveillance Is In Use

[1968]

Rule of thumb--if they dont have a prescription with them, I get suspiscious.

What's more suspicious is when they bring in a frame with demo lenses claiming that they purchased the frame elsewhere or that a friend purchased it for them as a gift.

[KStraker]

We had a CL patient a while back with a shady husband. While she was having her exam, the husband swiped a pair of Rayban Aviators. Our office mgr immediately realized that the frame was gone and asked the man about it. He had just been looking at the sunglasses, yet he claimed he knew nothing about it. A week goes by and the lady and her husband return for a cl follow up. The moron wears the shades to our office, but leaves them in the car. We pulled a reverse theft and retrieved them while the follow up was in progress.