Security measures increase, shoplifting occurrences decrease

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kimberly Moore Limrick
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  Army and Air Force Exchange Service Base Exchanges and Post Exchanges world-wide made upgrades to security systems in an effort to decrease shoplifting incidents; aggressiveness in thieves has caused an increase in costs for all exchange shoppers. 

A 2002 amendment which allows federal retailers to pursue losses and administrative costs related to shoplifting, contributed to a decrease in number of occurrences for AAFES BX/PXs of 12 percent, from 2005 to 2006. 

However, while occurrences decreased, the average cost of products involved in detected cases increased AAFES-wide from $99 per incident in 2005 to $119 in 2006. This resulted in increased costs for the military community last year as the amount of merchandise went up $50,558. 

"In the past several months we completed a $22,000 upgrade (with the capability of recording onto DVD) in the Ellsworth Main BX camera system and a new 16-camera digital video recorder camera system was installed at the Shoppette," said Andy Louder Ellsworth Exchange manager. 

"We consider a gas drive-off as shoplifting, said Douglas Smith Ellsworth Exchange loss prevention. "If you pay at the pump, when you have completed fueling please be sure the window in the pump reads 'Thank You, Come Again' before pulling away.
"Many times customers legitimately think they have paid for their gas and actually have not. These simple steps can save you embarrassment and security forces, AAFES and command a lot of work." 

Including drive-offs there have been approximately 25 identified shoplifting incidents at Ellsworth so far this year. 

"In addition to the legal prosecution, shoplifters will lose their Exchange shopping privileges for six months and are required to pay a $200 civil recovery fee to offset the costs involved with handling shoplifting incidents, Mr. Louder said. "The fee is due immediately by the individual, or in the case of a dependant, by their sponsor." 

"No one likes catching shoplifters," said Col. Jorge Garza, AAFES' Director of Loss Prevention. "In fact, a major effort by loss prevention is to educate the public on our capability to monitor and record suspicious activity as a tool to deter shoplifting before it ever happens. It's our hope that individuals who might be considering theft will see the security measures and think twice." 

"As school comes to summer vacation, I encourage parents to discuss the severity of shoplifting with their children and teens," Mr. Louder said. "Good parents have good kids who do dumb things sometimes, often out of peer pressure. A simple conversation now may save a lot of embarrassment and money in the future." 

"Shoplifting at the exchange results in a reduced return on investment to our primary shareholders -- the entire military community," Colonel Garza said. "Because AAFES is a command with a mission to return earnings to morale, welfare and recreation activities at Air Force and Army installations, shoplifting at the BX or PX, in my mind, is the same as taking money directly from the pockets of military families." 

Information contributed by AAFES news release 07-030.