TJ Maxx, Marshalls employees to wear body cameras to curb thefts

Business

By Patrick Reilly

Employees of TJ Maxx and Marshalls will be given body cameras in an attempt to curb the record-breaking thefts that many US retailers are battling.

TJX Companies, whose holdings also include Sierra and Home Estate, began experimenting with the body cameras at several store locations this year to “de-escalate incidents, deter crime and demonstrate to our associates and customers that we take safety in our stores seriously,” a spokesperson for the parent company told FOX Business.

The cameras are worn by loss prevention officers who are trained on how to use the devices. The footage will only be shared with law enforcement upon request or in response to a subpoena, according to the company.

The company hopes that once people know they are being filmed, they will be dissuaded from stealing, Chief Financial Officer John Klinger told analysts during a May earnings call.

The retailer is focusing on “shrink” — an industry term for lost or stolen merchandise, according to Fox Business.

While TJX expects shrink to remain flat year-to-year, Klinger said it still has a “high focus on making sure that we balance protecting the goods with making sure that the customers can shop easily and get — and be able to buy the goods while also maintaining safety in our stores.”

Company executives hope the cameras will thwart rampant retail theft plaguing businesses across the country, which accounted for $112.1 billion in losses in 2022, according to the National Retail Federation. 

Companies like Target and Dollar General have announced plans this year to limit or remove self-checkout at their store locations to combat thieves.