6 Tactics Repeat Shoplifters Use (and How to Beat Them)

Repeat shoplifting is a persistent problem for retailers, costing businesses significant losses. These aren't opportunistic thefts; they're often carried out by seasoned offenders who know exactly how to exploit weaknesses in security systems.

This article reveals the six most common theft techniques used by these repeat offenders. More importantly, we'll show you how to effectively detect and prevent them using innovative security solutions. Discover how gesture analysis and other modern technologies can help retailers like you significantly reduce losses and boost profitability.

1. Concealing Items Under Clothing or in Bags

The most common technique

Concealing items is the go-to technique for repeat offenders. They artfully hide products in bags, under clothing, or in accessories like purses and strollers. This subtle behavior is incredibly difficult to spot with the naked eye, making it a significant challenge for traditional security systems.

How to Detect It
Conventional video surveillance often falls short in proactively catching this method. However, Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions, such as those offered by Veesion, can revolutionize detection. AI analyzes suspicious gestures in real-time, instantly flagging behaviors commonly associated with attempts to conceal merchandise.

2. Checkout Fraud: False Payments & Cancellations

Manipulation at the Register

Some repeat thieves exploit the point of sale by manipulating tills to steal products. This can involve fictitious transactions, cancelling payments, or even reversing already completed purchases to illicitly recover money or merchandise.

How to Detect It
An intelligent monitoring system capable of tracking both cashier and customer behavior during transactions is crucial. AI is key here, as it can recognize fraudulent patterns linked to repeated cancellations or suspicious transaction manipulations.

3. Group Theft & Accomplices: Organized Operations

Coordinated Shoplifting

Group theft frequently occurs in larger retail spaces where multiple individuals collaborate. Their strategy: distract staff while others swiftly conceal or pass around products.

How to Detect It
AI excels at detecting suspicious group dynamics by analyzing close body movements and interactions between individuals. Real-time alerts can then be dispatched to the security team, enabling rapid intervention to prevent the theft.

4. Quick Grabs: Rapid Product Picking

Fast & Discreet Shoplifting

"Quick grabbing" involves swiftly snatching items from shelves and concealing them in a bag or under clothing, all while avoiding detection. Thieves operate with speed to minimize attention, making this a common tactic in retail and supermarkets.

How to Detect It
AI-powered behavioral analysis systems are adept at spotting gestures like the rapid grabbing of products. By analyzing shopper behavior patterns on the aisles, AI identifies suspicious movements and triggers alerts even before the theft is complete.

5. Product Manipulation: Shelf-Based Theft

Deceptive Handling

In this technique, thieves handle products under the guise of testing or examining them, only to then conceal them. This is prevalent in stores selling perfumes, cosmetics, and fashion, where customers frequently try out items before stealing them.

How to Detect It
Real-time alerts generated by gesture analysis can detect unusual handling of merchandise. For instance, AI can spot customers picking up an item, examining it, and then hiding it under their clothing, signaling an imminent theft.

6. Distraction Theft: The Diversion Tactic

Stealing Through Misdirection

Thieves often employ diversionary tactics to draw employees' attention away, such as engaging in animated discussions or exhibiting exaggerated behavior. While staff are distracted, the theft occurs.

How to Detect It
AI systems can analyze all customer movements within a department, making it possible to identify distractions and behavioral anomalies. An alert can be triggered as soon as a customer begins interacting with multiple people or adopts exaggerated behavior, providing security ample time to intervene.

Proactive Prevention with AI

Recurrent in-store theft represents a significant drain on retailers' profits. As theft techniques grow increasingly sophisticated, traditional security solutions struggle to keep pace. However, artificial intelligence, particularly gesture analysis, offers a powerful solution for detecting theft before it happens.

Veesion utilizes advanced AI to detect suspicious gestures in real-time, giving you unparalleled control over your store's security. With this technology, you can react immediately and take the necessary measures to prevent losses.

Ready to adopt an intelligent, proactive security solution? Book a Veesion demo today and discover how we can help your store effectively combat recurrent shoplifting.