Harbor Freight is known nationwide for its wide offering of power tools, generators, and other home improvement or building items that people might need.
They have low and high-value items targeted by shoplifters, making it necessary for a shoplifting policy to be implemented.
Harbor Freight has a very straightforward shoplifting policy that tells its workers not to chase, engage, or stop any shoplifters they see. Still, they have loss prevention officers who often try to block shoplifters and get them to return the stolen items. Shoplifters have their details recorded and are banned from the store, though some might be passed on to police to be charged.
This guide will tell you everything you need to know about Harbor Freight’s shoplifting policy and more. As you read through, you’ll discover how the store discourages shoplifting and what they do if someone is caught stealing.
Table of Contents
What Is Harbor Freight’s Shoplifting Policy?
Harbor Freight’s shoplifting policy is very straightforward. Staff members aren’t allowed to chase or engage shoplifters, even if they witness the crime as it’s happening. On top of that, the policy also tells workers not to call the police.
This type of policy is common in the retail industry, despite how much money businesses lose to theft every year. Although it might not make sense to outsiders, Harbor Freight’s shoplifting policy can tell you a lot about their priorities.
As you’ll discover later in this article, the shoplifting policy keeps workers away from shoplifters mainly for safety reasons. The idea is that workers and customers risk getting hurt if they try to stop shoplifters.
On top of that, it also saves the company from potential lawsuits if the shoplifter is illegally detained or injured in the process.
Aside from the shoplifting policy, Harbor Freight also uses several other tactics to discourage would-be thieves from stealing in the first place. They include common tactics found in other retailers, including:
- Security cameras – These are closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras that record all areas of a store to shoplifters.
- Convex mirrors – Mirrors are strategically placed throughout the stores so staff can see a wide area and spot shoplifters.
- Signage – Warning signs are placed around to discourage thieves, reminding them that the store uses cameras and other security features.
- Loss prevention officers – These employees observe and investigate shoplifting situations inside a Harbor Freight store.
The combination of the shoplifting policy and the many deterrents used in-store form Harbor Freight’s overall strategy to reduce shoplifting cases and the financial losses they cause.
Does Harbor Freight Have Security Guards?
Yes, Harbor Freight does hire security guards. Like most retailers, the people who play this role are called ‘loss prevention officers’.
These officers are subject to the same shoplifting policies as other Harbor Freight employees. That means they’re not allowed to chase after shoplifters to retrieve stolen goods or to detain them.
Instead, their job is to observe the shoplifters and gather as much information as possible about them. For example, they can take pictures or videos, note what the thieves are wearing, and write down the number plates on their vehicles.
Loss prevention officers will record that information in-store while working closely with law enforcement agencies.
Despite the store’s shoplifting policy, it’s crucial to understand that not all shoplifters get away scot-free.
There are plenty of cases when employees go after shoplifters to get the stolen items back and hand them over to the police.
Why Won’t Employees Go After Shoplifters?
There are official and unofficial reasons why Harbor Freight employees aren’t allowed to go after shoplifters.
Officially, the shoplifting policy stops workers from chasing thieves because it puts them in the line of danger. As such, the view is that it’s much safer for customers and employees alike if shoplifters are allowed to leave.
You’ll find that this is the same reasoning given in most shoplifting policies in the retail industry. At most, they’ll instruct employees to watch the shoplifters and collect as much information as possible to be handed over to the police later.
Still, it’s also safe to assume that Harbor Freight doesn’t want to get itself or its employees in any legal trouble for trying to stop crimes from happening.
For example, a shoplifter that gets detained or injured might turn around and start a lawsuit against the company.
Although these things sound far-fetched, they are certainly possible. So, it’s understandable that corporations like Harbor Freight would rather deal with financial loss from shoplifting than the high costs of dealing with lawsuits.
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What Happens If Someone Is Caught Stealing From Harbor Freight?
As you read before, the shoplifting policy prevents Harbor Freight employees from chasing, engaging, or stopping shoplifters. However, many still try to block them from leaving while telling them to return the stolen items.
Sometimes, shoplifters are taken to a room and asked to return the stolen items from their bags, pockets, or wherever they’re keeping them. Employees will then record their details, like their names, and take their pictures to keep on a watchlist.
Those details are helpful as Harbor Freight often bans these people from returning to the store.
Law enforcement agencies typically only get involved in more severe cases. Those include ones where the value of stolen items is pretty high or cases that involve serial shoplifters or organized crime groups.
Do Harbor Freight Shoplifters Get Arrested And Charged?
Yes, in some cases, Harbor Freight shoplifters do get arrested by the police and charged in court. That’s despite the store’s policy of letting shoplifters go instead of trying to engage or stop them.
Generally, it seems that shoplifting cases involving the police concern high-value items or organized crime. For example, serial shoplifters and those that work as part of an organized group often get police attention.
Some shoplifting cases are so severe that they also appear in the press. They become public-interest cases where the guilty party is charged in court and often sees jail time.
Still, shoplifters should never assume that the police won’t get involved. After all, a police officer could arrest a shoplifter if they witness the crime.
What Do Shoplifters Steal From Harbor Freight?
Harbor Freight sells all the kinds of items that you’d expect from a hardware store. That includes small and low-value items like hand tools and larger and more expensive items like generators.
Most shoplifting cases at Harbor Freight involve smaller and lower-value items. That’s because they’re much easier to hide in the shoplifter’s pockets and bags. On top of that, it’s also much more challenging for employees to notice that those items are being stolen.
However, many more brazen thieves also target higher-value items like the earlier-mentioned generators. These items can sometimes go for hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars at retail prices.
Those items are much more tempting targets for thieves, though they are significantly harder to steal from the store.
Final Thoughts
Overall, it’s clear that Harbor Freight has a hands-off shoplifting policy. That’s a common theme among retailers because they want to keep their workers and customers safe during shoplifting situations. Or, at least, that’s their reasoning in their policies.
Still, the shoplifting policy is supported by a few other tactics to reduce losses. They include hiring loss prevention officers and using security cameras.
Even though police don’t often get involved, they certainly do when it involves high-value items and organized crime groups.
