I’ve decided to give back to the community with some information I’ve gathered on Macy’s LP’s protocol. Before I even begin, whenever lifting from Macy’s. exercise extreme caution at all times. My best friend was caught there back in the day, and I know plenty of other lifters here in the community suffered a similar fate. Macy’s has really good LP. Additionally, this is more than likely also Bloomingdale’s protocol.
Macy’s operates using a 5 step system. If they do not have all 5 steps, they will not apprehend you.
Entry: to the store or the department, so they can see what you are wearing and carrying.
Selection: they must observe you selecting the merchandise off the sales floor.
Concealment: they must observe you conceal the merchandise (see below for special situations)
Constant Observation: once they have the previous 4 steps, they must not lose sight of you, in case you dump the merchandise.
They do not want an NPD (non-productive detainment)
Exit: exit the building + all four steps to make sure you still have the concealed merchandise.Special cases: Fitting room.
Macy’s uses the “color and count” method in combination with the “two item rule.” That means they count how many items you walk into the fitting room with, and what color it is. When you exit (assuming you’re even being followed), they check your fitting room stall to see what items are left behind. If there are missing items (i.e. you walk in carrying a pink shirt, red shirt, and blue shirt. You walk out just carrying the pink and the blue shirt and red shirt are not in the stall or the dump rack) then they will have assumed you concealed and that will work for step 3.
Note: Macy’s cannot apprehend you if you layer the items such that it cannot be seen. That is to say, if you walk in carrying a t-shirt wearing your jacket zipped all the way up, put the t-shirt on, layer the jacket and zip it all the way up so the shirt cannot be seen, then they cannot apprehend you IF YOU DO NOT HAVE MEANS (bags). They especially won’t apprehend you if you’re suspected of layering underwear or bras, but only if you don’t have means.
Two item rule: You must be suspected of concealing 2 or more items in the fitting room for it to count as step 3.
Special cases: Small items
If you bring a small item into a fitting room, they count it as lost. They will not apprehend you if you take jewelry, ties, panties, certain wallets, sunglasses, etc. into a fitting room. Concealing small items on the floor goes by the two item rule, more or less. In this case, they need two separate acts of concealment. Of course, this is according to policy. If you’re incredibly obvious, they might bend the rules and take you anyways.
If you are working alone (not ORC, don’t need huge volume to sell, shoplifting for personal use), then the best way would be to:
Take one item into a fitting room at a time to conceal
and layer all the items you want to take under a big jacket and loose pants. Make sure NO merchandise can be seen when you put your clothes back on. Tuck it in if you have to.
They will not apprehend you.
This is the safest way, but obviously not the only way. Bags are useful for taking larger amounts of merchandise, but obviously run the risk of being caught. Using a bag is a gamble–are they watching or or are they not?
Final thoughts: They are not allowed to step off the curb to pursue you. Managers have been fired for doing so before.
Elevators do not have cameras in them, period. Any you think you see are just dummy domes. This is useful for avoiding constant observation. If someone gets into an elevator after you, waits for you to select the floor, then waits for you to exit the elevator first, be wary. If there is anyone in the elevator with you, just stay in and wait til they awkwardly get out first, and select another floor (or even stay in the elevator a while for good measure before getting out). Again, this is not a guarantee for not being apprehended if you’re carrying a bag. While they’re technically supposed to check the elevator to see if you discarded merchandise after you get out, they probably won’t and just apprehend you anyways if they have all the other steps on you.
Macy’s is a pretty easy store to steal from. AP is usually understaffed and under equipped to handle shoplifters with one iota of sense. Don’t conceal on the floor. They have fitting rooms, do it there.
SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Once LP has any suspicion of you, whether or not you’ve been approached or apprehended, they immediately send a clear, color photo of you to all of the surrounding stores within a few miles. It goes straight to all of the LP’s offices and pops up on their desktop, with an audible chime/ notification to get their attention right away. Please please PLEASE exercise caution, and if you think absolutely anyone is on to you, I advise not going back to that specific location (or the surrounding ones) for a couple weeks at least as they will recognize you.
