With lower-cost items, Dollar General certainly doesn’t have the same security standards and strategies as Walmart or Target might, but that doesn’t means that they don’t actively discourage potential shoplifting.
So, how often does Dollar General Check their cameras, anyways? It depends on the store, but cameras may be monitored consistently or at random times. This is sometimes done by in-house personnel or in higher-risk areas, it is handled by a security team that monitors it much more aggressively from an offsite location.
In this article, we’ll talk a little more in-depth about Dollar General’s security and their policies, so that you can have a better idea of why their methods can still be quite effective for loss prevention needs.
How often does Dollar General check their cameras? Well, let’s look at the bigger picture and you can see for yourself!
Dollar General Surveillance security
While some stores use a combination of surveillance cameras, guards, RFID tracking, and even AI assistance for their loss prevention strategies, Dollar General had to keep things simple in order to keep their discount products priced competitively and so they go with some tried and true security basics. Let’s take a look.
Security cameras
Surveillance cameras are in place, just like in most stores, and while they don’t have any fancy ways to identify you, such as facial recognition, depending on the store they could still have your picture in a database or even simply printed on a sheet so that security staff know who to look for.
You should also keep in mind that where there are security cameras, footage is being recorded, and data retention plans will vary but companies may keep surveillance data for anywhere from 3 months to 5 years, depending on their local policies and hard drive space. That said, the average retention time is typically at least a year.
This brings us to the next part of security, the onsite guards.
Onsite guards
Just to be clear –as of June 5th, there are an estimated 19,165 Dollar General stores – so policies may vary a lot from store to store.
That said, depending on the store and the estimated yearly losses, a varying number of onsite guards will be present inside the store. This could just be a guard at the exit checking receipts, or you might have one or two walking around the store.
They could be dressed as guards, or even plain-clothed, and they will not be armed and are not allowed to touch you.
They CAN ask to see your receipt or even ask you to leave if they are suspicious of you, and they can contact the police at any time they wish.
If they see an individual that visits the office but doesn’t seem to buy much, then they might decide that checking the surveillance footage earlier in the week when they saw you last is a good idea. If this happens and you did walk out with something, then this footage could be used as evidence and you might be charged, banned from the store, or both.
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What happens if someone is spotted shoplifting?
At Dollar General, typically if someone monitoring the camera onsite or offsite spots suspicious behavior then they can contact the store, and an announcement is often made reminding customers that there are security cameras in place.
This doesn’t always happen – but it does happen often and is actually quite effective at convincing potential shoplifters that it’s not worth the trouble they might get into.
Keep in mind that hiding items is also considered to fall under shoplifting. After all, there’s no reason to move a bunch of items into a pile of clothing or behind some boxes.
Even if you’re just putting items back because you don’t want to purchase them, most people will put them in plain view.
If a guard or cashier believes that you have been shoplifting, then the guard will speak with you as you attempt to leave and the police WILL very likely be contacted.
Does Dollar General review very old footage?
We mentioned a scenario where a guard might spot someone acting suspiciously and remember that they saw them earlier the same week, and then check the footage for that day.
While they are unlikely to go back much further than that, it really depends on the store and their suspicion level.
While no one wants to wade through weeks or more of footage, if the suspected shoplifter visits every week or at least enough to be established as a regular customer (who doesn’t seem to buy a lot), then someone might well check the legacy footage to see if they can catch you on cam in the act of shoplifting.
It’s uncommon because of the amount of work it takes, but it sometimes DOES happen, and if shoplifting footage is found then there is also a chance that they’ll save it and keep looking.
What then happens if a guard can get enough surveillance to show multiple instances of shoplifting and you could be prosecuted, no matter how many times it was done and ‘seemed’ like you got away.
So I can get ‘busted’ for shoplifting after the fact?
Yes, people can and do get caught after the fact and it happens all of the time. You might think that Dollar General would be laxer than some stores, as they offer discount goods, but in actuality, the opposite is more realistic. Dollar General is very vigilant about prosecuting theft, even for small cash-value goods.
In a way, they have to be. Stores lose billions every year to shoplifting and employee theft, but Dollar Generals are often the target of robberies as well, so their security is constantly being improved.
By way of example, in Dayton Ohio according to CNN, Dollar General robberies made up 29% of ALL commercial robberies. In 2019.
Unlike a lot of chains, Dollar Generals tend to be smaller stores, so this makes them a target for the occasional robber looking to get the daily bank deposit or simply to attempt to rob the tills, much like with convenience stores.
As a result of this Dollar Generals will almost ALWAYS press charges if they think you are shoplifting or in cases of employee theft and it makes solid sense – by getting the ‘word’ out that Dollar General will get the police involved quickly in response to criminal behavior, overall security is increased, the employees are safer, and loss prevention statistics are improved.
What is most likely to happen if you shoplift at Dollar General?
This will depend on your local laws, but if you are caught then the store will contact the police, and depending on the value of the items stolen you will be charged.
This goes on your permanent criminal record so that if you get charged again, the punishment will likely be WORSE – higher fines, public service, and more jail time being the most common examples.
This also affects your chances of employment. When you apply somewhere for a job, a background check is typically run, and a potential employer is well within their rights not to hire you if you have been found guilty of theft.
Aside from this, you could possibly be banned from the store anywhere from one month to a year, or even permanently.
In conclusion
Today we’ve addressed the question ‘how often does Dollar General check their cameras?’ and while it varies from store to store, we can say with 100% certainty that in stores where theft is most rampant, the cameras are watched for as long as there are customers and employees in the store.
The footage is also retained for a preset time, typically up to a year, but 5 years is not unheard of. That means that even if someone ‘gets away’ with shoplifting, it doesn’t mean that they still cannot be prosecuted for as many charges as the surveillance camera footage will support.
Don’t think that Dollar General has ineffective security just because they’re a discount store – it actually makes them much more vigilant about loss prevention, prosecution, and by extension, keeping prices low for their paying customers!
Reference Sources
https://talkradionews.com/dollar-general-shoplifting-policy-all-you-need-to-know/