30-08-2010 Survey: $6.0 billion shoplifted in
2009 from 25 major retailers
Shoplifter. Photo : Corbis Over 1 million shoplifters
apprehended in 2009 by just 25 major retailers according to 22nd
annual retail theft survey by Jack L. Hayes
International.
Shoplifters and dishonest employees stole over $6.0 billion in 2009
from just 25 major retailers, according to the 22nd Annual Retail
Theft Survey conducted by Jack L. Hayes International, the leading
loss prevention and inventory shrinkage control consulting firm.
These 25 surveyed retailers apprehended over 1 million shoplifters
and dishonest employees in 2009 and recovered more than $163
million from these thieves.
"Total shoplifter and dishonest employee apprehensions increased
for the 4th consecutive year, up almost 15% from the previous
year," said Mark R. Doyle, President of Jack L. Hayes
International. "Surveyed retailers made over 1 million shoplifting
apprehensions in 2009, up almost 17% from 2008. However, the
apprehension of dishonest employees decreased 9% in 2009, after
being up the previous 5 years. It appears the poor economy had a
hand in both an increase in shoplifting and a decrease in employee
theft. Shoplifting apprehensions appear to have increased due to
the hard times many people were having and less employees on the
sales floor to prevent shoplifting. Employee apprehensions
decreased in 2009 due to fewer new hires, less employees overall,
and some employees being afraid to lose their jobs."
Highlights from the annual theft survey
. Participants: 25 large retail companies with 18,906 stores and
over $605 billion in retail sales (2009).
. Apprehensions: 1,085,226 shoplifters and dishonest employees were
apprehended in 2009, up 14.7% from 2008.
. Recovery Dollars: Over $163 million was recovered from
apprehended shoplifters and dishonest employees in 2009, down 4.9%
from 2008.
. Shoplifter Apprehensions: 1,014,817 shoplifters were apprehended
in 2009, up 16.8% from 2008.
. Shoplifter Recovery Dollars: Over $111 million was recovered from
apprehended shoplifters in 2009, a slight increase of 1.0% from
2008.
. Employee Apprehensions: 70,409 dishonest employees were
apprehended in 2009, down 9.4% from 2008.
. Employee Recovery Dollars: Over $51 million was recovered from
employee apprehensions in 2009, down 15.7% from 2008.
. One in every 28.4 employees was apprehended for theft from their
employer in 2009. (Based on 2.9 million employees.)
For full survey results visit Hayes International
website