With liquor sales comes liquor theft

Thirty minutes after private stores starting selling
liquor in Washington someone tried to run out of a grocery
store with a bottle under each arm.

A teenager tried to test the security at a Rosauer’s store
in Spokane at about 6:30 a.m. Friday morning. The boy
simply bolted out the front door with a half-gallon in
each hand.

He didn’t make it far. Store employees tackled him, and
an $80 bottle of Hennessy shattered on the pavement.

This is what retailers are worried about, especially with
most of them having multiple entrances.

The state stores had only one way in and one way out, a
much easier setup to manage theft.

Rosauer’s spent about $20,000 to install a new security
camera system and other security measures at each of its
Washington stores.

Doug Rector, president of Northwest Loss Prevention
Consultants,
says a good video system goes a long way.

“I’d have cameras set up at the entrances, and I’d have
cameras set up in the liquor aisles and make it very clear
by signage that you’re being videotaped and shoplifters
will be prosecuted,” he says.

Rector says having more staffers in the liquor aisle is
another good way to combat shoplifting.

Many stores are also using plastic bottle toppers that set
off an alarm if someone tries to leave the store with one
attached.

Melinda Merrill, with Fred Meyer, says the company hasn’t
had to do much to make the transition.

“The thing about security on liquor is that we are part of
a chain that sells liquor in its stores in many other
states so we’re not reinventing the wheel here,” Merrill
says. “We know what works and just had to learn from our
sister chains.”

Fred Meyer is putting security toppers on all of its
bottles. Some stores are putting them only on the more
expensive bottles and brands.

Time will tell if shoplifters will take a shot at ripping
off the more than 1,500 stores now selling liquor.

But the first attempt was a fail.