GAINESVILLE, Fla. – As major retailers, like Target, plan to close some of their stores due to retail theft, a group of researchers in Central Florida is trying to help corporations outsmart thieves.
The Loss Prevention Research Council, located at the University of Florida, has been working with big names, like Home Depot and Walmart, to thwart shoplifters.
“They don’t want to bring attention to themselves, so they’re trying to get in and get out without incident,” senior research scientist Cory Lowe said. “They are literally trying to steal tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of product per day.”
LPRC co-founder Read Hayes brought News 6 behind-the-scenes to show the latest technology they are developing to keep products on store shelves.
One example is a locked case used to store items, such as disposable razors.
“To access it, you have to enter your cell phone number and get a code sent back, and it can’t be a burner phone,” he said. “It somehow knows what network you’re on, so you enter it in, you get the code, and now it will open.”
Another version of the case requires a shopper’s face.
“You see the face boxing around our faces? We’ve worked with the technology guys, so they can implement that to make it a more credible solution,” Hayes said.
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Sometimes, Hayes said he needs to think like a bad guy.
He showed what he calls a “magic bag.”
“It’s what some boosters or shoplifters use to carry out goods, but what they’ll do is try and defeat electronic tag systems by lining (the bag) with foil,” he said. “They’ll spend a lot of time developing magic bags and different types of magnet systems and try to defeat these (security systems). Now, some of these systems will detect this coming into the store or a magnet.”
News 6 investigated and found out Florida ranks third in the nation when it comes to people stealing from stores, and it costs retailers here $4.5 billion each year.
In Orange County – one of the busiest tourist shopping areas – prosecutors have seen a 44 % increase in the number of retail theft cases over the last three years.
In fact, they have seen more cases so far this year, than all of last year.
Hayes said that’s one reason why his organization uses tools like a virtual reality room to help retailers learn what they need to change.
“What does the behavior look like? How do we help the associate? See how she’s looking this way?” he asked pointing to a cashier on the virtual display. “Because one thing we learned was how to turn her workstation around, so she’s oriented to help here.”
“The end game is to protect people, places and property, with people first,” Lowe said.
Hayes said the group is currently working on technology that would allow nearby stores to communicate with each other.
If one of them has a shoplifter, or a group of shoplifters, they could relay an alert to their neighboring stores with a description of the suspects.
He said that technology is being tested in the Gainesville area.
The Loss Prevention Research Council can be reached here.
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