New York ATTORNEy for retail businesses

Former Manhattan Prosecutor Fighting to Protect Your Business

We can help your business fight back by:

1. Identifying ways your store is vulnerable to shoplifting or employee theft
2. Reviewing existing loss prevention strategies or suggesting new ones
3. Protecting your business from legal liability 
4. Discussing ways you could hold shoplifters or rogue employees legally accountable
5. Advocating for your business with the NYPD, District Attorney, and other agencies  

Shoplifting is a serious problem that costs US businesses over $13 billion dollars a year in merchandise that is taken by customers or store employees.  Being victimized by a shoplifter is a stressful experience, especially for small  retail stores that count on every sale to pay the overhead.  Shoplifting often starts when the shoplifter walks inside the store.  At this point, they are planning to take something without paying.  Shoplifters don't steal by accident, it is a highly intentional, targeted act.  They may walk around and pretend to be shopping, but, in reality, they are looking for the right opportunity to strike.  They may grab one or several items and try to conceal them inside a personal bag, pocket, or could even brazenly try to carry them out in their hands.  Does your store use security guards?  If confronted by store security inside or out on the sidewalk, the shoplifter may react in a confused or hostile way in an attempt to get away with it. From there, a shoplifter might be taken to a back room inside the store where store security looks through their  personal bags and searches  for stolen merchandise. When the merchandise is found, the police are often called and the shoplifter can be handcuffed and taken to a police precinct. From there, the arresting officer can release them with a desk appearance ticket which has a court date to appear for your arraignment or them you to central booking for arraignment. Sadly, these steps often do nothing to deter the shoplifter and they could be back in your store before their court date.  

Few customer experiences are more upsetting and threatening to a business's future than the scourge of shoplifting. Retail stores are sometimes slow to make these accusations, the time spent arresting the shoplifter and calling the police is just another cost but what is the cost of doing nothing? If your store becomes an easy place for a shoplifters to take things without paying for them, how will this affect your bottom line?  By speaking to an experienced New York City anti-shoplifting lawyer, you can discover different options tailored to the needs of your store, the seriousness of your situation, and ways to target those shoplifters who have already targeted your store. We offer consultations regarding your needs and our office is located conveniently in Manhattan. Regardless of the circumstances of your needs, all shoplifting problems must be aggressively handled. Lance Fletcher, a former Manhattan prosecutor, has successfully prosecuted hundreds of shoplifting cases in New York City Criminal Court.