SCANNING There was a public perception of crime occurring in and around the Home Depot which is located in the center of response area two. Is the Home Depot at 1220 N. Wendover Road a location for criminal activity?

ANALYSIS Home Depot District Loss Prevention GIS Analyst Mike Humphrey Response Area Team 2/Baker-1 Officers Secondary Employment Home Depot Management and Associates Customers who shop at Home Depot

HOME DEPOT REPORTED CRIMES Calendar Year 2000 VS. 2001

ROBBERY Three reported robberies from person in Robberies were common law in nature and started as larcenies from business.

LARCENY Larceny from the store itself of everything from power equipment to faucets. Most items were easily concealed or taken through the garden center to a waiting party.

LARCENY FROM AUTO Larceny from Auto occurring in the parking lot. Victims were most commonly contractors who had construction related items removed from their trucks or vans.

RETURN POLICY Home Depot’s store policy was to give cash or store credit for returns. Keep the “customer” satisfied! “Steal and return” crimes skyrocketed. This action was under-reported and was difficult to prove, but showed negatively on the company’s loss report.

RESPONSE CPTED (Crime*Prevention*Through*Environmental *Design) Assessment Partnership between store and police Police identified problems with the return policy

CPTED Recommendations were made to store management regarding area lighting, landscaping, product placement and product security.

PARTNERSHIP Partnership between management and police for more efficient reporting practices, associate awareness, and communication. Increased presence from response area team. Use of officers in an off-duty capacity to deter criminal activity in the evening hours.

NEW RETURN POLICY A new return policy was implemented which limits cash refunds to transactions ONLY with a valid receipt. System monitors past returns and any bad check history. Store reserved right to deny return in suspicious situations.

ASSESSMENT Customers and associates approach management and officers almost daily to thank them for better police presence/safer store environment. Store loss shrinkage level down. Robberies and larceny from auto calls are down since the implementation of this plan.

RECENT ACTIONS Continued education of store associates in crime prevention methods. Signs and pamphlets to educate customers about larcenies from their vehicles. State-of-the-art camera system for surveillance of the store and parking lot. Addition of full-time loss prevention associate to the store.