I stopped by a local surf shop the other day and chatted with the owner about his experiences with shoplifters. Glenn Paculba has owned Star Surfing Company in Pacific Beach, California, for more than 20 years. He had just remodeled the shop and moved the counter from about 10 feet in to right next to the front door. A customer asked if he had done it to help thwart shoplifters. Not really, Glenn told me.

“In my experience, most shoplifters could care less where the checkout counter is,” he said. “They hide the merchandise they lift, then typically just walk past the checkout clerk and out of the store.”

Glenn told me he recently noticed two non-surf types browsing his store. They came in together, split up and moved through the shop. Glenn said he simply walked up to each one, asked if they needed any help, then touched each of them on the shoulder.

Both men soon left empty-handed. Glenn told me that once he touches them, they know “the jig is up.” They’re being watched. Sounded like a great “hands on” tip to me.