Aug 24, 2009
Watch this video a couple of times.
Watch the two people at the counter, they pick up on a couple of things that make them a little wary because they check out the two people that have just entered the business.
What we see are two people enter the store with their hands in their pockets, and the first one is fidgeting with what turns out to be a gun.
They are "friends" yet enter in a single file line with several feet between themselves. You'd expect them to be walking together as they approached the store, only separating as they entered through the doorway. Then it would be normal for them to stand together.
See the intensity of how they look towards their destination, when we enter a business it is more normal to glance at all parts of the area, to quickly gain an understanding of the space and to see if their are friends or foes around.
The leader is walking around, adrenaline is running through his system. He turns his back, this is to gain the courage... it is at this point where he will either chicken out or make his move...
Even though we do not see it is this case a couple of other signs of immediate danger are: are balling up hands into fist; some sort of slap of hands, chest thump, stomp of feet- something to get the blood going, eye intensity, sweat developing on the upper lip or brow, deep intake of breath.
It turns out these two victimize the clerk and still remain at large in the LA area.◦
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Signs of Danger and a Crime: Store Robbery Caught on Video
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Shoplifters
On a previous post I mentioned how shoplifters look at items. In this post I want to explorer the reverse of this. If someone is coming into the store with the intention of shoplifting, watch them come into the store and for the first minute they are in the store. Shoplifters will restrict their movements, in an effort to not stand out at all, and the result is they actually stand out even more because it is so unnatural.
So if you have someone looking around a great deal, and little arm movements... be alert.◦
Sunday, June 14, 2009
One Way to Spot a Pedophiles or Shoplifter in Real Life with Their Body Language
This is the one area where I was clearly able to spot before any training in body language.
Note: Everybody acts differently depending on the situation. To say it more concretely, if you see a man you see acting in the way I describe below, he could be acting that way because he HATES kids and becomes nervous around them. I only offer this as a guide to be more aware and careful with your own kids.
I first learned to spot shoplifters while working at a grocery store. I then noticed the same behavior with potential pedophiles after I had my own kids.
The spot or tell is clearly seen when you know what to look for. The first time I saw this I was working in the meat department after school. Everybody had to pass by the meat counter to enter the store and almost immediately I could pick out potential shoplifters. I got so good at it all I had to do was give a quick call to the manager up in the office, he had a one way mirrored window and could watch the shoplifter from his lofty perch. I made the call a couple of times a week, and I only worked there for 2-3 hours an evening.
What to look for? 90% Gestures and 10% eyes.
Both the shoplifter and pedophile uses very little gestures.
Their movements are controlled and planned to the point where it always appearedto me as unnatural.
With the shoplifter they will pick up a few things, but it is all for show- and you can tell it is for show by the way they hold items higher and away from their body- then they pick up the thing they are going to pocket and you can tell by how they reach for it and the speed of their arms and hands. They appear to be browsing but the scan of the store is unnatural and their eyes will even pay much more attention to other people in the store than the actual merchandise. If you want to identify the shoplifter simply concentrate on the lack of gestures and controlled movements.
The pedophile is similar in many ways. When they see a object of their affection they also get "tight" and gesture less. They most often quickly look away, for fear someone will see them watching someone else. They will glance around more, and often will focus on adults closest to who they really want to look at, so they can use their peripheral vision to watch the child. It looks slightly unnatural compared to how others there are acting. They glance at many different people so it does not look obvious that they would be looking at a child, but they will hold the gaze a slight beat or two more than the others he is glancing at. Children are fast and move in a nonstop way, this works to the pedophiles advantage and disadvantage. It allows them to scan, but if you are looking for it, it gets them caught because their gaze settles a beat too long. If you want to identify the potential pedophile simply concentrate on the lack of gestures.
What to do with this information? Nothing and Everything.
I rarely get involved with shoplifters, people are crazy and willing to do all kinds of stupid things for drugs, etc. I can spot undercover security as clearly as the shoplifter (they look both too natural and unnatural; and even though they do not interact with others working at the store you can tell by the way hold eye contact a beat too long, or quickly avoid eye contact with clerks; etc.). A couple of times I've done is a quick double take at the shoplifter, show disgust, and simply walk away- this is enough for security to pick up on them and at least notice them. Other times I have starred at them, I've even acted like security browsing items in the same isle. It all depends on the situation.
Potential pedophiles are a different ball game. I can never be sure why they are acting strangely so I am immediately on guard. I study the person and determine the level of threat. I see if they are alone. If they are alone I'll make it a point to be closer to the individual so I can more closely examine the situation. In my 20 years of being able to see this behavior I've seen 10 or so people that put me on high guard. Of course I can do very little other than make my presence known subtly and not so subtly, and take responsibility for each and every child in the area.
Note: This only works with the strangers. It does not work at all with those who have mastered the art of being placed in an authority position with our children (teachers, camp leaders, etc).
There is also another thing I need to mention, not ALL pedophiles act the same way. We obviously need to be careful and always be on the guard, especially with those we place our trust of our children in.◦
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