470 - (FREE TO READ) Dispatches from "the retail theft capital of the Western world..."
Mailbox: "J", who works in Loss Prevention in the US comments on Post #468 - "Call the police"
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Many thanks to J for commenting on this article (and its video example of UK shop security being badly handled and needlessly causing aggression flashpoints) and sharing these personal insights into what it’s now like working “Loss prevention” in the US.
I’ve moved his comments from the supporter article and posted them here for readers to consider.
Retail security is a subject that interests me as I did this for a few years on and off both in London and locally here. It was often an absolutely thankless job with a lot of attached risks for little monetary reward for me.
I remember it much as J says in his comments, as a lot of grinding boredom with regular flashes of aggression, grief, death threats, staff elsewhere robbed and tied up with stun guns, and even in one case a guard at another store stabbed to death over a bag of sweets, I don’t miss it all. But this was many years ago now, crime is worse and as the trends go in the US, the UK is never too far behind.
My comments are in (brackets).
Jeth
The original supporter article with a free preview is here:
J - “Good article. SCO causes much more unnecessary problems/theft/arguments.
I work in Loss Prevention inside the retail theft capital of the Western world i.e. The San Francisco/Oakland Bay area CA... it's like being a pilot, you don't get to make mistakes, long periods of boredom interspersed with adrenaline/hostility. Nowadays, strong skill set in De-escalation is more important than ever.”
(Jeth - Thanks J.
Mate, you're not joking about working in the global "stock loss capital" - the videos we see from there are nuts!
This is the new model though and it's replicated here now. Theft is now a right and you're guilty of a crime if you try and stop it for some.
I believe these mouth-breather staff interactions are basically the future as more of this type of duty gets farmed out to the inept and untrained.)
J - “"Theft is now a right and you're guilty of a crime if you try and stop it for some."
A-FUCKING-MEN. I have so many surveillance clips saved that I wish I could share with you, illustrating just that.”
(Jeth - Is there a minimum theft value before criminal charges are pursued there? I read it's something like $950 or so?
I've heard anecdotally of similar things here and it's the only thing that explains the open theft I've seen with security not even responding. This would never have been the case when I was working, everything was challenged.)
J - “The resulting trend in law enforcement is that many officers become completely disillusioned and calloused towards doing their job properly because they know that our progressive policies and criminal sympathizing district attorneys won't follow up even if the officer does make an arrest.
It also results in subpar "badasses" that are aggressive with the meek, and meek with the aggressive type personalities in law enforcement. The culture becomes more accustomed to accepting criminal behavior and criminals become more and more emboldened because they know better than the average public citizen that they won't get caught, and even if they do get caught they will not face any real legal repercussions. I could go on and on, and have so many examples/surveillance footage clips.
When I first started this job, it was the same way. There was no option, the suspect is going back into the office in handcuffs or a choke-hold. But those days are over. The only person that would get in any trouble would be me.
Yeah, 950$ is the minimum. But even that is largely irrelevant.
There are basically zero legal repercussions for property crime here in the liberal utopia of California.
We have many repeat offenders who routinely fill up multiple carts full of high-end merchandise and then push out through one of the emergency exit doors. And we basically have to watch them take their time loading up the stolen merch into a (most likely stolen) vehicle.
Many of these suspects are well known to us, we know their name/DOB/DL#, etc. And many have extensive criminal records and/or warrants.
But there is literally zero point in calling PD, they won't even respond. That is, if you can even get thru to a dispatcher. We have one of the worst 911 responses in the nation.
I have a video clip on my phone from just the other week, where two suspects robbed, and assaulted multiple employees and a lot security guard.
A witness called the police and they actually showed up miraculously. However, the officer just watches the ordeal play out and does nothing to apprehend them.
They are very cautious when dealing with certain demographics that they know will not cooperate. The officers know that this, and don't want to deal with the media/law suits etc. If they have to use force.”
From "B" by email:
"Was watching a vid about San Fran the other day. What a shit hole it's (purposely) become.
See below."
https://youtu.be/ypZu61OgITE?si=3bbbOnuF7xiuDKw4