(Photo credit: Ellen M. Banner / The Seattle Times)
When thieves steal from a large corporate retail store, the financial impact on a single employee is negligible, and the loss is known as “retail shrink.” However, when a thief steals from a 76-year-old widow, the theft may impact her livelihood and ability to put food on her table.
Last week, Young Kim paid the price for defending her business by attempting to stop a repeat shoplifter. It was the man’s fourth theft from Kim’s business—apparently her tipping point. When she intervened, the man shoved the 5-foot-4 deli owner to the ground, fracturing her wrist and breaking her hip. The criminal got away, and Kim is now recuperating at home after hip replacement surgery due to her injuries.
Small businesses like Kim’s cannot afford private security or a loss prevention officer to discourage retail thefts. For businesses like Kim’s, WR began producing guidance resources, available free of charge to all retailers.
