Coles security measures aim to leave shoplifters high and dry
A GEELONG supermarket is locking lips with strict security measures, keeping everyday items out of reach of shoplifters.
Tiny tubes of lip balm costing as little as $4.70 are among items locked in plastic security cases in Coles’ central Geelong location.
Sticky-fingered shoppers have also been thwarted from pocketing tubs of honey and beauty items in the Westfield store, with the items also locked away in the security cases.
Electric toothbrushes and teeth-whitening kits have also been wrapped with security tags, while steaks have tags stuck to their packaging to prevent shoppers from helping themselves to a five-finger discount.
A spokesperson for Coles said “electronic article surveillance tags” were one part of a range of security measures employed to reduce theft in their stores.
“While the large majority of our customers do the right thing, it’s not fair that a small number of people get away with doing the wrong thing,” the spokesperson said.
“Like a number of retailers, we work with police to reduce shoplifting.
“There are also trained covert security officers in our stores nationally and they’re catching hundreds of thieves every week and reporting them to police.”
The lip balm lock-up comes after Coles shoppers in Corio discovered painkillers and pregnancy tests had been taken off the shelves earlier this year.
Products such as Panadol, Nurofen and the pregnancy tests had been placed behind the supermarket’s front counter — a space typically reserved for cigarettes — to stop shoplifters from targeting the items.