Ryan McFarlin with Titan Protection gives presentation on May 17 at Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce office. | Photo by Dorri Partain

Dorri Partain

Managing Editor

A first-time presentation by Titan Protection (TP) — the security provider for the Independence Avenue Community Improvement District (CID) — to inform business owners of multiple options to ward off shoplifting was deterred by absence of invited participants.

This presentation — ”Proven Strategies to Deter Retail Theft” — held on Saturday, May 17 at the Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce (2657 Independence Blvd.), competed with beautiful weekend weather despite the allure of chocolate and strawberry-iced doughnuts and valuable information.

CID District Manager Bobbi Baker acknowledged as the presentation began and she introduced Ryan McFarlin, TP manager of field operations, that it appeared attendance would be low.

McFarlin began the program by explaining the difference between robbery and shoplifting. While both are defined as theft, shoplifting is better defined as an “unlawful take of property without force, violence or fraud.”

A report by the Council on Criminal Justice states: ”Major grocers, drugstores and other retail outlets have cited shoplifting as their reason for closing multiple locations and placing goods behind counters and in locked cases.”

McFarlin said that along with merely walking out with an item and not paying, shoplifting can also include concealing items or switching price tags to pay a lesser amount.

Strategies to deter shoplifting can include installation of cameras, signage and locked cases. Less costly deterrence methods include training of employees, specifically to greet customers as they enter the store or business. McFarlin stated that when possible, customers should be greeted within 10 seconds or within 10 feet of the store entrance. Employees should also be alert — not leaning on the counter or talking on their phone — when interacting with customers.

Business owners within the CID’s boundaries are encouraged to call TP’s “Avenue Angels” — the team who patrols the Avenue — if shoplifting is suspected. McFarlin shared in 60 to 70% of those instances, the presence of security on-site deters the activity. At least two officers patrol the Avenue during regular business hours.

Following the presentation, those in attendance, including four Avenue Angels, discussed ways  in which this information could be presented to a larger audience and better suited for business owners — many that speak languages other than English. 

McFarlin acknowledged the presence of so many languages presented a “difficult path to be accessible to all.” He hopes to develop a QR code that can be distributed to business owners, which links to Titan’s YouTube channel and within online translation widgets, this presentation could be accessible in multiple languages.

The CID partners with TP several times a year to present programs to business owners and other interested participants. One program that has attracted better attendance covers de-escalating conflict — a topic useful to individuals as well as business owners. The next session will be hosted on Wednesday, July 9 at the Northeast Chamber of Commerce office. For more information about future CID and Chamber events, visit nekcchamber.com.