Kmart has been around since 1899 and while they are known for offering discount goods, that doesn’t mean that they don’t have policies in place to protect them.
If you were wondering ‘What is the Kmart Shoplifting policy and what do they cover?’, then you’ve come to the right place!
Kmart uses a ‘cost-effective classic’ type loss prevention policy to deter shoplifters. Basically, they have surveillance cameras around the store, as well as security tags placed at random and on higher-end items, oversized packaging to help protect small, expensive items, and security guards to fill in any remaining security gaps.
It’s something that has worked for a very long time, but to better understand the Kmart shoplifting policy it’s important to take a closer look at the parts and how they come together.
Read on and we’ll tell you all about it!
A closer look at Kmart security
Back a decade or more ago, Kmart had a much more lax security array in place where shoplifters were concerned, simply for the fact that things like surveillance footage, guards, and security tags were more expensive and that, of course, affected the prices they could offer on their products.
These days, however, security is much more affordable, especially when you consider that U.S. companies lose billions every year to shoplifting.
So, even though Kmar is a ‘discount store’, don’t let that make you think that they don’t have effective security in place – because they definitely DO.
Surveillance cameras
Surveillance cameras are pretty standard with any retail store these days and Kmart is certainly no exception.
At any point in time, someone may be watching you for suspicious behavior and even if you make it out the door with goods, since footage is saved you aren’t out of the woods yet.
Kmart security may decide to review previous security footage if they’ve seen you coming in and out a lot but not buying anything or simply buying small items such as gum or the occasional shirt.
If footage is found of shoplifting, then this could be forwarded to the police and security could be shown your picture and advised to call the police if they see you.
Security tagging
A decade or even 20 years ago, security tags were weighty, expensive things, and so only a handful of items could be tagged to set off an alarm if someone leaves the store with a security tag that hasn’t been deactivated.
These days, security tagging is standard at so many stores, that they are cheap enough to put on all kinds of items.
This means that even very low-cost items might have a security tag in place and more shoplifters will subsequently be caught when they pass the security arches and generate an alarm.
We are not aware of any software-based strategies working with Kmart video surveillance to ‘follow’ items around the store, but these tags and regular surveillance are still pretty effective on their own.
Oversized packaging
A lot of expensive items are very small, such as video games, memory cards, and other electronic items that are in high demand. To make it harder for shoplifters, oversized packaging is employed to make an item harder to slip into a pocket, purse, or otherwise obscure.
Sometimes they will even have a security tag inside the packaging, and while some shoplifters may try to cut the item out of the oversized packaging if you’ve ever tried opening one of these items after just purchasing it, then you know what happens. They’re really HARD to open.
So, a shoplifter might TRY to cut something out, but they need to be out of view long enough to do so, so the cameras may well see their effort.
Read also >> Do Supermarkets Prosecute Shoplifters? (Do This Now!)
Read also >> What Is Civil Recovery From Shoplifting? (Restitution + More)
Read also >> Should I Pay A Civil Demand Letter For Shoplifting? (Penalty)
Security Guards and Loss Prevention Associates
Security guards help to fill any security gaps that might exist with the current security layout. You’ll typically have one or more at the exit and there are usually guards walking around the store.
While we don’t have any reports of plain-clothed security guards, there ARE sometimes also Loss Prevention associates from Kmart that will walk around in plain clothing as an additional way to ensure that shoplifters are caught.
Usually, when a security guard is going to confront someone, it will be awhile assistin a Loss Prevention associate, although this may not always be the case.
Will Kmart press charges if someone is caught shoplifting?
While they will not ‘grab’ you and probably won’t chase you, a Loss Prevention associate or a security guard may well FOLLOW you while they are calling the police to help ensure that you do not get away.
This is fairly standard for most large retailers, as a confrontation approach opens up the potential for a suspect acting out, hurting a customer or an employee, and also opens the store up to litigation if the associate handles the confrontation poorly.
Following, however, is a much safer and much more sensible approach and it can also be quite effective. If someone leaves in their car, the associate can get the license plate, plus there will be footage of the suspect running and this may also be used in court.
If you are caught, then charges will USUALLY be pressed. Some exceptions may be made, but it will be up to the Loss Prevention associate.
With minors, they may simply demand the return of the item and contact the suspect’s parents, but there is no guarantee – Kmart may still get the police involved.
From there, charges will vary based on the cost of the item, but it could lead up to a misdemeanor offense. Other factors are also considered, such as if the person tried to run, threatened the guard or associate, drawn a weapon, or even bumped into a customer trying to leave.
So, the shoplifting charge might also include evading arrest, or be upgraded to ‘robbery ’ of first or second degree, from the threat or weapon. Bumping someone while running could add an ‘assault’ charge to it, as well.
Finally, while a shoplifter might get away unidentified, the guard might simply start reviewing recent security footage looking for that person. If they find several shoplifting attempts and the footage from it, they could send that to the local police and when the shoplifter IS caught, then they might have thousands of dollars of fines and 10 – 15 years of prison waiting for them if they don’t have a very good lawyer.
So, as you can see, while it’s a pretty basic security setup, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t going to be repercussions if a shoplifter is caught.
There could actually be quite a LOT of them, including enormous fines, jail time, and community service.
When you consider all of this to see the big picture, shoplifting at Kmart simply isn’t worth the risk.
Some final words
In this article, we’ve taken a closer look at Kmart’s shoplifting policy and while it’s not as aggressive as many other stores employ, it’s still pretty effective.
With surveillance cameras to watch for suspicious behavior in real time, plus recorded footage that allows them to ‘catch you later’, there is already a good chance of being caught.
Adding in security tags to set off an alarm if someone tries to pass with goods and security guards that patrol the store and are stationed by the exit, Kmart has a recipe for pretty decent security to help keep their losses – and their prices – as low as possible.
It’s not fancy, but it WORKS.
Reference Sources
http://bluestarsecurity.com.au/pdf/kmart-guard_standing_orders.pdf