Will Body Cameras Scare Shoplifters?

TJX Companies has started outfitting security guards at some of its stores in the U.S. with police-type body cameras as part of its ongoing efforts to counter a rise in shoplifting incidents.

“When somebody comes in, it’s sort of — it’s almost like a de-escalation where people are less likely to do something when they’re being videotaped,” CFO John Klinger said last month on TJX’s first-quarter analyst call.

TJX said in a media statement that the body cameras are worn by loss prevention officers who are trained on how to use the devices. The footage will only be shared with law enforcement upon request or in response to a subpoena. TJX’s statement concluded, “Body cameras are just one of the many ways that we work to support a safe store environment. We hope that these body cameras will help us de-escalate incidents, deter crime and demonstrate to our associates and customers that we take safety in our stores seriously.”

Klinger cautioned that TJX would continue to have a “high focus on making sure that we balance protecting the goods with making sure that the customers can shop easily and be able to buy the goods while also maintaining safety in our stores.”

TJX, whose banners include T.J.Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods, expects shrink to be flat this year.

TJX isn’t the only U.S. retailer using the technology. According to the National Retail Federation’s 2023 National Retail Security Survey, 35% of U.S. retailers were researching body-worn cameras for workers, with 11% piloting or testing the technology.

In the U.K., Lidl last August said it became the first U.K. grocer to provide body-worn cameras to all associates in the region as part of efforts “to address the alarming rise of incidents facing retail workers every day.” Tesco also started providing body-worn cameras last fall to staff members after seeing physical assaults rise by a third in a year.

U.K. bakery chain Greggs earlier this year gave associates body cameras after a rise in thefts and threats from customers. A source told The Sun that the cameras were being used because staff were “worried they could be attacked.”

The body cameras arrive as many retailers have reported an uptick over the last two years in organized theft, which typically involves groups of thieves stealing items to resell online through sites like Amazon or eBay. According to the NRF’s survey, some 88% of U.S. retail respondents said shoplifters overall are “somewhat more or much more” violent and aggressive compared to one year ago, with 49% indicating “much more.”

Criminologists told CNN that body cameras can aid in investigations over in-store incidents, also including accusations of racial profiling or wrongful arrests for shoplifting. Body cameras could also help identify shoplifters, although having to get close to the suspect to secure a recognizable image carries risks for security personnel. Criminologists were more skeptical that body cameras would deter crime since shoplifters already assume they’re being filmed by standard security cameras.

The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) is pushing for the New York Senate to pass the Retail Worker Safety Act that would require retailers to have written workplace violence prevention programs, including guidance on de-escalation tactics and active shooter training. Large retailers must install panic buttons throughout stores under the legislation.

Speaking to CNN, Stuart Appelbaum, the president of the RWDSU, expressed concerns about the information body cameras are collecting and whether they could be employed in union-busting efforts. He said, “Employees feel like they are under surveillance.”