Part 7: Asking for Problems

Asking for trouble!

This is the ultimate no-no. The male agent is trying to intimidate the shoplifter by the way he is standing. He wants to portray himself as the tough security guard and hope that the shoplifter will comply.

A quick assessment tells us that the female suspect is doing three things that indicate she’s ready to get physical. Her right foot is slightly drawn back, possibly getting ready to throw a kick. Her hand is clenched into a fist. A clear sign that she’s right-handed and looking to throw a punch. Lastly, she is looking the store employee square in the eye. It’s clear that she is not intimidated in the least, she’s ready for action! The chances are good that he’s either going to be unable to get his merchandise back, or he’s going to get hurt. Maybe both.

Getting Pushed

While it’s good that he’s approached her from the front, his body-positioning is all wrong. Note that both his feet are evenly placed. His entire body is exposed to being struck because he is open all the way from his groin, to his face. Because his feet are even, he is likely to fall backwards if pushed from the front. He’s also not paying attention to what’s going on behind him, an accomplice could easily knock him down from the back.

Need I point out the obvious fact that his legs are wide open? It’s almost as if he’s begging to be kicked in the groin. Think about it, most men will punch you in the face to get away, but a woman has been taught to go for the groin first. Ouch…

Lastly, his hands are on his hips. It will take him a split-second too long to get them up to protect his face. In my experience, I have seen this type of situation go very bad for the agent. Over-confidence is the number one safety concern when interacting with a thief. Fortunately, this dangerous situation can be remedied…