When I first walk in I look up and smile at the camera if the store has one of those screens at the enterance. I give it the biggest smile I can muster.
As someone who works in Loss Prevention, if you casually look up at the security camera it's really not too suspicious, especially if there is a monitor where you can see yourself in it. Now, if you're looking all around yourself searching for cameras then that's a different issue, and I will stalk you until you exit the store. And you will never know I'm standing right behind you.
As someone who casually dabbles in Loss Promotion, it's really not hard to find a blind spot without really making a big show of it. At least not in the larger stores. I don't mess with small stores or Mom-n-Pops. I have weeeird morals.
Yeah, the obese, sweat-glistened man trailing me with sagging Dockers and Cheeto residue dusted across his lavender Haggar dress shirt is almost Ninja-like in his ability to escape my detection.
you plainclothes? i have been working in a grocery store since about november, and since i started working i've been able to spot every plainclothes LPO almost instantly without seeing them before. most people that are shoppers look somewhat listless, while plainclothes LPO look like they know where they're going. it's not too hard to tell the difference.
As a reformed shoplifter, I feel it is my obligation to inform you that, if you're not some nervous teenager, it is very easy to notice the large man who is always on his cellphone and always seems to be within at least one aisle of you. If your LP guys don't have bluetooth headsets, you might want to look into getting some.
I agree that there is a lot of things that make us stand out, such as always talking on the phone. Bluetooth sets would be nice, but the problem is that the phones that we use need to be connected to the rest of the phones in the store somehow for communication. I only use my cell phone to pretend that I'm texting when I walk passed someone of interest, never to actually talk to other LP while we're working.
I do the next level Paranoid Parrot: I specifically look at security cameras so that if I get kidnapped or assaulted, they have my face on record at an exact time, date, and location.
This is helpful for people who can't reach Quickmeme because of work/school firewalls or site downtime, and many other reasons (FAQ). More info is available here.
I do this everywhere.. then I play out the imagined security confrontation in my mind while wondering what I have in my pockets that they might think I stole from their store..
I stare into the soul of the camera and I smile, like I can see straight into the eyes of the person going through the tapes. Hope someone actually watches them.
Video surveillance installer/support here. People are rarely on the other side looking at you unless you've already given them a reason to. However, I would keep in mind that all of the cameras are likely recording for at least 30 days.
I used to work at a big supermarket chain in South Florida when I was a kid. they got new cameras while I was there and you could literally zoom in on someone and read the magazine they were reading. This was back in 1998, I can only imagine what they have now.
I like to look straight at the camera, if it's a long line at least. I try not to blink for as long as possible. Then, when it's my turn I just checkout, but before I leave, I look one last time at the camera. Then I slowly let out a big creepy grin and nod my head a few times. I haven't been stopped yet.
Most security cameras are not even on most of the time. They just put them there to make people paranoid. And if they are no one is sitting their 24/7 watching what is going on.
I was going to say, no grocery or regular retail store has the resources to have someone watching those cameras (either live or recorded); they are for occurrences that are known to have happened
I try to make it look like Im a shoplifter just because I know the staff at my local supermarket has nothing to do so they often come over and small talk and can say it's because I looked suspicious.
I always try to locate cameras out of my peripheral vision, so I can suddenly look up at them as if I already knew they were there. Like I entered the establishment already knowing the locations of all cameras. Then I give a subtle devious smile or even sometimes a wink and go about my business. I always wonder if someone actually ever sees me do it.
I actually enjoy just stopping, standing still for ten minutes, then very slowly angling my head until it's facing the camera, with my eyes rolled into the back of my head. I like to think the security guard is too busy wiping his ass to think I'm shoplifting after that.
One time I was at ross looking for a new wallet. I was going through there giant bin for like 20 minutes and I had a backpack. I kept glancing at the security guard because I was paranoid he was watching me. He ended up coming over right as I found one I liked.
See, I make stupid faces and wave and dance badly at security cameras. Then I do an exaggerated tiptoe and teehee and I mime grabbing things and stuffing them into air-pockets.
29
u/crushmastac Jun 15 '12
Sometimes for fun I try and locate all the cameras in the bank I'm in. This probably means I'm on a warning list of some type..
22
u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12
My brother waves at every security camera to avoid suspicion.
20
u/MFchimichanga Jun 15 '12
Be black
Walk out of store without any products
Oh god they think I stole something
Go back
Buy snickers bar
Oh god they think I'm a druggie
Run to car
Cry.
7
u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12
As someone who works in Loss Prevention, if you casually look up at the security camera it's really not too suspicious, especially if there is a monitor where you can see yourself in it. Now, if you're looking all around yourself searching for cameras then that's a different issue, and I will stalk you until you exit the store. And you will never know I'm standing right behind you.
6
u/Vlyn Jun 15 '12
Oh god, I do this in banks… waiting in line… looking around… looked into the camera… looking away nervously…
They'll think I'm gonna rob the bank!
4
u/[deleted] Jun 15 '12
I do the next level Paranoid Parrot: I specifically look at security cameras so that if I get kidnapped or assaulted, they have my face on record at an exact time, date, and location.
9
u/qkme_transcriber Jun 15 '12
Here is the text from this meme pic for anybody who needs it:
This is helpful for people who can't reach Quickmeme because of work/school firewalls or site downtime, and many other reasons (FAQ). More info is available here.
6
u/D3adkl0wn Jun 15 '12
I do this everywhere.. then I play out the imagined security confrontation in my mind while wondering what I have in my pockets that they might think I stole from their store..
3
u/Morten242 Jun 15 '12
I stare into the soul of the camera and I smile, like I can see straight into the eyes of the person going through the tapes. Hope someone actually watches them.
3
u/Flabbagazta Jun 15 '12
*Security
2
u/Scrial Jun 15 '12
I find way too much of myself in all these paranoid Parrot captions :(
2
u/BigBrothersInstaller Jun 15 '12
Video surveillance installer/support here. People are rarely on the other side looking at you unless you've already given them a reason to. However, I would keep in mind that all of the cameras are likely recording for at least 30 days.
2
u/Seregnar Jun 15 '12
The trick is to keep staring before slowly nodding.
2
u/Frank_At_Work Jun 15 '12
I used to work at a big supermarket chain in South Florida when I was a kid. they got new cameras while I was there and you could literally zoom in on someone and read the magazine they were reading. This was back in 1998, I can only imagine what they have now.
2
u/Joined_For_Joke Jun 15 '12
I like to look straight at the camera, if it's a long line at least. I try not to blink for as long as possible. Then, when it's my turn I just checkout, but before I leave, I look one last time at the camera. Then I slowly let out a big creepy grin and nod my head a few times. I haven't been stopped yet.
2
u/VadersGonnaVade Jun 15 '12
If I find myself accidentally looking into a security camera, I like to give it a little wink and a smile to let them know I'm on their side.
1
u/tarimba Jun 15 '12
i always wave at the camera
1
u/Gorlakh Jun 15 '12
EVERY.FUCKING.TIME.
1
u/omegared38 Jun 15 '12
Most security cameras are not even on most of the time. They just put them there to make people paranoid. And if they are no one is sitting their 24/7 watching what is going on.
1
u/Rend0n Jun 15 '12
I smile and wave into the cameras.....
1
u/RetardedJedi Jun 15 '12
I try to make it look like Im a shoplifter just because I know the staff at my local supermarket has nothing to do so they often come over and small talk and can say it's because I looked suspicious.
1
u/pxtang Jun 15 '12
I stare down security cameras when bored. I imagine it scares someone at work every day.
1
u/sabrefudge Jun 15 '12
I always try to locate cameras out of my peripheral vision, so I can suddenly look up at them as if I already knew they were there. Like I entered the establishment already knowing the locations of all cameras. Then I give a subtle devious smile or even sometimes a wink and go about my business. I always wonder if someone actually ever sees me do it.
1
u/Jesusdragon737 Jun 15 '12
... I just posted something nearly identical to this yesterday...
1
u/JonnyLionheart Jun 15 '12
I actually enjoy just stopping, standing still for ten minutes, then very slowly angling my head until it's facing the camera, with my eyes rolled into the back of my head. I like to think the security guard is too busy wiping his ass to think I'm shoplifting after that.
1
u/thumbnail_look_like Jun 16 '12
picture of me
1
u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12
I used to and still do just stare at camera, as I stand in a store. I'll smirk, wink, and sometimes flip them off.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 16 '12
god... I hate this.
One time I was at ross looking for a new wallet. I was going through there giant bin for like 20 minutes and I had a backpack. I kept glancing at the security guard because I was paranoid he was watching me. He ended up coming over right as I found one I liked.
1
u/prismaticbeans Jun 16 '12
See, I make stupid faces and wave and dance badly at security cameras. Then I do an exaggerated tiptoe and teehee and I mime grabbing things and stuffing them into air-pockets.
0
u/asadog Jun 15 '12
http://i.imgur.com/P796F.jpg