Skip to main content
Disciplines
Automotive Business IT + Informatics Construction + Real Estate Electrical Engineering + Electronics Energy + Sustainability Insurance + Risk Finance + Banking Management + Leadership Marketing + Sales Mechanical Engineering + Materials
Events
DE
EN
Books
Journals
Topic Page
Marketing
Start single access now
Access for companies
EXTENDED SEARCH
Log in
Top

2018 | Book

Retail Crime: Aim, Scope, Theoretical Framework and Definitions Read chapter Read first chapter

Retail Crime

International Evidence and Prevention

Editors: Prof. Vania Ceccato, Prof. Rachel Armitage

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Book Series : Crime Prevention and Security Management

Part of: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Login to get access
insite
SEARCH

About this book

This edited collection provides an original and comprehensive take on retail crime and its prevention, by combining international data and multidisciplinary perspectives from criminologists, economists, geographers, police officers and other experts. Drawing on environmental criminology theory and situational crime prevention, it focusses on crime and safety in retail environments but also the interplay between individuals, products and settings such as stores, commercial streets and shopping malls, as well as the wider context of situational conditions of the supply chain in which crime occurs. Chapters offer state-of-the-art research on retail crime from a range of countries such as Australia, Brazil, Israel, Italy, Sweden, the UK and the USA. This methodological and well-researched study is devoted to both academics and practitioners from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds whose common interest is to prevent retail crime and overall retail loss.

The chapters 'Crime in a Scandinavian Shopping Centre' and 'Perceived Safety in a Shopping Centre' are published open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com.





Table of Contents

Frontmatter

An Introduction to Retail Crime

Frontmatter
1. Retail Crime: Aim, Scope, Theoretical Framework and Definitions
Abstract
This chapter provides an introduction to the theme retail crime, the book scope, theoretical framework and key definitions used to structure this edited volume and support the reading of the chapters. Retail crime encompasses any criminal act against a store, a company or a conglomerate of companies, their properties as well as their employees and customers. The book also explores how the use of technology reduces crime but may also create new crime opportunities, some linked to organised criminal organisations far away from where crime occurs. This chapter also illustrates how this edited volume contributes to the current knowledge base by characterising the dynamics of retail crime from a multidisciplinary and international perspective with examples from Australia, Brazil, England, Israel, Italy, the UK and the US.
Vania Ceccato, Rachel Armitage
2. International Trends in Retail Crime and Prevention Practices
Abstract
International trends in retail crime prevention practice include the global impact of retail crime, the difficulties of measuring retail loss prevention outputs, and the means by which retailers have innovated and invested in both technology and processes to inhibit crime. Crime issues facing retailers such as customer theft and employee deviance are long-established in the industry, but retailers also face growing problems from organised crime, cybercrime and frauds associated with the growth of e-commerce.
Joshua Bamfield

Products, Settings and Offenders in Retail

Frontmatter
3. Can We Ever Know Which Objects Thieves Most Desire? Lessons from Studying Shoplifted Fast-Moving Consumer Goods
Abstract
The initial purpose of this research was to improve upon the explanatory power of an earlier analysis (Smith, Security Journal, 2017), which had used CRAVED variables to explain variation in theft of 7468 fast-moving consumer goods. We used Smith’s sample to develop three additional independent variables not measured by CRAVED. We found that the new regression model, which included these three variables, accounted for less variation in thefts than CRAVED alone had. We considered the possible reasons why improving on CRAVED as a predictor of theft choices might not be achievable, and concluded that, because of the precautions routinely taken by stores to prevent theft, theft data alone is a flawed measure of thieves’ preferences. Stores seeking to reduce shoplifting might be better served by examining the effectiveness of precautions than by seeking to improve predictions of targets. In a more speculative mode, we further generalized this argument to cover any form of victimization.
Brian T. Smith, Ron V. Clarke
4. Who Steals from Shops, and Why? A Case Study of Prolific Shop Theft Offenders
Abstract
Despite spending around £2bn on loss prevention, twenty-two percent of retail premises in the UK experienced shoplifting during 2014–2015, with theft by customers accounting for 72% of all crime suffered by the retail and wholesale sector (Home Office, Crime Against Businesses: Findings from the 2015 Commercial Victimisation Survey. London: Home Office, 2016). There remains, however, little data to reliably determine the characteristics of the perpetrators (Dabney, Hollinger, & Dugan, Justice Quarterly, 21, 693–728, 2004). This chapter therefore draws upon police recorded crime data between 2004–2014 in order to analyse the key characteristics of shop theft offenders in an English Core City. The narrative also examines the motivations of shop theft offenders, and their perceptions of retail security, based upon interviews conducted with some of the most prolific shop theft offenders within this city. The insights provided by these interviews reveal a group of individuals who perceive their crimes as ‘victimless’, and where the actions of the retailers in terms of the placement of products and layout of stores makes shoplifting ‘an unbelievably easy’ offence to commit.
James Hunter, Laura Garius, Paul Hamilton, Azrini Wahidin
5. COPS and Robbers: Customer Operated Payment Systems, Self-Service Checkout and the Impact on Retail Crime
Abstract
Drawing on a range of international examples, this chapter examines the impact that customer operated payment systems (COPS) are having on the retail industry, and in particular on crime. Organised broadly into four parts, it first provides an overview of new developments in COPS and maps their future trajectory, exploring the emergence of self-service checkout (SCO), scan-as-you-go, and mobile payment systems. It then turns to mapping the known impact on customer theft before outlining some of the key concerns and vulnerabilities about their implementation. The final section considers the future of point of sale (POS) technology, including sensor-based retailing, and the impact on retail crime, providing recommendations to the industry on how to embrace customer autonomy in the age of automation and deliver retail solutions that are cognisant of potential vulnerabilities and risks.
Emmeline Taylor

Retail Environments, Crime and Perceived Safety

Frontmatter
6. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and Retail Crime: Exploring Offender Perspectives on Risk and Protective Factors in the Design and Layout of Retail Environments
Abstract
There is little doubt that the design of the built environment influences offender decision-making. Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a crime reduction approach that aims to prevent crime though the design (pre-build) or manipulation (post-build) of the built environment. CPTED is based upon a set of principles that include movement control, surveillance, defensible space and physical security, and research (see Armitage, Crime Prevention Through Housing Design: Policy and Practice. Crime Prevention and Security Management. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013 for overview) has demonstrated the effectiveness of CPTED in reducing crimes such as burglary within the residential environment. This research explores the extent to which CPTED (and other design related) measures can be used to reduce shoplifting within a retail environment—namely two major supermarket chains in England. The results reveal that the principles of CPTED are relevant within the retail environment and that offenders are deterred by these features, in particular, where these principles result in an immediate (as opposed to delayed) detection or apprehension. Whilst the research is conducted in supermarkets within England, the conclusions are internationally relevant and can be transferred to many different retail environments.
Rachel Armitage, Chris Joyce, Leanne Monchuk
7. Shoplifting in Small Stores: A Qualitative Case Study in Perth, Western Australia
Abstract
In Australia, it is estimated that there were 1.3 million incidents of shop thefts in 2011 (Smith, Jorna, Sweeney, & Fuller, Counting the Costs of Crime in Australia: A 2011 Estimate, Research and Public Policy Series No. 129, Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra, 2014). The literature highlights a number of situational factors, which can facilitate shoplifting including store layout, security devices and guardianship (Beck, Amplifying Risk in Retail Stores: The Evidence to Date on Making Shop Thieves Think Twice. Brussels: ECR Community, 2016). However, few studies have explored how these are used/perceived by small retail businesses in the Australian context. This chapter presents qualitative research findings from semi-structured interviews with a small sample of six retailers in Perth, Western Australia. This research explores their experiences and perceptions of shoplifting within their stores and their understanding of crime prevention through environmental design/situational crime prevention.
Paul Cozens

Open Access

8. Crime in a Scandinavian Shopping Centre
Abstract
The aim of this chapter is to understand the nature of crime in space and time in a shopping centre and provide suggestions for safety improvements drawing from principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). The study makes use of data registered by the security companies and three-dimensional visualisation using BIM (Building information modelling) to detect areas that run higher risk of crime using a shopping centre in Stockholm Sweden. Based on an extensive fieldwork inspection, the study assesses whether and how spatial and temporal concentrations of crime relate to particular features of the shopping environment. Finally, the chapter indicates the types of environments that are most in need of safety intervention.
Vania Ceccato, Örjan Falk, Pouriya Parsanezhad, Väino Tarandi
PDF View full text

Open Access

9. Perceived Safety in a Shopping Centre: A Swedish Case Study
Abstract
The aim of this chapter is to report perceived safety levels and geography of fear declared by visitors of a shopping centre in the Swedish capital, Stockholm. Drawing from fieldwork inspections and a small sample survey (N = 253), the study assesses how respondents declare their perceived safety in relation to different shopping environments. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and statistical techniques underpin the analysis. Findings show that visitors’ profile affects their declared perceived safety. Places that people fear the most are not always the same as the ones where most incidents happen. Although shoplifting was the most common type of crime witnessed by shopping visitors, followed by fights; serious robberies at stores were often pointed out as a source of fear. Strengthening formal and informal surveillance is the preferred suggestion provided by visitors to improve shopping centre safety conditions.
Vania Ceccato, Sanda Tcacencu
PDF View full text

Retail Crime and the Wider Context

Frontmatter
10. Shopping Crime at Place: The Case of Tel Aviv-Yafo
Abstract
We identify all property crimes that occur at shops or malls in Tel Aviv-Yafo between 1990 and 2010. We ask whether the “law of crime concentration” applies to shopping crime. Our answer overall, is that studying this specific crime category provides general confirmation of the research that has been carried out on more general crime categories. But we also observed differences that suggest that specific types of crime may lead to different concentrations and patterns. This is reflected in the very high crime concentrations observed, and in the different developmental trends at street segments that appear to follow the construction of malls generally, and in particular “mega malls” in the city. Our research accordingly suggests both the consistency of findings in the criminology of place, as well as the importance of recognizing the specific structural factors affecting specific types of crime.
David Weisburd, Shai Amram, Maor Shay
11. Crime at the Intersection of Rail and Retail
Abstract
This chapter examines shoplifting at rail station shops over a twelve month period in England and Wales. Key findings were: shoplifting is concentrated at particular stations; the top 20 stations account for 85 percent of shoplifting. Clear temporal patterns were evident; shoplifting was higher on weekdays and during holidays with higher levels of travel; shoplifting is lower when there is a reduced rail service. There was no clear relationship between shoplifting rates outside of a station at shops nearby, and shoplifting within a rail station. It is suggested a correlation may occur for medium and smaller size stations. Large stations may attract offenders in their own right without other shops being nearby. The similarities observed between shoplifting patterns at rail stations and those at non-rail station shops suggest the learning from successful crime prevention measures applied outside of the rail environment could successfully be transferred to rail stations.
Andrew Newton
12. Crime Against Trading: The Case of Cargo Theft in São Paulo
Abstract
The aim of this chapter is to provide a general picture of cargo theft in Brazil, focusing on the nature of the crime and its temporal-spatial distribution in São Paulo, one of the most economically dynamic states of the country. The study makes use of multiple datasets from 2001 to 2016. Findings show signs that cargo theft has indirect connections with retail as most stolen goods are foods, drinks, electronics, tobacco and pharmaceuticals. Incidents often occur during weekdays when most retail and service establishments are operating. Although the São Paulo state capital shows the highest levels of cargo theft, it is in non-metropolitan areas that records of this offence are on the rise. Intra-state patterns show a convergence tendency of cargo theft levels over time between São Paulo’s metropolitan area and non-metropolitan municipalities. The chapter concludes with suggestions for a research agenda to improve the understanding of the phenomenon and reflecting upon its prevention.
Marcelo Justus, Vania Ceccato, Gustavo C. Moreira, Tulio Kahn
13. Theft of Medicines from Hospitals as Organised Retail Crime: The Italian Case
Abstract
Theft of medicines is emerging as the new frontier of pharmaceutical crime and of organised retail crime. It is attractive to criminals due to the high profits and the relatively low risk, and it is facilitated by many asymmetries of the legal market. Using data retrieved from open sources and institutional reports, this chapter focuses on the theft of medicines from hospitals that occurred in Italy between 2006 and 2014. It describes what types of medicines are stolen, where and how, and it tests two hypotheses: (1) that stolen medicines are ‘laundered’ and resold on the legal market, exploiting the vulnerabilities of the pharmaceutical supply-chain; and (2) that organised crime—especially Italian mafias and Eastern European groups—plays a crucial role in this criminal activity, supported by a network of corrupt officials and white-collar criminals.
Ernesto U. Savona, Marco Dugato, Michele Riccardi

Retail Crime Prevention

Frontmatter
14. The Challenges to Preventing Losses in Retailing: Views from Retail Loss Prevention Managers and Directors
Abstract
There has been relatively little research on the ways in which crime prevention decisions in the commercial environment take account of the need to protect people and property and other assets on the one hand, and yet don’t impede the commercial imperative on the other. This chapter explores the perspective of loss prevention managers. Perhaps one of the most striking findings is that it is the engagement of staff, the employees, that is seen as the key crime prevention approach. The benefits and drawbacks of various approaches are examined and some of the key influences on determining not just what works but what actually gets provided.
Martin Gill
15. Towards a Theory of Tagging in Retail Environments
Abstract
In this chapter we develop a theory of security tagging. We draw chiefly on the results of a recent systematic review of the tagging literature, supplemented with evidence from other germane areas of crime prevention. Our aim is to construct a theory that applies across varying retail settings and which can therefore be drawn on to improve decisions on the appropriateness of tagging in specific contexts.
Aiden Sidebottom, Nick Tilley

Research and Practice

Frontmatter
16. Practical Challenges and New Research Frontiers in Retail Crime and Its Prevention
Abstract
This chapter summarises the main findings of this edited volume and discusses the practical challenges and new research frontiers in retail crime and its prevention. This final chapter is composed of four parts: a summary of the results, the cross-cutting common themes, the book limitations and a future research agenda linked to policy recommendations. The chapter first synthesises and critically reviews the key findings, identifying some of the most important lessons learnt by contributors coming from a variety of backgrounds and identifying the relevant challenges. Then, it outlines the future research in retail crime and provides a number of suggestions for policy recommendations that are linked to different issues of retail.
Vania Ceccato, Rachel Armitage
Backmatter
Metadata
Title
Retail Crime
Editors
Prof. Vania Ceccato
Prof. Rachel Armitage
Copyright Year
2018
Electronic ISBN
978-3-319-73065-3
Print ISBN
978-3-319-73064-6
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73065-3