Keep small expensive items in locked display cabinets. Use plainclothes patrols in larger stores. Make sure employees know what to do when they spot a shoplifter. Turn over apprehended shoplifters to the police. During busy periods, station a uniformed guard at your exit.
Most people are basically honest.
Remove the temptation to steal, and there is every chance that they will remain honest. The only way to stop an employee who is a chronic thief is to uncover his or her method of operation and put an end to it before your loss is great. Undercover investigation is the most effective way do to do it because the chronic thief is adept at working around anti-theft procedures, such as package examinations at employee exits. Although home-grown informants might appear to be less expensive, working with a qualified, reputable investigative firm has advantages. For one thing, well-trained professionals do the job in an objective, impersonal way.