Customer Fakeouts: A Security Guard's Guide to Grocery Store Theft
Understanding the Fakeout
A fakeout happens when a potential shoplifter performs suspicious behavior to see how you'll react. They might linger near high-theft items, make exaggerated movements toward their bag or pockets, or suddenly change direction when they spot you. Sometimes they're working with a partner—one creates the distraction while the other does the actual stealing.
The key insight: they're studying you as much as you're watching them.
Stay Calm and Professional
The worst response to a fakeout is overreacting. If you rush toward someone who's just testing you, you've revealed your hand. They now know you're watching, they know your response time, and they know you're reactive rather than strategic.
Instead, maintain your composure. Acknowledge their presence with a friendly nod or "How's it going?" This communicates awareness without aggression. Often, this simple acknowledgment is enough to deter theft, criminals prefer operating unnoticed.
Use Positioning Over Confrontation
Rather than directly approaching someone performing fakeout behavior, position yourself strategically. Move to an area where you have a clear sightline of both the person and the exit. This subtle repositioning sends a message: you're aware, you're professional, and you're not easily distracted.
If they're working with a partner, your positioning forces them to recalculate their plan. The person creating the distraction loses effectiveness when you don't take the bait.
The Power of Presence
Consistent, visible presence is your best tool against fakeouts. When you regularly patrol all areas of the store, maintain good posture, and stay alert, you create an environment where fakeouts become less effective. Shoplifters rely on predictability, knowing when you take breaks, which aisles you ignore, or how long you stay in one spot.
Vary your routine. Don't become the guard who stands in the same place checking their phone. Move deliberately through different sections, make eye contact with customers, and stay engaged with your surroundings.
Document and Communicate
If someone performs obvious fakeout behavior, make note of their description and inform your team or store management. Even if they don't steal this time, they're likely casing the store for a future attempt. Many grocery stores have shifted to building cases through documented incidents rather than confronting shoplifters over small amounts.
Know Your Store's Policy
Every retailer has different protocols for theft prevention and apprehension. Some stores have strict non-confrontation policies, while others allow physical detention under specific circumstances. Whatever your store's policy, follow it precisely. A lawsuit from improper detention costs far more than any stolen merchandise.
Trust Your Instincts, Verify Your Observations
Your gut feeling matters, but it shouldn't be your only guide. If someone seems suspicious, watch for concrete indicators: concealment, removing security tags, ticket switching, or leaving the store without paying. Fakeout behavior alone isn't proof of intent to steal, it's just a signal to maintain awareness.
The goal isn't to catch every shoplifter. It's to create an environment where theft is difficult and risky. When you handle fakeouts professionally—staying alert without being aggressive, present without being paranoid, you protect both the store's assets and your own safety.