Saturday, May 9, 2009

Best. Weekend. Ever.

Sorry it's been awhile since I've blogged. Work at the Plantation has been picking up due to Mother's Day, plus we had a visit from the Plantation overseer, so I've been a bit busy. Last weekend was, by far, the best weekend I've ever had closing at the Plantation. Usually a closing shift on a weekend in my store is like next door to Hell, because we are horribly busy, the guests of the store are the worst guests ever and the thieves are out en masse. That proved to be a good thing, since we had a special forces team of Loss Prevention agents in the store for 3 days to do a massive Shock and Awe sweep of the store. It was heaven!

All of my regular shoplifters were out and about thinking that they were safe and crafty, but our SWAT team was busy making their lives completely miserable. I have to admit, I hate shoplifters. With a white-hot passion. There is nothing in my store you need that you can't work for just like me, so back the f**k off! That is also compounded by the fact that we have a hands-off policy in the store, where we can't stop a thief if they leave the store and if we do, we could be fired. So, to be clear, if you grab something, put it in your pocket, then sprint to the door, as long as you make it out, I can't do thing one or get fired for putting my life at risk. Demoralizing, at best.
By the end of the weekend, the SWAT was making my shoplifting dreams come true. Day 1, not much...just observing the traffic flow and figuring out their blind spots. Day 2, 4 teens shoplifting caught all at once. Nothing like watching a father walk into the store to pick up his shoplifting child, belt in hand. Later, a manly woman in a jumpsuit decided to steal purses and cologne while teaching her 14y.o. daughter and granddaughter to steal. After flirting with our LP agent and showing him how easy it was to steal stuff, she walked out and met him and the three other agents waiting to put her in cuffs. The long, pitiful walk to the office punctuated by the cries of her daughter and granddaughter and the threat of jail. In the end, she did go to jail (sadsies) and the 14y.o. had to learn how to drive or have momma's car towed.

Day 3, another 2 women and a baby stopped for grabbing stuff and hiding it in the stroller under the baby. The mother freaked out when the police grabbed her outside and she grabbed her baby out of the stroller and put it in the car. That, I'm sure, is the only reason CPS didn't come and take the child. The lady that the agents actually saw stealing cried all the way back to the office and wanted to pay for the stuff she stole (too late). The other lady, who was let go, kept her distance, yet she freaked out because she knew she had stolen stuff in her purse. The LP agaents took the stroller and her purse with her friend and she never came back to pick up either. When she called for the 5th time to discuss picking up her stroller (never mind her friend), we told her the number she could call was 911...her friend had already been taken to jail. Somehow, I think the info in her purse will tell the police how to get in touch with her. ; )

It may not have stopped the stealing going on in the store, but it certainly made it safer to be there that weekend.

1 comment:

RambleRedhead said...

Wow amazing stuff - sad that people think they can steal things and then cry when they are caught - too late indeed.

One time I took my godchild to Meijers (grocery store) and he threw up in the middle of the store and in seconds there were three managers there asking if he was ok. Shocked me how quick they were - big brother is watching!