The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) held its inaugural Loss Prevention and Safety Symposium on Dec. 3 and 4 in Dallas, Texas. After hearing from its members that in-store safety and losses continue to be a growing concern, NACS responded with this meeting to help engage its LP and safety-focused members outside of the larger NACS conference. The yearly NACS Show is a large multi-day trade show and conference with thousands of attendees, 430,000-plus square feet of expo space, and featuring more than 1,200 exhibitors. With escalating incidents of in-store violence and losses, a more intimate meeting format focused solely on loss and safety was called for.
Lori Stillman, vice president of Research and Education at NACS, said, “The challenge convenience operators face as crime escalates and losses compound is why NACS developed the Loss Prevention and Safety Symposium. Our industry simply cannot afford the cost of inaction.”
Resources to attend trade shows and other learning events have become scarce, so it was refreshing to see an event that maximized the attendees’ time. Those C-store retailers who attended the sold-out symposium heard sessions focused on their needs and current issues. Retailers could easily visit with a select group of solution providers in the adjacent exhibit area. Condensed into a day and a half of powerful networking and learning, the symposium got down to brass tacks with its content.
The Symposium was kicked off by Lori Stillman, who passionately spoke about the role of C-Stores in communities and the need for better data and information to deploy resources more efficiently. As Lori stated, “Anecdote is not fact.” An industry focus group identified three focus areas for NACS in the coming year, as Lori relayed: training and education, metrics/measurement, and advocacy.
Next, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson spoke about partnerships with law enforcement and the key role that C-Stores play as the “front porch” in our communities. He called out California’s felony threshold for retail theft as an example of what not to do to fight crime. The AG was hopeful that the new administration would support retailers and the LP/safety practitioners in the room. He encouraged everyone to actively engage with their attorney general and law enforcement to help move forward.
I had the honor of moderating a panel with three industry veterans: Art Lazo, VP of AP at 7-Eleven; Mark Stinde, LPC, VP of AP at Casey’s; and Britt Davidson, Sr. Manager of AP at Parker’s Kitchen. In a wide-ranging conversation, the three gentlemen spoke openly about their current struggles, what has been working for them, and what they see on the horizon for loss prevention and safety at C-stores. It is no secret that society has changed since the pandemic, and C-stores, with many being the last light on in a community, feel the effects more than most. We discussed the early detection of issues, whether a new theft method or a riot, through technology and data. During the conversation, there was a strong focus on partnerships and collaboration, another positive trend in retail. Mark Stinde spoke about the success he sees through the RILA NDAA partnership and the Vibrant Communities initiative. Art Lazo spoke to the audience about California’s legal challenges and Proposition 36. As we turned the conversation to the ongoing issues with loitering, drug use, and other negative behaviors in the public restrooms, the panel agreed that it is an ongoing battle but that they are all trying some new technologies and strategies. Britt Davidson spoke about a new technology that his company is testing to detect the usage of drugs through particulates in the air. The panel also agreed that partnerships with vendors and solution partners are key to solving many issues plaguing them. They all expressed a willingness to share what’s working and collaborate with their LP and safety peers.
The symposium included networking opportunities and break-out sessions that offered deep dives into topics affecting C-store leaders.
A fascinating presentation by Byron Coleman, manager of AP and Security at WaWa, explained the evolving trends in gas theft, including the mind-blowing lengths that criminals will go to bypass the pump and get away with this costly commodity. Coleman explained the use of shimmers (a device placed inside the card reader that’s harder to detect), skimmers, and fuel pump pulser tampering, among many other types of rising theft methods at the pump. For C-stores, the pump island is an area of vulnerability that has caused retailers to get creative in responding to the thieves. Cameras, hardening the target, and real-time monitoring are helping stem the tide.
Store violence continues to be a topic of great interest. De-escalation programs and mitigation of violence tactics were presented by Michael Loox, CFI, Senior Manager, Store Security, and Loss Investigations, at Sheetz, and Courtney Trieger, Manager of Retail Asset Protection Support, at EG America. Courtney and Michael detailed the current programs they have rolled out at their companies—and are seeing results. Focusing on their people and training has been Courtney’s foundation for success. Using interactive training videos featuring actual EG America employees is why Courtney believes they have such a high participation rate in their de-escalation training program. Michael has used his varied background in security and LP to bring unique solutions to Sheetz. Michael spoke about his use of K-9s to stop violence and other unique methods to address red actors, such as scan-to-unlock technology for the beer cave to cut alcohol theft and the violence that comes along with it.
Other presentations included addressing vulnerable populations around C-stores, using technology to create safer communities, navigating the new workplace violence requirements, hardening the supply chain against loss, collecting data to support your story and inspire advocacy, total retail loss, mitigating tobacco theft, cyberthreat preparedness, and legislative priorities for NACS in the coming months.
The retailers I spoke to walked away re-energized, with new information and fresh new contacts to help them in their quest for lower shrink and safer stores. Lori Stillman stated, “Bringing retailers together to share, learn, and collaborate has been a tremendous step forward. I am excited about the renewed commitment to addressing the issues that enable us to make our stores safer for our people, our customers, and the communities we call home.”
For more information on NACS, please visit their website at https://www.convenience.org/.
