Once again I was shopping in Lowes over the weekend with some friends( I won't got to the HD if I can avoid it). We had just completed our shopping and finished paying for the items. My friend took her son to the bathroom and her husband and I waited by the registers. As we waited I unintentionally slipped into LP (loss prevention) mode. (I've been known to do that from time to time, I've always been heavy into security) Something had caught my eye. I had noticed a customer displaying all of the classic shoplifter moves. I watched him as he turned and headed down a aisle and ripped into the package he was carrying. Old feelings and training pumped me up. When I was a LP for Home Depot I would have had a shoplifting apprehension out of that, I kind of miss the job, there was something cool about it. I guess I enjoy the chase, the predator in me really comes out. I learned when I was a bouncer that I had a sadistic streak in me. So I guess I learned from being a LP I have a hunter steak too.
The job was interesting BUT there are a ton of dangers, some obvious, some not. If you decided, or have a opportunity to become a store detective/asset protection/loss prevention associate. Keep in mind it is not a job for the faint at heart. I was probably the most dangerous job I've ever had. And that's saying alot ; I've been armed security (several times), a Bouncer in NYC (several times), and a US Army Infantry Officer. But all those jobs you have immediate back up or guns or tools of the trade (wink, wink). You don't get to carry weapons as a LP, alot of the time you don't have any back up. It's just you walking up on a person stealing alone. There were times I had to walk up and stop a person for shoplifting while he was with a larger group. You have to be able to read people and decide if they are a threat or not. Even still sometimes you still get it wrong and things go south.
The store I had been working in had been getting hit by a gang of Africans using stolen credit cards to purchase high dollar gift cards.(days before I detected and cancelled $9,000 worth of fraudulent gift card purchases). Jan 03 i was working alone, C my partner was off that day and my supervisor A was out to lunch (not that she could have helped). It was brought to my attention that a customer was purchasing about $800. worth of gift cards using a credit card, with Virginia Drivers license at one of our registers. We had previously alerted the store staff that they need to contact us if someone fitting this profile attempted to buy high dollar gift cards. I went over to check out the purchase with the head cashier. At the register was a African gentleman, 40ish, bald well dressed. I spoke to him and took the ID and credit card from the cashier. After checking the ID I realised that it was fake, and this was going to be a case of credit card fraud. I spoke briefly with the guy and he kept saying" my wife is waiting for me in the car". I told him there was a problem with the card and he should come with me to the office to verify the purchase. The man nodded to me and walked with me further back into the store. We managed to walk pass the Pro Desk when the guy turned and started to punch me. I don't remember how many punches he threw, they either didn't land or hurt. I do remember reaching out and grabbing his coat at the shoulders and twisted him into a judo throw. Later I would learn my throw got him airborne. The fucker landed perfectly in a boxed tub sitting on a heavy push cart. See this I jumped on top of the guy and put my knee right square in his chest pinning him. The fucker continued to fight even as I held him down. I mean I was kneeling down on him, with his head pinned against the push cart handles. That fucker was strong. Here I am wrestling with this prick in the middle of a crowded store, thinking somebody is going to run up and kill me. My store manager Joe came running over and yelled "What's going On!" I managed to say "This bastard's robbing us!" Joe then grabbed the fucker's arm and the three of us continued to wrestle for what felt like hours. Joe's yelling at the Pro Desk to call the cops, and I'm trying to covertly choke the bastard out. Meanwhile he's trying to bite, punch, and kick. Then out of nowhere a customer comes up and places a piece of rug behind the fucker's head. Both Joe and I looked at the customer in pure disbelief, he was concerned that the guy was comfortable. DUH! We continued to struggle until the first Union Police Officers showed up. They came in like the Calvary and I was very happy to see them. As Joe and I stood up and released the guy the cops closed in on him. The guy had balls he jumped up and tried to get away from them. Then the second pair of cops came running in, followed by another pair. The fucker was now fighting with the first set of cops when the rest came crashing in. All of a sudden it was six on one and they took him to the ground. In seconds as much as he tried, it was over.
That arrest became a turning point for me. None of the security jobs, I've had pays enough to put myself at risk. I was done, the pay and the bullshit is not worth the violence and constantly looking over my back that went with the job. The kicker is that no matter how good C and I were at the job, Depot refused to promote us.
In the end I learned alot and proudly and professionally did my job, I wish it ended better but it was not meant to be.
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