According to a preliminary National Retail Security Survey that came out this past summer, numbers show that retail theft was about $34.5 billion in 2011! According to this survey, the majority of shrinkage last year was due to employee theft, which accounted for 43.9% of total losses. Shoplifting and various forms of theft continue to be a monumental problem in the U.S. These losses affect every single individual as retailers have to account for it by increasing the retail price of every good sold.
All the hype and media for this year’s Black Friday sales sent millions of shoppers out on Thursday evening when many stores opened early. Some researchers are predicting that one of the biggest ways that retail stores will take a hit this holiday season is through fraudulent returns. This is when thieves create fraudulent receipts to return products for cash or store credit. It’s predicted that this will cost retailers about $3 billion this holiday season.
Unfortunately, this past shopping weekend was no better than in years past for shoplifting and theft. Many Wal-Marts across the country took a proactive stance by hiring extra security officers. In Texas, store officials periodically work with local police by hiring off duty officers to help reduce shoplifting. In New Braunfels, a total of 15 arrests were made over the weekend for a variety of illegal offenses. The items that were stolen ranged from clothing, food and beauty supplies to fishing spool, pillowcases and even bigger items like skateboards. One woman acting on her own tried to steal over $900 worth of items!
In other reported cases, a perpetrator at a Wal-Mart in Athens, Georgia faces charges for actually assaulting a store employee who was attempting to detain him due to a suspected theft. And, in a very sad case, a man who officers say was trying to steal two DVD players from another Wal-Mart in Georgia died after two employees and a security officer apprehended him. When the police arrived the trio were sitting on him and he was showing no response.
The question remains is getting caught and even potentially harmed in some way worth it for a couple of electronic devices? For some, the impulsive behavior is too tempting and they just can’t overcome it on their own. This is why the courts mandate theft classes to convicted offenders. The goal is to take a deep look at the person’s motivations and what exactly triggers the behavior. A typical court mandated 8 Hour Theft Class will teach the client empathy, how to be more self-aware and how to deal with and overcome this lack of impulse control. The intention is to learn from your past mistakes with the help of a cognitive behavioral approach to improve thinking and behavior.
If you need to take a program related to stealing, theft, shoplifting or larceny, ask your judge or court system if you can take the course online. High quality online classes are readily available at the click of a button from any web-based Ipad, PC or laptop. Taking the course online enables the client to stay at home to learn the material. They are also beneficial to those who want or need to get the class over with quickly. The client can sit down and take a 10-hour theft class online in one weekend instead of having to follow a predetermined classroom schedule of one hour a week for 10 weeks. Online classes are affordable and simple to use. The client simply registers, and then follows the course by topic and chapter. At the end of the class a multiple choice final exam is issued. With a 70% score or better, a Certificate of Completion is mailed out to you. This is the official documentation to show to the court system that the class was successfully completed.
Start an online theft class today to learn new skills to gain control of your impulsive behavior and change your life for the better!
