Archived Who else saw someone steal in front of them late at night?

[Brhosey]

Is it just me or is it the best time for someone to steal? Our Target tends to not put as many people on one night and then too many on the next night and then hours get messed up. Tonight, there was only a certain amount of Hardlines, 1 Beauty (Me), but obviously I count as Hardlines BUT it's still like, we can't cover the whole middle section by ourselves. So, tonight, 3 Men were standing up against the wall of Section C opening up a fan box. I stopped walking and backed up and asked them if they needed any help with anything. The leader of the group that was going through the box flatly and scarily said "No" to me as the two cronies behind him just watched. As I slowly walked away unsure of who's closer because my freakin walkie died, one of his "idiot" cronies spoke spanish and of course, called me an idiot. So, I backed up, looked right at the jerk who said it as he looked at me, and I ran to Electronics to get help because quite a few people were over there and when I let my LOD know, and the awesome dude that works backroom, unfortunately, they booked-it when I doubled back because the guy called me an "idiot". We found out they stole a TABLE AND A CHAIR! Like what? Are you serious? And NO ONE saw them leave? No one up front did, AP wasn't in, and I'm assuming no guests did. The fan they opened was the 2nd box in back of the first so it's like, obvious they were stealing something. And the opening to the box was perfectly opened so they did have a knife on them or possibly their keys but I doubt that. They think I'm young and stupid but no. I just unfortunately had a walkie that was dead. I left a note for the AP with the times and EXACTLY what happened. But I feel like we're not gonna get them because no one else knows what they look like. Even on a security camera, that picture should be hung up on a board at like GS so everyone can see it.

 

[redcardroy]

It's good that you took the times down to report it to AP. Not to rain on your parade, but your store is losing thousands of dollars a day to shortage from every direction. The best you can do is offer guest service, which is exactly what you did. That's all your AP team wants you to do. Outsude of that, the likelihood they'll be back after encountering attentive team members is slim.

Here's a fun fact: AP has a database of shoplifters where they can go back and link multiple crimes to the same subject.

 

[Brhosey]

It's good that you took the times down to report it to AP. Not to rain on your parade, but your store is losing thousands of dollars a day to shortage from every direction. The best you can do is offer guest service, which is exactly what you did. That's all your AP team wants you to do. Outsude of that, the likelihood they'll be back after encountering attentive team members is slim.

Here's a fun fact: AP has a database of shoplifters where they can go back and link multiple crimes to the same subject.

That fun-fact makes me feel so much better. I honestly almost cried because my walkie was dead. I'll have to share what happened with my other team members so that way they make sure their walkies are charged at the end of the night so they can be safer while being more alert and guest friendly. Thank you

 

[redcardroy]

Good looking out. Don't be upset though, you're going to get a lot of people pull fast ones on you. Ultimately theres no merchandise in the store worth getting hurt over. Eventually they'll get too confident and end up in the back of a police car.

 

[HRZone]

But I feel like we're not gonna get them because no one else knows what they look like. E

Unfortunately a lot of thieves get away with it. Just the facts. Target as a company has to decide the ones worth pursuing

 

[BigEyedPhish]

It's good that you took the times down to report it to AP. Not to rain on your parade, but your store is losing thousands of dollars a day to shortage from every direction. The best you can do is offer guest service, which is exactly what you did. That's all your AP team wants you to do. Outsude of that, the likelihood they'll be back after encountering attentive team members is slim.

Here's a fun fact: AP has a database of shoplifters where they can go back and link multiple crimes to the same subject.

Does this work for the people who work for MySupport too?

 

[redcardroy]

Does this work for the people who work for MySupport too?

Target Case Management (the name of the database) is only accessible by AP tm's.

 

[Tessa120]

That fun-fact makes me feel so much better. I honestly almost cried because my walkie was dead. I'll have to share what happened with my other team members so that way they make sure their walkies are charged at the end of the night so they can be safer while being more alert and guest friendly. Thank you

Carry a spare battery.

 

[BigEyedPhish]

Target Case Management (the name of the database) is only accessible by AP tm's.

I was joking, was just referring to the MySupport people as career criminals.

 

[Badjedidude]

I think it just depends on the store. At my store, we have AP until closing, so if people come in late to steal, they're only going to be more obvious because there are fewer guests on the sales floor for us to keep an eye on.

But I feel like we're not gonna get them because no one else knows what they look like. Even on a security camera, that picture should be hung up on a board at like GS so everyone can see it.

Your store will have cameras that recorded them inside the store. Your AP team will be able to pull face shots from that video. You did the right thing by guest-servicing and by writing down the times and dates and everything. Just be careful to only guest service; don't ever accuse guests of anything or imply that they're stealing to their faces.

But they can't post the images at guest services or anywhere other than in the AP office or booking room. That's a clear breach of information security and opens Target up to invasion of privacy lawsuits, etc. All images obtained through surveillance or apprehension have to remain in the AP room or in the AP reporting database (TCM, as mentioned before).

 

[HRZone]

But they can't post the images at guest services or anywhere other than in the AP office or booking room. That's a clear breach of information security and opens Target up to invasion of privacy lawsuits, etc. All images obtained through surveillance or apprehension have to remain in the AP room or in the AP reporting database (TCM, as mentioned before

Your post had a lot of great info but there is some asants here when it comes to offstage areas. My old store had an electronics binder in a locked cabinet at the boat which included names and pictures of known resellers provided by our etl AP.

Also many of you in group 198 will remember we had that creepy guy who would randomly walk into backrooms, take merchandise then go out of receiving. There were pictures of him all over our backroom to be on the lookout for him.

 

[Badjedidude]

Your post had a lot of great info but there is some asants here when it comes to offstage areas. My old store had an electronics binder in a locked cabinet at the boat which included names and pictures of known resellers provided by our etl AP.

Fair enough.

To explain my reasoning: I have no problem with sharing photos with team members by showing them in person or maybe having a "Be On the Lookout (BOLO)" wall up in the main office or near the Safety/AP board in the office area (or similar setup). It just doesn't seem brand (I shudder to use the term) to me to have photos and names up that could potentially be accessible to any employee at will, or even to vendors or someone who may have temporary access to off-stage areas of the store.

Just from an AP standpoint, I don't even want team members being able to look at photos and recognize where we have our cameras set up -- that kind of information could be abused quite easily. And sharing a known shoplifter's face with a GSTL every once in a while is quite different from having static shots taped up on the walls or in a folder, easily accessible to any team member.

But then perhaps I'm being too paranoid.

 

[HRZone]

Fair enough.

To explain my reasoning: I have no problem with sharing photos with team members by showing them in person or maybe having a "Be On the Lookout (BOLO)" wall up in the main office or near the Safety/AP board in the office area (or similar setup). It just doesn't seem brand (I shudder to use the term) to me to have photos and names up that could potentially be accessible to any employee at will, or even to vendors or someone who may have temporary access to off-stage areas of the store.

Just from an AP standpoint, I don't even want team members being able to look at photos and recognize where we have our cameras set up -- that kind of information could be abused quite easily. And sharing a known shoplifter's face with a GSTL every once in a while is quite different from having static shots taped up on the walls or in a folder, easily accessible to any team member.

But then perhaps I'm being too paranoid.

Good points. I think every aptm knows their team. How many internals they are monitoring. Etc. Also agree it's not brand to have those pictures up. If an APBP was visiting I would imagine you would have to hustle to take them down like all the other unbrand things stores sometimes rely on.

 

[TTGOz]

Someone took a pair of earbuds off the peg and immediately stuck it down their pants into their groin.

I walkied for an LOD and an LOD and APTL came over. While I was waiting for them to come over, I noticed him starting to walk away so I went over and engaged him. "Hey! How you doing tonight? Can I help you find anything?" and he kind of just looked at me and said "Hey, nahh just looking..." he kind of shrugged off and I saw the LOD and APTL on their way over so I kind of asked him "Are you looking for a specific kind of earbud or headphones at all? Are you sure you don't need help at all??" and I assume he must of saw the APTL coming to get him he kind of abruptly said "no" and started to walk off really fast, but instead he walked right into my LOD, haha!!!!!!!! busted. As far as I know he was let off with just a warning and he's banned from our Target. I assume only because he tried stealing a $15 pair and that's all they found after he gave it up and got patted down.

 

[Tessa120]

As far as making pictures available, the people are in a public place. There should be no privacy concerns, outside of the bathrooms and the inside of the fitting room booths, as no activity within the business could be construed as private. People know they are in the public eye at all times, so how could there possibly be an invasion of privacy lawsuit or problems with faces being shown?

 

[Kompa]

Items are insured so I don't care

Did inform ap that someone took a pallet

 

[anathema]

Not sure on specific policy for posting pictures in the break room of potential subjects or known theft subjects, but it was at least directed by our APBP to not post or even email pictures of subjects to anyone, even in AP.

 

[PM2NO]

AP can send pictures to store team leaders in email but those leaders can not email it out themselves or post it on the wall.