Locking down the store and placing surveillance cameras are the most common ways businesses secure their store, but most stores do not have the time or money to complete this process.
If you are a customer at Safeway, perhaps you are wondering what their policy on theft is? If so, continue reading this article to to see what I found out!
Safeway Shoplifting Policy For 2022
Most Safeway locations are not equipped with cameras, so the way they deal with shoplifters will vary per store and the province or state the store is located in. Some Safeway locations may employ security guards to help track shoplifters. However, these guards will not always be able to chase a shoplifter.
If you have any questions about how to steal from a store, or the processes that you’d have to go through to avoid detection, continue reading for more useful information.
Does Safeway Approach Shoplifters?
Safeway employees must be very strict when they have to take shoplifters into custody.
For example, Safeway cashiers are not allowed to approach a suspected shoplifter. Instead, they are asked to report their suspicion to a supervisor or manager, who will then monitor the situation. These people have the same authority as a security guard.
Management is permitted to approach a shoplifter and ask them to return what they have stolen. The store management then may ask for identification, however, they do not need to and there is no requirement to call the police.
However, if the suspect manages to escape before the store manager can investigate, Safeway is not allowed to pursue the suspect or detain them.
Can Safeway Employees Apprehend Shoplifters?
Safeway employees are not allowed to approach shoplifters unless they are managers or supervisors.
And store management will then report it to the police.
However, this does not apply to more senior, higher-level salespeople, who frequently get away with the crimes they commit with impunity because they are in a higher authority and receive less oversight from their employer.
This rule is put in place to prevent shoplifting. There are many shoplifters in the store. If an employee is injured, the store will be in trouble.
The employee’s safety will always be placed above the value of the loss from a shoplift, as Safeway believes there’s no value in injuring an employee.
The crime of shoplifting can happen in a grocery store as well as other stores like clothing stores, shoe stores, etc. If the items that are stolen are valued at under $900, then a customer does not need to go through the normal process of filling out a police report and the store manager will only issue a “civil citation” to the customer. Most of the time, the items stolen are valued over $900 and are charged as shoplifting instead of a civil citation.
However, there are reports say that other Safeway stores treat shoplifters more severely.
People who have been caught stealing in the past will not be allowed into the store for a time period.
How Does Safeway Deal With Shoplifters?
If a shoplifter leaves the Safeway store they can expect to be arrested by the police, and will be processed as would be done with any other theft offender.
I have personally been asked to step into the manager’s office multiple times and was always greeted with a smile and no hostility. If the manager or manager’s assistant wants to speak with you, they will ask you to sit down and ask questions politely.
Once all the calculations have been put into place and the value of the stolen goods have been determined, the manager will decide on how to handle the situation.
The amount that shoppers have to pay is only $50. Depending on the value of what they shoplifted will determine how much they have to pay.
One example of a Safeway shoplifter will have to pay a fine of $300 for each item he has stolen. The fine is to be addressed to the shoplifter by mail and must be fulfilled by a date certain.
After expressing the disciplinary action they’re taking against a shoplifter, Safeway may enforce a company-wide ban on shoplifters entering the store.
Shoplifting can also carry a number of different consequences. The shoplifter may have to pay a fine and their fingerprints and photos may be sent to the FBI. If the shoplifter is caught stealing at multiple locations, they may face additional fines and jail time.
Does Safeway Press Charges Against Shoplifters?
Safeway may decide to press charges against the shoplifter depending on how severe the situation is.
If someone tries to steal, the shop staff will give them a warning and then take them to the police station.
Safeway will often not pursue a prosecution unless the shoplifter returns to the store, making it more likely that the person will not be caught and thus Safeway will not get penalized for non-prosecution.
Safeway can then file a suit against a shoplifting individual if the money has not been paid.
There are some places in the text that the author should have made more clear in the paraphrase.
Shoppers who have been caught stealing or shoplifting may be charged with a crime, and their pictures may appear in newspapers, magazines and on the internet.
Does Safeway Use Security Cameras?
Several Safeway employees claim that Safeway cameras can be easily disabled.
**A3:** The **Safeway** website contains the following statement regarding the breach.
This is why Safeway will do everything they can to prevent crimes from taking place. For example, they will keep a close eye on their security.
Safeway stores regularly monitor their cameras, and some Safeway stores have a security guard employed on a regular basis to prevent any theft.
To address the differences between these two sentences, I would recommend adding the word “frequently”.
But, if shoppers suspect the staff or the store, they can come quietly to a store employee and inform them of their suspicions.
If you are looking to learn more about Safeway, you can also check our related posts on if Safeway price matches, how to use a Safeway Club Card, and if Safeway looks up your transactions.
Conclusion
The way Safeway handles shoplifting will vary per store location. Some locations don’t have cameras and would only have a loss prevention employee on-site to ask you questions. If you admit to shoplifting and that’s when a loss prevention employee comes over and shows you a camera picture of you shoplifting or has another security employee show you a camera picture of you shoplifting, you would be told to leave and not get a full refund.
Ome Safeway has security guards and it also regularly monitors their cameras to keep a close eye on shoppers who appear suspicious so that they can be apprehended.
In the United States, Safeway stores are somewhat different than other large grocery stores. Specifically, associates are not permitted to apprehend shoplifters. This is due to an ongoing dispute over the safety of doing so.
No one is allowed to approach us to take a picture.
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