'The Sunglass Hut' has a strange Policy

MrBrian

I was at the Store 'The sunglass Hut', checking out some shades and this guy walks in, picks up a pair of sunglasses and just starts to walk out.

I ask the sales person "Did he just take that?" His reply "yes"...I asked him if he was going to go after him and he said "no"...I say "ummm should i go get him?"

Then he tells me "dont worry, our corporate policy is not to go after people who steal things from the store"
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Does that make sense to anyone?

I mean maybe they think it's too much trouble and takes too much time to run after someone or call the cops, but really?...Just let them go?

CHANGEinWAVES

When I worked at a drug store that was also our policy, though we never followed it... Most of the time one of the guys would go running after them. That stopped after we had an armed robbery. Then we just gave a police report.

Commy

I don't know. what is the guy gonna do when he catches up to the thief?

seems he made the right choice.

MrBrian

Commy wrote:

I don't know. what is the guy gonna do when he catches up to the thief?

seems he made the right choice.

Ask for them back? I dont know, call the cops? Mall security? Not shrug his shoulders and not care.

I mean I know he just works at the place but its that attitude that gets to me, like when I went jeans shopping one day, this one salesperson told me to just put the jeans in my backpack and pay him off (like half price wink wink)

He was shocked that I did not accept his offer. What kind of world is this?

CHANGEinWAVES

MrBrian wrote:

Ask for them back? I dont know, call the cops? Mall security? Not shrug his shoulders and not care.

I mean I know he just works at the place but its that attitude that gets to me, like when I went jeans shopping one day, this one salesperson told me to just put the jeans in my backpack and pay him off (like half price wink wink)

He was shocked that I did not accept his offer. What kind of world is this?

I could never take the jeans either... I stole once in my life ( 2 books from a class room library in 3rd grade) and I was so ashamed by it, I kept the books hidden for years, actually they prob are still hidden in my parents basement!
I don't understand people who think that way either.

Commy

MrBrian wrote:

What kind of world is this?

that is a good question.

Anon

CHANGEinWAVES wrote:

I could never take the jeans either... I stole once in my life ( 2 books from a class room library in 3rd grade) and I was so ashamed by it, I kept the books hidden for years, actually they prob are still hidden in my parents basement!
I don't understand people who think that way either.

I wouldn't take the jeans either. Just wouldn't feel right. I used to steal other peoples mail when i was small if we didn't get any, but my parents always made me take it back. (we had letter boxes in Australia out the front of our houses). I can't say i ever felt guilty, i was pissed that i had to take them back actually, but i outgrew it quick enough when my parents started writing to me to make sure we got letters. Weird.

Kel Varnsen

MrBrian wrote:

Ask for them back? I dont know, call the cops? Mall security? Not shrug his shoulders and not care.

Calling mall security or the cops seems like the logical option. Chasing the thief down does not. I mean if you are going to chase them down, you have to be prepared for things not to go your way. I mean what happens if you ask for them back and the thief says no. Would you be prepared to physically restrain him or get into a fight and possibly get hurt over something that is not even yours.

iamica

They had a similar policy at a store I used to work at. If someone exited the store with stolen merchandise, no one was permitted to go after them. You could stop them if they were still in the store, however.
Shoplifting incidents were terrible there, for that reason. I think once people realized that all they had to do was get out of the building, they started trying it more. My manager once had a tug of war with a lady in the doorway who had put a ton of stuff in a wicker basket and tried to run out with it. She ran off, but she left her ID and wallet in the basket and they caught her.
The store closed down about a year after I quit, though, so I think their dumb policy caught up with them in the end.

SoonForgotten2

It was probably a friend or former employee who knew the policy.

dunkman

if the salesperson had run after them... and if i was you i would have taken 18 pairs of sunglasses whilst he chased the other guy... so by the salesperson staying they only lost 1 pair of massively over-priced sunglasses instead of 18.

everyones a winner






(i need not stress that i am joking )

BinFrog

My buddy's wife used to be the manager for a Gap store in CT. Apparently they had the same policy, but to make matters worse the people who stole the merchandise would come back to the same store with the stolen merchandise and return it for freaking cash...and they had to act as if it was legitimate! They knew who the thieves were, and yet they still had to allow them to 'return' the items for cash. Unreal.

Pacomc79

I guess that says something about the markup on thier goods considering that they are able to still employ people and still stock shelves with all that shrink.

DewieCox

Walmart will not stop you, unless you empty out their meth cabinet.

I used to work there. The behind the counter type medicines were in a locked display. A worker left it open, went back, all the cold medicine, nicotine patches, etc etc etc were gone.

That was the only time I seen ANYBODY go after a thief.

There are/were people that shopped there everyday, who stole. A few people got busted when they stopped for the alarm, but the smarter ones just keep walkin. A cop happened to be around a couple times, and busted people, but that was just a coincidence.

Walmart is afraid of a lawsuit, and I can't say I blame them. The one I worked at, got sued b/c a lady walked into a little gumball machine. Literally, what happened was, she ran into it. Knocked it over, Broke it. Wally World paid her hospital bills. They had video evidence that said the worst possible injury she could have gotten was a stubbed toe or a bruise.

decides2dream

this is a pretty common policy i believe. although i do think most stores suggest calling mall security and/or the police if they can. then again, calling the cops over 1 pair of sunglasses.....dunno. obviously merchants must build in theft into their markups.


overall though, i think it makes sense. why have an employee possibly endanger themselves over what? things. also, as dunkman points out...if one does chase the thief and then leaves the store, or the register, unattended....far more detrimental.


i worked many, many years in retail. it's how i put myself thru grad school. we all 'knew' the major thieving culprits, and we'd watch em like hawks......but unless we could cath them red-handed AND have security right there to stop em...all pretty futile.

small town beck

BinFrog wrote:

My buddy's wife used to be the manager for a Gap store in CT. Apparently they had the same policy, but to make matters worse the people who stole the merchandise would come back to the same store with the stolen merchandise and return it for freaking cash...and they had to act as if it was legitimate! They knew who the thieves were, and yet they still had to allow them to 'return' the items for cash. Unreal.

That makes no sense?? Do they not need a receipt for cash back? The Sunglass Hut policy blows my mind, I actually BOUGHT my sunglasses there while I could have just picked them up and left the store with them? WTF?

WTF is wrong with people??? I loathe thieves, so low.

I know you have to be very careful about accusing someone but man... not even calling mall security. Weird.

urbanhippie

My ex used to work at a supermarket and one day a colleague spotted a woman walking out with a basket full of high price goods, alcohol and such. Anyway, he gave chase and tried to take the basket from her and she sank her teeth into his hand!! He ended up having to go for tetanus shots :( :mad:

So yeah, I can see why some people just don't think it's worth it, anything could happen :(

Strangest Tribe

Never chase a thief. A local K-Mart security man got stabbed in throat just last week when he followed a thief out of the store. He almost died and is still in the Hospital. It's not worth it.

LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun

he was probably just too lazy or didnt care enough to call security.

dunkman

Strangest Tribe wrote:

Never chase a thief. A local K-Mart security man got stabbed in throat just last week when he followed a thief out of the store. He almost died and is still in the Hospital. It's not worth it.

this is exactly why i wouldnt try and catch them either... if they choices are $10 sunglasses VERSUS stabbing to the guts... he can keep them.

my cousin once chased a shoplifter through the streets of my town... did so for about 20mins... he got a brick thrown at him and thats when he decided to give it up... his company was Woolworths and his boss said he could have an extra 5 minutes for his break to recover.

Woolworths make millions upon millions of pounds per year.. he was 16 and on a shit wage... its just not worth a brick landing on your head.

small town beck

dunkman wrote:

this is exactly why i wouldnt try and catch them either... if they choices are $10 sunglasses VERSUS stabbing to the guts... he can keep them.

my cousin once chased a shoplifter through the streets of my town... did so for about 20mins... he got a brick thrown at him and thats when he decided to give it up... his company was Woolworths and his boss said he could have an extra 5 minutes for his break to recover.

Woolworths make millions upon millions of pounds per year.. he was 16 and on a shit wage... its just not worth a brick landing on your head.

Five minutes extra?? LMAO man, that guy was all heart.

Rhinocerous Surprise

dunkman wrote:

this is exactly why i wouldnt try and catch them either... if they choices are $10 sunglasses VERSUS stabbing to the guts... he can keep them.

my cousin once chased a shoplifter through the streets of my town... did so for about 20mins... he got a brick thrown at him and thats when he decided to give it up... his company was Woolworths and his boss said he could have an extra 5 minutes for his break to recover.

Woolworths make millions upon millions of pounds per year.. he was 16 and on a shit wage... its just not worth a brick landing on your head.

Who threw the brick? The shoplifter, or just some random violent (drunk) Scot? :eek:

LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun

i'd chase him just for the fun of it. make him earn it. wouldnt feel bad for my poor supercorporation if he got away, though.

Strangest Tribe

MrSmith wrote:

i'd chase him just for the fun of it. make him earn it. wouldnt feel bad for my poor supercorporation if he got away, though.

Yeah, if you can chase with reason to at least get a description or license plate...
I think it's more important not to get yourself hurt and let the police handle it.

I used to chase thieves when I was younger now I doubt I could make it to the parking lot and have enough strength to do anything if I actually did catch them.

Pacomc79

chase? why not just use a taser?

maybe those store alrams that read the RFID chips should just shock the crap out of you?

BinFrog

small town beck wrote:

That makes no sense?? Do they not need a receipt for cash back?

I think they just used the "it was a gift" routine.

pateljam

MrBrian wrote:

I was at the Store 'The sunglass Hut', checking out some shades and this guy walks in, picks up a pair of sunglasses and just starts to walk out.

I ask the sales person "Did he just take that?" His reply "yes"...I asked him if he was going to go after him and he said "no"...I say "ummm should i go get him?"

Then he tells me "dont worry, our corporate policy is not to go after people who steal things from the store"
---

Does that make sense to anyone?

I mean maybe they think it's too much trouble and takes too much time to run after someone or call the cops, but really?...Just let them go?

I am off to get some sunglasses then

Jack_C_Gregory

pateljam wrote:

I am off to get some sunglasses then

No kidding, especially at the Sunglasses Hut where they try to charge you 100.00 for sunglasses.

One of my buddies used to be head of security at Sears and he said that they couldn't stop people after they left the store, part of their policy. He also said if a person grabs something and then is out of the camera view for 30 seconds (like behind a pillar or behind a rack) they can't do anything because the person may have dropped or left the item when they weren't on camera. So I asked, "I could grab some shoes, stand behind a pillar for 30 seconds and then leave untouched", and he said, "Basically."

slightofjeff

I think the policy should be: "If you think you can take him, run him down and beat his ass. If he is a large biker-looking dude who may or may not be carrying nunchucks ... say the hell with it."

JaneNY

Wow - I had no idea this type of policy was in place. I'm not a big shopper, and I tend to pay for what I wish to own. What about keeping a camera handy, or just whip out your cell phone and catch a pic of whoever is taking whatever it is? Then you can show it to mall security.

AmentsChick

This is also Target's policy. My ex worked in security at Target and they can't actually do anything about theft. The security guards you see working are just there for looks, they CANNOT go after someone who steals.