HEB Shoplifting Policy (What’s Covered + More)


HEB Shoplifting Policy

HEB is a privately owned supermarket chain with hundreds of locations nationwide. They’ve been around since the early 1900s and have taken shoplifting seriously for decades now, with some very hands-on policies to deal with people who steal from them.

HEB’s shoplifting policy uses loss prevention specialists to deter and stop shoplifters from stealing. Those specialists can make ‘safe apprehensions’ of those shoplifters to retrieve the stolen items. They also work with police and prosecutors while using high-tech facial recognition technologies to track shoplifters.

HEB’s approach to handling shoplifting differs from many leading retailers. Read through this guide to understand more about their shoplifting policy and the kinds of resources they use to deter and stop people from stealing their products.

What Is HEB’s Shoplifting Policy?

HEB has taken shoplifting seriously for decades now. That’s clear when you look at all the efforts and resources they put into stopping people from stealing their products, all of which have started since the 1990s.

Firstly, regular staff members are trained not to get into conflicts with shoplifters that they catch in the act. Not only is that done to keep staff safe, but it’s also to ensure that other customers aren’t put in danger as well.

Unfortunately, shoplifters can sometimes get violent when they’re confronted. There have been widely publicized cases in the past when shoplifters would threaten workers at the store as a result of being stopped.

Despite that, you’ll also find many situations when staff try their best to intervene, stopping shoplifters and returning stolen items.

However, that’s actually the primary responsibility of HEB’s loss prevention specialists. These specialists are essentially in-store detectives whose job it is to monitor and discourage shoplifters.

Unlike many other retailers, though, HEB’s loss prevention specialists are allowed to make what they call ‘safe apprehensions’. In other words, those specialists are instructed to stop the shoplifter from leaving until some kind of action is taken against them.

Typically, that action involves returning the stolen items and taking down all of the shoplifter’s details. A photo is also taken of the shoplifter to ensure that they can be identified if they ever return to the store.

Aside from that, HEB also uses many common deterrents to discourage shoplifting, like:

  • Warning signs: You’ll find signs around HEB stores reminding customers that cameras are operating and shoplifters will be caught.
  • Security cameras: The warnings about security cameras aren’t a bluff. HEB uses the latest closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera technologies to monitor every corner of its stores.
  • Showcases: High-value or high-risk items are kept inside showcases to discourage theft. The only way to access them is by asking a staff member for help.
  • Tagged packaging: Some packages are tagged to trigger alarms near the entrances. Those magnetic tags are challenging for shoplifters to remove unless they have the necessary tools, which only the cashiers have.

All of these efforts make it much more challenging to shoplift from HEB. As a result, they help to minimize the company’s financial losses from those crimes.

Read also >> Do Supermarkets Prosecute Shoplifters? (Do This Now!)

Read also >> What Happens If You Get Caught Shoplifting Under 18?

Read also >> Can Loss Prevention Handcuff You? (Here Is Why)

Does HEB Hire Security Guards?

Yes, HEB does hire security guards to protect their stores and discourage shoplifters from stealing in the first place. More specifically, they hire and train loss prevention specialists whose primary responsibility is minimizing the losses the store suffers.

These loss prevention specialists are given much more power and responsibility than many other leading retailers. As you read earlier, part of their job is to apprehend or catch shoplifters, as long as it’s safe to do so.

On top of that, they’re also known to work very closely with local law enforcement agencies to press charges against shoplifters. As a result, it’s safe to assume that the likelihood of a shoplifter getting fined or imprisoned is higher at HEB than at other places.

Aside from catching shoplifters, HEB’s loss prevention specialists are also required to keep an eye on the store and reduce theft by customers and employees. 

When a shoplifting case occurs, they must collect as much information as possible to keep in HEB’s records and pass it on to the police.

What Happens When A Shoplifter Gets Caught At HEB?

Here’s what typically happens when a shoplifter gets caught at HEB:

1. Firstly, a loss prevention specialist will stop the shoplifter and ask them to return the stolen goods.

2. Simultaneously, the loss prevention specialist will gather evidence of the stolen goods, whether that’s by taking photos or by reviewing security camera footage.

3. Next, the specialist will collect the shoplifter’s information. That includes their name, phone number, and address. They’ll also take the shoplifter’s photo to keep track of them in case they return to the store.

4. Typically, the shoplifter is asked to sign a form that admits their wrongdoing and promises to never return to the store again.

5. At this point, the shoplifter is usually let go. Depending on the situation, the loss prevention specialist might contact local law enforcement and pass the shoplifter’s information to them.

Typically with retailers like HEB, the likelihood of the police getting involved depends on how severe the shoplifting case is.

For example, shoplifters are more likely to be charged if they steal high-value items, are serial shoplifters, or are part of an organized crime group.

Does HEB Use Facial Recognition To Catch Shoplifters?

Yes, HEB is known for using highly-sophisticated facial recognition technologies to catch shoplifters. These tools make it much easier to track known shoplifters inside HEB stores to catch them if they ever return.

On top of that, loss prevention specialists can also use the technology to identify shoplifters and build a case against them with local law enforcement agencies.

HEB’s use of these facial recognition technologies isn’t limited to just a few stores with a high risk of shoplifting. Instead, they use them at all stores regardless of their location.

As such, it’s safe to assume that HEB can track known shoplifters at all of their locations regardless of where the first shoplifting cases occurred.

Do Shoplifters At HEB Get Arrested Or Charged?

Yes, the likelihood of shoplifters at HEB getting arrested and charged is relatively high. The loss prevention specialists at HEB are not only known for working closely with the police but they’ve also been said to work with local prosecutors.

There have been reports of HEB loss prevention specialists following up with prosecutors and pressuring them to apply the harshest punishments allowed by the law to shoplifters.

That’s quite surprising, as most retailers typically take a more hands-off approach to dealing with their shoplifters.

Instead, HEB loss prevention specialists are part of an internal program that tracks down shoplifters and punishes them to the full extent of the law.

Final Thoughts

As you’ve seen from the sections above, HEB has a long history of taking its shoplifting policy very seriously.

They employ some of the most common strategies that you’ll find among top retailers, like using security cameras and hiring loss prevention specialists.

However, they differ significantly in some of their policies. For example, loss prevention specialists are allowed to make ‘safe apprehensions’ of shoplifters.

On top of that, they also make an organized effort to work closely with police and prosecutors, ensuring shoplifters are punished according to the law.

Reference Sources

https://www.supermarketnews.com/archive/h-e-b-sets-broad-plan-cut-loss-shrink

Lindsey G.

Lindsey is the founder of BackyardApron.com. Lindsey is writing about all topics related to Food, Grocery, Shoplifting and Store management. Her job also included covering trendy new food products and kitchen staples.

Recent Posts

error: Content is protected !!