Working the door....

**BadUglyMagic** · Posted On: 2/27/2010 2:39pm

Originally Posted by stealth_monkey

If they haven't left your property, they haven't shoplifted anything.

Unless the law has changed recently concealing merchandise on your person, even if in your pants pocket is something you can be arrested for in Georgia. It is presumed to show intent. IIRC we had a case prosecuted and a woman convicted of shoplifting/theft for eating a honey bun in the store. Her defense was she was diabetic and she was trying to bump up her sugar.

Here a store employee must see you conceal the item. The word of a non store employee may not be used to detain a person.

If I understand correctly, it is cheaper for WalMart to let goods go than pay a civil award.

**Mtripp** · Posted On: 2/27/2010 2:42pm

Originally Posted by BadUglyMagic

If I understand correctly, it is cheaper for WalMart to let goods go than pay a civil award.

Yes.

The sad but simple truth is a jury trial is not always about the truth, or right and wrong.

**BadUglyMagic** · Posted On: 2/27/2010 2:50pm

Yeah. Also, there are people who go to WaMart to scam them. So for the mart it is purely a financial tradeoff.

Spend your time on the door coming up with a training program covering state laws and company policy. One that covers your personal experiences. Get paid for that.

***JohnnyCache*** · Posted On: 2/27/2010 3:16pm

Originally Posted by zaohu

Better idea: Since it's illegal to detain somebody for refusing to show a receipt (unless you've signed something like in Costco or Sam's Club) that you asked them to present without reason, you could avoid having charges pressed against you for assault and just settle for making them look stupid when the police arrive and tell them you've done nothing wrong. Heck, maybe you could even make a case against Wally World for unjustly detaining you. I'm not a lawyer, but you could try.

I'll just leave. if anyone puts their hands on me on the way out the door, they're the ones getting the cops called on them.

I will show my receipt if asked, though.

You gotta understand, I don't usually consent to searches by real cops. If someone has the authority to search and detain me, they will, they won't ask.

**mad_malk** · Posted On: 2/28/2010 1:51am

Working loss prevention sucks if you follow Best practices. To follow best practices you must observe person touch merchandise. You must continue to watch them conceal it. Followed with watch them depart past sales area towards an exit While keeping them in visual contact the entire time. then detain them for shoplifting or the proper criminal violation by state statue, law or criminal code. IF you lose visual contact with them for even a moment you should let them go instead of detain them due tot he fact they may have dropped the merchandise at some point when they were unobserved.

As mister cash said when LP has the authority and are allowed. They are going to stop and detain you then search you. If you resist there going to do what it takes to restrain you if the law allows it. They might phrase it as a question at first but it's not.

**gregaquaman** · Posted On: 2/28/2010 1:13pm

The problem is then the loss prevention door guy will never see somone take an item and will almost never have the leagal right to arrest somone. If they do management will sook at how it "looked" to other customers. And of course if you dont get results you get sooked at again. This is the same with security guards all round. The most effective tactic is bullshit. say whatever you have to to get the Item. Say what ever you have to get the thief to hang around and say what ever you have to to cover yourself legaly.
remember anything you say can and will be changed in a court of law
you are not playing a fair game by any fair rules so change them .

oh and if they have stolen a kitchen knife let them go