Glossary · Organized retail crime
Observe and report
Observe and report: Observe and report is the associate-level rule for any theft, scam, or aggression: notice what is happening, note who and what, tell the manager on duty, and step away. It never includes confronting, following, blocking an exit, checking a bag, or chasing.
Observe and report is the associate-level rule for any theft, scam, or aggression. The associate notices what is happening, notes who and what, tells the manager on duty, and steps away. It never includes confronting a person, following them, asking for a receipt, checking a bag, blocking an exit, touching anyone, or chasing into the parking lot.
Why it matters in a store
The rule exists because the retailer’s first priority is the safety of associates and customers, ahead of any merchandise. A confrontation at the door trades a loss the store can absorb for an injury it cannot. The rule also produces better cases. A crew that gets stopped once learns to avoid that store; a crew that gets described accurately across several stores gets matched by loss prevention and law enforcement. The habit survives only if the manager tells the associate what happened to each report. The rule is the same for a booster, a repeat offender, a scam victim at the register, and an aggressive customer.
How it shows up on the floor
- Sales floor: greet with eye contact, note clothing, height, bags, and direction of travel, note the time and the items, tell the manager.
- Register: pause the sale with one open question, point to the notice, call a manager. Do not accuse or take the phone.
- Receiving: log the short pallet or the unfamiliar driver and tell the manager before the truck leaves.
- Anywhere: if approached or threatened, step away and get to a safe area first.
The report goes to the manager, and the associate goes back to the register or the aisle.
Related terms and reading
The do/don’t table is in ORC awareness training for store associates, and the corporate half of the line is in what grocery LP directors do about repeat offenders. The huddle rotation that keeps the rule fresh is in huddle talking points for loss prevention. See also incident report and de-escalation.