31Jan/100
Taking out the trash
Employees are taking out your trash and your merchandise. It happens all the time. Taking out the trash is an opportunity for your employees to remove your merchandise so they or an accomplice can return later to collect what they've stolen. Strong controls around trash removal are an important part of any comprehensive loss prevention plan.
- Require two employees to take out the trash. If that's not possible they need to have another employee check the trash for merchandise just prior to removing from the building.
- Have set times to take out trash.
- Collect all trash into one location prior to removal to dumpster.
- Invest in a compactor, and require all trash to be put into the compactor. Don't let employees leave trash outside the compactor.
- Regularly inspect your dumpster/trash area for merchandise.
- Use clear trash bags.
- Require all boxes to be broken down/folded flat.
The key to any program (loss prevention or otherwise) is to follow and enforce procedures.