The last year has been an eventful one for the world of loss prevention (to say the least). From violent attacks on employees and massive layoffs to new LP technologies and methods, there was no shortage of content for industry professionals to stay abreast of. As 2023 comes to a close, take some time to reflect on the top 10 most popular stories on the LPM website in the past year:
1. Loss Prevention Employee Shot and Killed During Shoplifting Incident
A Home Depot employee was shot and killed in April while trying to stop a shoplifter in Pleasanton, California. 26-year-old Blake Mohs, a loss prevention employee, had confronted a female shoplifter who resisted and then shot him.
2. Using Geospatial Intelligence to Solve Investigations
The terms “big data,” “artificial intelligence,” and “algorithms” are commonly found in advertisements for new security tools but often serve as nothing more than buzzwords with no substantive backing. Now there is a new buzzword that delivers what it promises: geospatial intelligence. This article, written by Vijay Richard, explains how loss prevention teams can use geospatial intelligence to solve investigations.
3. Fatal Macy’s Stabbing the Latest Example of the Assault on Retail
Macy’s, like almost every retailer across the country, has been dealing with widespread retail thefts. A popular retail destination in Center City, Philadelphia, this particular Macy’s location had already reported more than 250 cases of retail theft for the year when Eric Harrison was fatally stabbed on the morning of December 4th.
4. What Does a Shoplifter Look Like?
What does a shoplifter look like? This frequently asked question is one that can lead to a mountain of concerns in the retail environment, but it is essential to address with both our store employees and loss prevention teams. Learning the signs is important, but making the right decisions is vital. Having the right answers can help keep our stores safe and secure, while getting it wrong can cost us in a variety of ways and put us in some precarious situations for many reasons.
5. Dick’s Sporting Goods Lays Off 250 Employees after Blaming 23% Drop in Profits on Theft
DICK’S Sporting Goods announced a new “business optimization plan” in August that included laying off corporate employees as a result of net income falling 23 percent to $244 million and operating income decreasing 32 percent to around $312 million. The company said these declines are due to its “decisive action” on excess inventory and theft.
6. LPM’s Violence in the Retail Workplace Report
The importance of workplace safety is not a new concept by any means. Retailers have long acknowledged the importance of providing a positive, proactive safety culture that supports an environment where both employees and customers feel safe and secure. But in today’s retail environment, safety can take on a more literal and profound meaning. When violence becomes a factor, it takes things to an entirely different level. LPM’s Violence in the Retail Workplace Report explores all of this and more.
7. Top 10 Most Valuable Global Brands in Retail, Apparel, and Luxury
This article by Tony D’Onofrio summarizes the top ten most valuable global brands in the key categories that he is most passionate about—retail, apparel, and luxury. The actual research is very comprehensive and covers all industries and makes for a good read on differentiation strategies for growth which are critical to brands.
8. Interviewing a Hostile, Suicidal Subject
LPM is partnering with Wicklander-Zulawksi to share their interviewing expertise in an exclusive series, WZ’s Instructor Insights. In this video, Wayne Hoover, CFI, discusses lessons you can learn when interviewing a hostile, suicidal subject.
9. 10 Common Characteristics of High-Shrink Stores
What are some of the factors that lead to shrink problems in retail stores? Rather than looking at issues beyond our control, let’s focus on fundamental influences that are well within our power to manage. This article details ten common characteristics of high-shrink retail stores. While not every one of these characteristics needs to be present to indicate a potential shrink problem, the presence of multiple concerns are reliable high-shrink indicators in the retail environment.
10. Former Employee Fatally Shot After Opening Fire at an Indiana Walmart
A former employee was fatally shot on January 19th after he opened fire inside an Indiana Walmart. Ronald Mosley II had entered the store and opened fire on employees. Mosley, who according to reports previously worked at the Southeast Indiana store, shot and critically wounded a female employee at the store.
Happy New Year’s from all of us at LPM! We can’t wait to continue providing you with the most important news in loss prevention next year and beyond.