Retail Security Systems

In every trip to the mall or mostly any retail store, I am awestruck at the lack of attention and credibility given to the security systems that were installed in order to elicit some sort of attention and credibility. An overwhelming response of nonchalance tends to be the reaction employees give to the various sirens and bleeps emitting from the tall, slender checkpoint security systems at the door whenever these go off.

These "Star Trek" gateway thresholds appear to really be nothing more than an intimidation factor. So, if you can summon up the gall to walk through with unpaid merchandise and endure some questionable looks from fellow shoppers upon the triggering of those obnoxious shrieking beeps, seems to me that you've got yourself a new sweater free of charge.

Now, please don't misinterpret this as encouragement to steal. I wouldn't dare say that. "Thou shall not steal" is how the ol' Commandment goes, I do believe, and that's what I live by. (Still trying to get that "Thou shall not kill" one down, though.) I'm just pointing out that the scot-free possibility is there. At worst, you might receive a "Hey, stop!" warning from the cashier from behind the counter, by which point you’ll be halfway to either your getaway Honda or your large cup of Dippin' Dots a couple shops down; but I'd say most sales attendants just don't view it as worth the chase's time and efforts. I think the general consensus of these folks is, "I’m just here to sell _______, not to chase criminals. F that, that's for the Blue & White." To an extent, I can sympathize with that. I mean, how's the shrink cost of that cardigan going to affect their hourly wage anyhow? Who really cares?

And what if the sales attendant is wrong in his assumption? What if he approaches someone in the vicinity of the beeping security system and falsely accuses this person of shoplifting? Whoa, big trouble. No one wants to shout a string of demands to open shopping bags, empty pockets and purses, unzip jackets, and unbutton shirts, only to wind up as wrong as leopard print fashion in front of his coworkers and surrounding bystanders -- not to mention making the wrongfully accused person momentarily look guilty and embarrassed. Unless you just enjoy being a big turd.

Wal-Mart remains one of the few exceptions to this joint retail security system disinterest, planting an employee at the front automatic sliding doors as the welcome mat. Though labeled "greeters," their ultimate purpose is served far less as a deliverer of insincere salutations but rather much more as a (typically elderly) hawk, encircling the entrance/exit area with a radio and yellow highlighter in hand, awaiting the sudden, rampant beeps that signal a possible shoplifter.

But isn't Wal-Mart always the exception to every societal norm that exists seemingly everywhere else?