People have already invented many ways of theft in supermarkets. Owners or store managers should consider these methods. First of all, those who commit theft in supermarkets are divided into two varieties - these are professional thieves and amateurs.
Mock pregnancy
If we are talking about clothing stores, it is worth considering that the scheme of work with mock pregnancy takes place. A man takes an inflatable pillow, putting it under his clothes, and bites sensors from clothes in the fitting room with tweezers. Having blown off a pillow, instead of it he puts on new clothes with already removed sensors. This will require some skill, but in the case of expensive clothes, it pays for itself. At the same time, from the mountain of clothes that the thief took with him, he will surely return several to the rack.
Prevention of such theft is the persistence of consultants and checking the fitting rooms for the remaining detached sensors.
Lovers
The most common theft methods in supermarkets are by transferring food to a diplomat, bag, and so on. In some cases, children's backpacks are used, since a rare guard will examine the child at the exit. And even if he is caught, he is only threatened with reprimand, no more.
The largest group of thieves in the supermarket are just amateurs, for whom this is not at all a way to secure their life. People go for it for the sake of feeling, and there are representatives of various social strata. Sometimes this category includes wealthy individuals. This is called kleptomania, but in fact it seems very difficult to distinguish between theft and theft of those who do this because of illness and those who simply decide to succumb to whim.
Most often, representatives of the amateur category do not give preference to expensive goods, preferring inexpensive ones. They are interested in theft in supermarkets without punishment and even the slightest threat thereof.
Professionals
Professional thieves are in the minority, but, according to statistics, they account for up to 15% of all thefts. Most often, by stealing in supermarkets, they subsequently resell the stolen goods. They strive to steal the goods entirely in packaging, since in this case resale is much easier.
In one trip, such a thief will try to steal as many units of goods as possible - up to 10 packs of batteries, for example. For this reason, as a prevention of theft in supermarkets of minors and adults, goods are displayed in such a way that only one package is disconnected at a time. As a rule, professional thieves are regulars in the institution in which they steal. However, they often do not buy anything.
Loner
Theft in supermarkets professionals can carry out both alone and with someone in the team. Most often, a loner is mixed with a crowd. He does not attract much attention and manages to "pack" stolen goods in his pockets.
With a partner
Work with a partner helps to increase the value of stolen items. It can attract the attention of employees with awkward actions, while a partner will steal goods. Most often, the profitability of such fishing increases. And partners get more than a loner. At the same time, there is a growing likelihood that the punishment for theft in supermarkets of such professionals will catch up faster.
"Travelers"
A group of criminals who wanders from institution to institution, from one locality to another, is called that. Typically, such thieves steal goods and cash. They disperse around the room, and several of them make a mess, which distracts the staff. At this time, the rest steal money from the cash register or expensive goods.
When they are caught, they use their numerical superiority, vanity begins, outsiders get involved, and the criminals hide. And it’s quite difficult to pursue them, since hardly anyone knows them, their addresses.
Main tricks
During the analysis of data from cameras in supermarkets, theft statistics, it was possible to identify the main methods of theft from establishments. Store thieves most often hide goods in their own clothes.
Most often, when a professional thief is about to arrange a theft, he begins to go around the institution, posing as the owner of a similar enterprise. In fact, he is robbing establishments. For example, he can carry away dozens of units of goods at a time. For 10 years, the average annual income of such a thief can be up to 5 million rubles.
Risk groups
Identifying the answer to the question: “theft in supermarkets - who pays for it?”, It should be borne in mind that a number of enterprises are at risk. So, often stores are stolen in which the quality of service is poor, and employees are not trained in ways to deal with theft. Also, stores without equipment that would allow taking only one unit of goods at a time are more likely to experience losses from thefts.
Often, violators of article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation use bags, boxes in which there are secret compartments during theft. This is where stolen goods hide. Often, special trousers are used, the edges of which are huge pockets, in which the stolen fits.
All kinds of umbrellas, newspapers, even goods from the same supermarket are also used. So, jewelry is hidden in the brought boxes of another company. A silk scarf dives into the pockets of a jacket or coat.
If you train the staff to think where the criminal could hide the goods, there will be more attraction under the article for theft in supermarkets thanks to the newly acquired skill.
Label Swap
Quite often, people carry out the substitution of labels or price tags for the purpose of theft. From cheaper goods, the price tag goes to more expensive ones. And in cases where employees do not notice this, a thief buys goods at a much lower price.
Substitution of goods
Another violation that fits under Article 158 of the Criminal Code is the substitution of goods. So, the contents of one product are replaced by more expensive - from another package. And paying for a cheap product, the offender leaves with a more expensive one.
Precautionary measures
To avoid such losses, it is important for the supermarket owner to arrange a meeting for each client at the entrance. You also need to find places for employees from which there is a review for all customers. Do not sellers turn their backs on buyers. It is important to monitor especially carefully people in baggy clothes, with prams. It is necessary to monitor children with backpacks. If for any reason the goods are not in place, it is important to return them back. Shortage of goods should be immediately visible.
Do not put expensive items at the exit of the store. It is worthwhile to prepare the staff for the fact that they may encounter persons who will try to attract attention. It is important to use labels that are hardly possible to stick from product to product.
You should always be on your guard when a group of customers comes to the store. Do not leave the employee’s workplace if the group tries to start a scandal. It is important to lock the safe, do not leave the cash desk unattended. It is important to consider that professionals know how to use a cash register to open a box with money.
Punishment
It should be borne in mind that even the introduction of all precautions is not able to prevent theft in supermarkets. And surely one day the question will arise about the punishment for the thief. In order to identify the thief and punish him in accordance with the law, it is recommended that a number of principles be followed.
First of all, the staff should notice that the client took the goods and hid them. Before making claims to him, it is necessary to observe him for some time. We need confidence that the goods have not been paid.
In the absence of doubt, it is necessary to call the police. Taking unpaid goods is a crime. Do not forget about the safety of employees. In cases where the capture of a criminal on the spot provokes a threat to people, the best solution would be to let the offender leave, despite the final cost of the stolen goods.
Theft and theft
The type of liability for the crime will depend on how much the customer stole the goods. Administrative responsibility awaits those who stole up to 1000 rubles. Signs of theft from Article 158 of the Criminal Code, namely collusion, illegal entry into the premises, causing significant damage, theft from clothes, should be absent. But if within a year after the punishment for this violation a person commits the same act again, he will face criminal liability under the same article.
Administrative punishment for petty theft is up to 3000 rubles, or it can be five times the value of the stolen. Also apply administrative arrest for up to 15 days, compulsory work up to 150 hours.
The fine for petty theft under article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is up to 40,000 rubles, or the wage of the convict for three months. Imprisonment of up to one year is also prescribed. Sometimes the offender is sentenced to compulsory labor.
It is important to consider the fact that unfinished crimes of this nature entail criminal liability.
Age
Administrative liability for crimes of this kind comes from 16 years. Given the circumstances of the case, the judge may decide on the release of the offender at the age of 16-18 from administrative responsibility. In the Criminal Code, theft in supermarkets entails punishment only for persons over 14 years of age. But exempt from it in cases where it is proved that the offender is behind in mental development.
Thieves of minors are often put on preventive records, placed in special educational institutions of a closed type. They can also be moved to the temporary detention center of the ATS. Parents are sometimes brought to administrative responsibility - a fine for them will be 100-500 rubles.
Circumstances
Not always an attacker manages to bring his intentions to the end. Sometimes he is detained before he has time to steal something, sometimes he stops voluntarily. If the act is recognized as an attempted theft, the punishment for the offender will be less. The punishment for the attempt may not exceed three quarters of the maximum term or the most severe punishment contained in the article.
The crucial point here is where the offender was detained. In the case of an arrest in the hall, it is assumed that the crime is not completed, and this is an attempt. After all, the criminal, in fact, did not have the ability to dispose of the kidnapped at his discretion. And this is the most important condition for the recognition of the theft took place.
If an employee steals
If the store employee is the thief directly, there are several punishment options for him. Some executives prefer to fire the offender immediately after revealing such facts. This is the way most Western companies go. Usually, the wording “Dismissal by agreement of the parties” under article 78 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation allows this procedure to be carried out quickly.
The second way is to leave the offender “under supervision”, deducting from his salary the percentage for the loss caused to him. This is exactly the way many Russian enterprises go. Most often this occurs in not the most well-known companies in which the salary fund is small. Typically, the offender is left “supervised” by stores in the region of which cashiers are considered to be scarce employees.
When dismissing a thief, an inventory of the goods to which he had access must be carried out. In the absence of the ability to directly calculate the full amount of losses, the manager proposes to cover the damage with a conditional amount.
The initiation of a criminal case occurs when the offender is handed over by police personnel or employees of the private security company who oversees the activities of this company. More often than not, store management does not seek to interfere with bodies in matters of this nature. Despite this, law enforcement agencies eagerly accept similar, almost open cases. It should be borne in mind that just one criminal case leads to a sufficiently large resonance in society - and store employees steal less. Despite the fact that the punishment of theft in supermarkets entails a small amount, nevertheless, the resonance affects the statistics of crimes of this kind to a large extent.
First steps in catching an employee
When the employee who has committed theft is caught red-handed, an act of this is instantly drawn up. After the fact of theft in supermarkets is established, the dismissal article may be 243 or 244 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation. They mean that the employee is liable for the damage caused to them.
It is important that there is an agreement on hand that is concluded taking into account this condition. Usually it is signed with each employee who, in the course of his activities at the enterprise, will be in contact with material assets, storing them, processing them, selling goods, and delivering goods.
Statistics
Keep in mind that there are no official statistics on retail thefts. But according to international data, every year theft leads to $ 13,000,000,000 in losses. Every eleventh person has stolen from the store at least once. 55% of them did this as teenagers. And only 3% steal the goods for the purpose of further resale.
Each store has a video surveillance system. Thanks to her, it is possible to prevent theft. More often than not, in the largest chain stores designed for buyers with an income above the average, there are photo portraits of professional thieves. And as soon as the guard notices one of them, he gives a signal to the surveillance service, and she begins to monitor him.
Usually, the most expensive goods are heavily guarded. In addition, stores at this level regularly conduct improvements to the security system. There are almost no blind spots in such stores. Guards in civilian uniforms are often involved. All this will reduce the risk of suffering theft from the store.