So for some time now I've noticed an abandoned curteousy basket (you know those smaller hand-hld ones) on one of my aisles. Never thought anything of it and always picked it up and put it back. Well after some time it became too common and too regular and I began to pick-up on the pattern and realized what was happening but never was able to "catch it." A guy was going around the store and selecting some groceries and putting them in his basket, going to the aisle and transfering the items to a plastic grocery sack where he would then simply walk out the front doors.
I put this together from separate incidents but was never able to put two and two together, or see it happening to do anything about it. But I got determined to nail the guy and got all of my crew on the ball to look out for a guy carrying one of those baskets going down the aisle an doing this. We got him.
The otherday I see a guy walking buy with a basket, some items, and even some plastic grocery sacks. I saw him transfer the items and walk towards the store I followed him in an obvious, but not aggressive, manner and instead of heading out the doors he goes to the bathroom. (Past the point of sale.) I get another manager to watch the door as I go in the restroom. Inside the guy is standing on the toilet and messing with the ceiling tile. "What's going on?" I ask. He mutters something about fixing the ceiling.
I go back out and me and the other manager wait for a few minutes, finally the guy comes out -clean, nicely dressed guy for what it is worth- and we ask him to step into the office where he pretty much admits everything, tries to play a sympathy card (he "lost his job") and he has about $30 worth of items in his bag. (A sandwich, chips, a couple of pumpkin carving kits, nothing too major) Police comes and, again, the guy pretty much admits to doing it and having it done in the past. Since he walked past the point of sale enough to get the guy. He was cited (two low a theft to haul him in) and let go. (He'll have a court date later on I suppose. He was already on probation for shop-lifting)
But a bit of a rush to catch this guy.
I put this together from separate incidents but was never able to put two and two together, or see it happening to do anything about it. But I got determined to nail the guy and got all of my crew on the ball to look out for a guy carrying one of those baskets going down the aisle an doing this. We got him.
The otherday I see a guy walking buy with a basket, some items, and even some plastic grocery sacks. I saw him transfer the items and walk towards the store I followed him in an obvious, but not aggressive, manner and instead of heading out the doors he goes to the bathroom. (Past the point of sale.) I get another manager to watch the door as I go in the restroom. Inside the guy is standing on the toilet and messing with the ceiling tile. "What's going on?" I ask. He mutters something about fixing the ceiling.
I go back out and me and the other manager wait for a few minutes, finally the guy comes out -clean, nicely dressed guy for what it is worth- and we ask him to step into the office where he pretty much admits everything, tries to play a sympathy card (he "lost his job") and he has about $30 worth of items in his bag. (A sandwich, chips, a couple of pumpkin carving kits, nothing too major) Police comes and, again, the guy pretty much admits to doing it and having it done in the past. Since he walked past the point of sale enough to get the guy. He was cited (two low a theft to haul him in) and let go. (He'll have a court date later on I suppose. He was already on probation for shop-lifting)
But a bit of a rush to catch this guy.
-or rummage so much around that it took almost a full-time employee to stack things back in order after they'd been through 
