Elbows

Here is a a little tidbit that pays off big. Watch anyone who is pushing a shopping cart with their elbows….

Here’s why:

There are really only two times when someone would use their elbows to push a shopping cart. The first is, they are tired and using this technique to rest on the handle of the cart. The second is, they are using their hands to do something, and they want to look as if they are casually pushing the cart.

Most people will use their hands to push a shopping cart. This allows them to maneuver the cart more easily. They have better control over it and it is less likely to crash into stuff. I have seen many times where a person will be pushing the cart with their elbows and removing price-tags from items.

Another common practice is to use a cart to conceal merchandise. Very often, the person will put a bag or a purse into the seat of the cart. They will move through the store and when the moment is right, place the item(s) into purse/bag. The seat makes a convenient  and handy tool for them to conduct their illegal activity.

The shoplifter who uses this method will be moving a a noticeably slower pace than the average shopper. They will especially stand out because they will often be looking around as they move. The giveaway is that they won’t be looking at the merchandise but rather, around their immediate area.

I guarantee that you won’t find this alert signal in any LP training manual that the big retailers use. It takes a lot of patience but the reward is a higher number of shoplift apprehensions. The best plan is to use this technique in combination with any others that work for you.