Survey: More Shoplifters, Dishonest Employees Are Stealing from U.S. Retailers

Just 23 major retailers apprehended more than 1.1 million shoplifters and dishonest employees and recovered more than $189 million from these thieves in 2012, according to the 25th Annual Retail Theft Survey conducted by Jack L. Hayes International, a loss prevention and inventory shrinkage control consulting firm.

“In 2012, shoplifting apprehensions increased 7.4 percent and the recovery dollars from shoplifters increased a amazing 22.7 percent". Dishonest employee apprehensions and recovery dollars also increased in 2012, 5.5 percent and 7.0 percent respectively", said Mark R. Doyle, President of Jack L. Hayes International. "It should be noted that these increases follow similar increases reported the previous year The seriousness of retail theft is a much greater problem than many people realize. These theft losses are stealing profits from retailers and driving retail prices higher for the consumer."

Highlights from thisannual theft survey include:

Participants: 23 large retail companies with 18,900 stores and more than $596 billion in retail sales (2012).

Apprehensions: 1,145,688 shoplifters and dishonest employees were apprehended in 2012, up 7.3 percent from 2011.

  • Recovery Dollars: More than $189 million was recovered from apprehended shoplifters and dishonest employees in 2012, up 18.1 percent from 2011.
  • Shoplifter Apprehensions: 1,074,593 shoplifters were apprehended in 2012, up 7.4 percent from 2011.
  • Shoplifter Recovery Dollars: Over $138 million was recovered from apprehended shoplifters in 2012, an increase of 22.7 percent from 2011. An additional $46.8 million was recovered from shoplifters where no apprehension was made, up a significant 25.2 percent from 2011.
  • Employee Apprehensions: 71,095 dishonest employees were apprehended in 2012, up 5.5 percent from 2011.
  • Employee Recovery Dollars: More than $50 million was recovered from employee apprehensions in 2012, up 7.0 percent from 2011.
  • One out of every 40 employees was apprehended for theft from their employer in 2012. (Based on over 2.8 million employees.)
  • On a per case average, dishonest employees steal approximately 5.5 times the amount stolen by shoplifters ($715.24 vs $129.12.)

For full survey results visit our website at: http://www.hayesinternational.com.

Featured

  • Freedom of Choice

    In today's security landscape, we are witnessing a fundamental transformation in how organizations manage digital evidence. Law enforcement agencies, campus security teams, and large facility operators face increasingly complex challenges with expanding video data, tightening budget constraints and inflexible systems that limit innovation. Read Now

  • Accelerating a Pathway

    There is a new trend touting the transformational qualities of AI’s ability to deliver actionable data and predictive analysis that in many instances, seems to be a bit of an overpromise. The reality is that very few solutions in the cyber-physical security (CPS) space live up to this high expectation with the one exception being the new generation of Physical Identity and Access Management (PIAM) software – herein recategorized as PIAM+. Read Now

  • Protecting Your Zones

    It is game day. You can feel the crowd’s energy. In the parking lot. At the gate. In the stadium. On the concourse. Fans are eager to party. Food and merchandise vendors ready themselves for the rush. Read Now

  • Street Smarts

    The ongoing acceptance of AI and advanced data analytics has allowed surveillance camera technology to shift from being a tactical tool to a strategic business solution. Combining traditional surveillance technology with AI-based data-driven insights can streamline transportation systems, enhance traffic management, improve situational awareness, optimize resource allocation and streamline emergency response procedures. Read Now

  • The Progress of Biometrics

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.