4 Most Commonly Shoplifted Items and How You Can Protect Your Business
Only one in every seven businesses has an alarm system like Sonitrol Security in place to prevent theft and break ins, and those without alarms may be at a much greater risk for theft. It’s no question that shoplifting is an issue for countless retail stores, whether they have business security systems or not. However, certain businesses might be more prone to theft than others, and not for the reasons you might think.
Rather than location or size, most businesses are robbed based on the items they carry. For instance, in places like downtown Los Angeles, there is a black market for stolen goods that operates in plain sight. Shoplifters from around the city gather there to sell lifted merchandise like razors, shampoo, and stolen iPhones. But even small rural towns have hidden black markets for stolen goods.
While installing business security systems is an important step, it’s just as important for retail store owners to know what the most commonly shoplifted items are. So to find out which items are stolen the most here in the United States, check out the short list below:
Meat
In the past several years, meat has emerged as the most stolen item in the United States. Most meat thieves go for high-end products such as filet mignon or lamb chops, and anti-theft experts have started hiding security tags under the price label or in the pad that soaks up the meat juice.
Razors and Razor Cartridges
While they’re sometimes incredibly overpriced, that’s no reason to steal them. These come in right after meat as the second most stolen items in America. Mach products from Gillette are always among the most taken, perhaps because they have a good reputation and are usually expensive. On the black market, thieves can sell a single Gillette razor cartridge pack for $5 to $10.
Baby Formula
When you consider the fact that it takes more than $10,000 annually to care for and raise a child, it’s not surprising that this is one of the most stolen items. Formula normally costs $25 or more, providing a great incentive to swipe it from shelves.
Cosmetics
The most popular method used to steal cosmetics is to take them out of their plastic packaging and hide the wrappers in the store for employees to find days or weeks later. One of the top beauty products currently being taken is Oil of Olay’s Regenerist anti-aging line. Because these items are small, expensive, and easy to resell, they’re a popular target for shoplifters everywhere.
When you stop to think about just how many common household items are stolen from stores every day, its simple to see why commercial security services and security cameras are in high demand. Police respond to 38 million alarm calls annually, and although almost 98% of them are false alarms, the 2% that aren’t can save business owners a lot of money in the long run.
Business security systems are important, and if you’re concerned about your retail store and theft, there’s definitely a commercial security system out there for you.