A Boots security guard has revealed the clever way the chain stops shoplifters. Ryszard Majer, Security Operations Specialist uses a tannoy to tell suspected customers they’re “being watched”.
During a clip shared on TikTok and Channel 4, Ryszard shows a man taking out an empty bag from his trousers. He then stuffs a number of items into the carrier.
Security staff - halfway across the country - were able to talk to him over a loudspeaker and stop him in his tracks.
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Ryszard said: “We put a message in to say the store's being watched and that the store's being recorded.
“He then hears that, takes the products out and puts them back on the shelf, acknowledges the camera to say ‘Yeah, you got me’ and then leaves the store without incident.”
Other messages include: “Put the items back and leave the store. You have been recorded. The police will be contacted.”
It comes after an Asda security guard confirmed that the chain's self-checkout cameras were also there to deter thieves. He stepped into the debate after rumours were circulating that the supermarket giant was collecting information on shoppers.
The chain firmly denied claims that it uses facial recognition technology at its self-checkouts to gather data for targeted advertising. The denial came after a video shared on Facebook by a regular customer discussing the issue went viral.
Posting on BristolLive's Facebook, the security guard said: “I personally work as a security guard in an Asda store and I can confirm that our cameras don't have the capability to store images the cameras are purely there for us to spot theft/fraud and if anyone had put money in the till and either the till had not recognised the money so then we can either confirm or deny if that money had gone in the till.
“Asda has no reason and can't afford the technology to store people's images as that isn't much use to them.”
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