A BUSY mall has introduced a new anti-theft measure that will scan shoppers before they enter the building.
The Mall at Greece Ridge in Rochester, New York, has introduced new technology to look for certain customers.
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This tech will be introduced in the mall’s parking lot to scan cars and number plates.
Police and security staff will be notified when any of these vehicles belong to a known shoplifter.
The vice president and corporate security director for the mall’s owner Wilmorite, Al D’Agostino, explained how they determined who was a suspect, according to NBC affiliate WHEC.
“Either that information was given to us by police or we’ve experienced it here personally, where there’s been some theft and they jump in a car and take off,” he said.
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He then explained how they utilize this technology.
“Once we know they’re on property and they see us, sometimes that’s enough just for them to just go somewhere else,” he said.
D’Agostino also explained that these cameras could be used by police to catch other suspects.
“They call us and let us know, ‘Hey, this car just came in’ and we try to find it for them,” he explained.
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“We’re like their eyes for that, and then we can direct them exactly where it went and maybe if someone got out of the car, we can get a good shot of them.”
D’Agostino discussed why he thought shoplifters revisited the mall.
“Sometimes is desperation on their part, sometimes they just don’t really care or they just take a chance,” he said.
Despite this, he explained why this tech could help to combat retail theft.
“But with our technology that we have here and we keep upgrading, keeping up with the times, I mean we are able to get some really good footage and pictures that we can actually turn over to the police and then they can solve these issues,” he added.
THEFT WATCH
This mall has not been the only retail space to upgrade its anti-theft measures.
Anti-theft measures rolled out by retailers
Retailers across the US and Canada have rolled out strategies designed to combat theft. The U.S. Sun has compiled a list of measures that have been implemented at stores.
- Locking items in cabinets.
- Security pegs.
- Security cameras.
- Signs warning about the impact of theft.
- Receipt scanners.
- Receipt checks.
- Carts with locking technology
Many household names have brought in new tactics to prevent stealing, which have proven to be controversial among shoppers, The U.S. Sun has previously reported.
One of these tactics has included locking certain items in plexiglass boxes.
Shoppers need to call over a member of staff to unlock the box and retrieve an item for them.
One customer explained that this measure made them walk out of the store without buying the razors they needed.
Another anti-theft measure has been security doors at a store’s exit that shoppers open by scanning their receipts.
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One customer labeled these as an “enormous hassle.”
The U.S. Sun has reached out to Wilmorite for comment.
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https://www.the-sun.com/news/11736408/mall-new-anti-theft-measure-cameras-parking-lot-shoplifters/