ADT Helps Retailers Fight Growing Organized Theft Risk
BOCA RATON, Fla. – June 13, 2006 – They are organized, work in small groups, do their homework and can rip off thousands of dollars in merchandise in minutes. They are shoplifters, but they are not out to steal just a couple of compact disks. They are organized crime rings targeting retailers, and they steal in excess of $30 billion in merchandise per year according to FBI statistics.
ADT Security Services, Inc., a unit of Tyco Fire & Security, is helping retailers combat this growing problem through a new software tool that makes it easy to collect and share information on organized retail theft incidents nationwide.
The development of databases with information on organized retail theft patterns is seen by the FBI and retailers as one of the most important tools in the fight against this crime. Earlier this year, President Bush signed legislation establishing an Organized Retail Theft (ORT) Task Force at the FBI and the creation of an organized retail crime database.
“Technologies that can help the retail industry reduce organized retail theft are important because they help protect against higher consumer prices, keep sought-after merchandise on the shelves and help create safer shopping environments,†said Rhett Asher, vice president of retail operations and loss prevention for the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
ADT’s software tool makes it easy for retailers to log important information about an organized retail theft incident such as the date and time, the number of people involved and the type and quantity of merchandise taken. Retailers can then transmit the data to a central location for chainwide analysis or share it with other retailers, industry databases, or local police and the FBI.
The base data provided by the new ADT ORT software feature when combined with retailers and industry databases, which ultimately can be shared with the FBI, allows retailers to respond faster and make changes and adjustments to help prevent future occurrences, according to Lee Pernice, national accounts marketing manager for ADT.
“These anti-theft tools give retailers a way to efficiently collect an array of information on theft activities at the store level and then use that data to strengthen security procedures and anticipate possible future difficulties,†Pernice said.
Celebrating its 131st anniversary, ADT Security Services, Inc., a unit of Tyco Fire and Security, is the largest provider of electronic security services to more than six million commercial, government and residential customers throughout North America. ADT's total security solutions include intrusion, fire protection, closed circuit television, access control, critical condition monitoring, electronic article surveillance, radio frequency identification (RFID) and integrated systems. ADT's web site address is www.adt.com.