Shoplifters and dishonest employees stole more than $6.0 billion in 2011 from just 24 major retailers, according to the 24th Annual Retail Theft Survey conducted by Jack L. Hayes International, a loss prevention and inventory shrinkage control consulting firm. These 24 surveyed retailers apprehended more than 1 million shoplifters and dishonest employees in 2011 and recovered more than $161 million from these thieves. “In 2011, both the apprehensions and recovery dollars from shoplifters and dishonest employees rose; up 5.8 percent and 11.4 percent respectively,” said Mark R. Doyle, president of Jack L. Hayes International. “While shoplifter apprehensions rose 6.0 percent and dishonest employee apprehensions rose 3.3 percent, the recovery dollars from these apprehensions was up 13.9 percent for shoplifters and 5.6 percent for dishonest employees. It should also be noted that shoplifter apprehensions and recovery dollars have increased 8 of the past 10 years!” Doyle added, “The seriousness of retail theft is a much greater problem than many people realize. These theft losses are driving retail prices higher and putting some stores out of business.” Highlights from this annual theft survey include:

• Participants: 24 large retail companies with 18,518 stores and more than $589 billion in retail sales (2011).
• Apprehensions: 1,076,508 shoplifters and dishonest employees were apprehended in 2011, up 5.8 percent from 2010.
• Recovery Dollars: More than $161 million was recovered from apprehended shoplifters and dishonest employees in 2011, up 11.4 percent from 2010.
• Shoplifter Apprehensions: 1,005,003 shoplifters were apprehended in 2011, up 6.0 percent from 2010.
• Shoplifter Recovery Dollars: More than $113 million was recovered from apprehended shoplifters in 2011, an increase of 13.9 percent from 2010. An additional $37 million was recovered from shoplifters where no apprehension was made, up a considerable 13.5 percent from 2010.
• Employee Apprehensions: 71,505 dishonest employees were apprehended in 2011, up 3.3 percent from 2010.
• Employee Recovery Dollars: More than $47 million was recovered from employee apprehensions in 2011, up 5.6 percent from 2010.
• On a per company basis, one in every 36 employees was apprehended for theft from their employer in 2011. (Based on over 2.8 million employees.)
• On a per case average, dishonest employees steal approximately 5.9 times the amount stolen by shoplifters ($665.77 vs $113.30).

For the full survey, visit www.hayesinternational.com.