Monday, August 08, 2005
Stealing coats
Question:
A department store had a problem where a shoplifter would come in, grab a armfull of coats off the rack and run off. What kind of things can the store manager do to prevent this kind of thing from happening?
Hints:
By hanging up the coats so that the coathanger hook goes one way, then the other for every other item, it makes it difficult to grab a bunch of coats at one time. Although you could still easily steal, say, three by turning one hook around. The solution is not perfect but it doesn't cost anything to implement.
A department store had a problem where a shoplifter would come in, grab a armfull of coats off the rack and run off. What kind of things can the store manager do to prevent this kind of thing from happening?
Hints:
- My solution doesn't prevent the shoplifter from stealing, just makes it harder to steal a lot.
- My solution doesn't require any hardware (or software) to implement it.
- You can prevent it just by changing a procedure
- By changing the way the coats are hung on the rack.
By hanging up the coats so that the coathanger hook goes one way, then the other for every other item, it makes it difficult to grab a bunch of coats at one time. Although you could still easily steal, say, three by turning one hook around. The solution is not perfect but it doesn't cost anything to implement.
