Home > Crimes > Shoplifting > Spot the Shoplifter

You never know who is going to shoplift, because all types of people do it -- young and old, male and female, rich and poor, shabby and well-dressed, black and white, and so on. The most important thing about detecting shoplifters is this:

What should make you suspicious? What shouldn't you be concerned about? Some of these things are listed below. Click on the ones with links to learn more about shoplifting techniques.

	Dress	Act	Move	Carry
Be vary suspicious of customers who	have heavy clothes in summer to disguise what they're hiding have no coat in winter but plan to steal one are wearing very worn clothing that can be switched for stolen clothes aren't wearing any shoes	come in pairs, and while one distracts you, the other roams around take quick glances around them (known as "scoping") don't seem interested in items they asked about are nervous, flushed, or dry-lipped, or are sweating when it isn't hot hold quick conversations with other suspicious people	leave an area of your store very quickly walk funny, tug at a sleeve, adjust socks, rub the back of their neck, or make other odd movements that might help in hiding items keep their hands down low to conceal items reach into a display counter or walk behind a sales counter keep one hand in an outer coat pocket all the time move quickly from displays to the fitting rooms	are carrying wrinkled or dirty shopping bags (known as "bad bags"), plastic garbage bags or backpacks take a lot of garments into the fitting room at once take more than one garment of a particular pattern into the fitting room at once are carrying a large open purse are carrying cash in their hands
Watch more carefully customers who	are wearing baggy clothes, or full and pleated skirts	don't seem to know what they want and interchange articles frequently are shopping right after opening or right before closing	are walking in an unusual way are pushing a baby carriage or stroller are roaming around aimlessly, waiting for a friend who is shopping go into the bathroom take a lot of items into the fitting room	are carrying bags, bundles, boxes, coats slung over arms, briefcases, newspapers, umbrellas, or have an arm in a sling
Don't worry so much about customers who	are dressed for the weather are wearing tight-fitting clothing where it would be difficult to hide anything	are paying attention to nothing but your merchandise come in alone and ask for help		aren't carrying anything