What are Bad stops

These are two words no Loss Prevention Professional wants to hear. However the average person and some Loss Prevention do not know or fully understand what this is. A bad stop is any stop (detainment by Loss Prevention) that does not include recovery of stolen items or basically proof of theft. The consequences for the LPO (Loss Prevention Officer) and store can be severe. the LPO can and should be written up or fired. If written up he/she should also lose his detainment powers until he is retrained. Now in some cases the "Bad stop" may not be because the LPO made error is assuming subject took items. It could be that subject dumped, hid or passed off items. Regardless this is a "Bad Stop". Most (if not all) retailers with a Loss Prevention staff have criteria they call "Steps", elements or the like to prevent these Bad stops. If the LPO followed these "musts" before making a stop his chances of bad stop are almost zero. Some retailers even forbid "Fitting room" stops as there is too much that can go wrong in these kind of stops. If your a Loss Prevention Professional then follow your stores criteria for stops. "If in doubt let them walk" a co worker of mine use to say. Great advice as a shoplifter who gets away today is likely to return another day. If your the victim of a "Bad Stop" then you need to talk to either Store Manager or corporate office. Not so much for revenge or to gain anything but to stop this before it grows and causes both store and consumers problems.