The Home Depot Shoplifting Policy: Theft and No-Chase Policies Detailed

The Home Depot utilizes security cameras and asset-protection specialists to prevent shoplifters from stealing from the store. According to The Home Depot’s theft policy, whether or not asset-protection specialists are allowed to confront or apprehend shoplifters varies by store location. We have more details of The Home Depot’s theft policy below.

The Home Depot Shoplifting Policy

The Home Depot hires asset-protection specialists to prevent theft and handle instances of shoplifting. Most of The Home Depot’s stores have one or more employees dedicated to loss prevention, corporate customer service representatives told us. Whether or not The Home Depot’s employees are allowed to confront or apprehend suspected shoplifters varies by store location.

So, what loss-prevention rules does a specialist need to follow at The Home Depot? The employment site Indeed lists common responsibilities of the position, posted by past loss-prevention specialists at The Home Depot. Some of the duties and experiences mentioned include:

• Following subjects around the store
• Conducting a certain number of apprehensions per quarter
• Apprehending shoplifters and arresting people
• Having difficulty apprehending shoplifters due to strict policies put in place by the store
• Giving out civil demand letters to shoplifters

A description for an asset-protection specialist on The Home Depot careers website includes duties like monitoring security cameras, working with local law enforcement, and testifying in court when necessary, which implies that The Home Depot utilizes security cameras and does prosecute shoplifters.

Does Home Depot Have a No-Chase Policy?

Some stores have a no-chase policy, meaning that security officers wait for police rather than stopping shoplifters themselves. This does not appear to be the case with The Home Depot. A Home Depot asset-protection specialist’s job includes minimizing the risk of injuries during apprehensions, which implies a physical aspect to the job, such as confronting or arresting suspected shoplifters. Whether or not this would actually be required of an asset-protection specialist varies by store location, a human resources representative for The Home Depot said.

In Summary

The methods of detecting and catching shoplifters used by The Home Depot vary by store location. Some asset-protection specialists may be allowed to physically confront and apprehend shoplifters, while others may not. In addition to asset-protection specialists, The Home Depot utilizes security cameras to monitor stores.

To learn about the shoplifting policy at Lowe’s, see our article.