Thornton hardware store uses AI system to fight shoplifting

THORNTON, Colo. Shoplifting has become a recurring problem for a Thornton hardware store, with thieves walking away with everything from small tools to big-ticket items like snowblowers.

Now, the store is fighting back with artificial intelligence.

Richard McLamb, the store's manager, says employees deal with shoplifting attempts several times a week. He says some thieves have even targeted larger merchandise.

I believe had a snowblower go out the door, McLamb said.

To help combat the problem, the store has implemented an AI camera system designed to identify suspicious behavior and alert employees in real time.

The technology monitors live video feeds from cameras throughout the store. When the system detects activity it considers suspicious, it sends employees a video clip of the incident, allowing them to respond quickly.

It will watch them in the act, catch them, send us a video in 10 seconds of them shoplifting, McLamb said. So it's pretty easy to, once we're alerted, I can walk over to the customer and be like, 'Hey, it's in your purse.'

Behind the system, Veesion provides AI-powered video surveillance technology for retailers.

Veesion has almost 7,000 stores using this software. In the U.S., nearly 1,000 stores currently use it.

Hiren Mowji, Veesion's director of sales, says the technology is designed to identify suspicious activity through live video streams and provide retailers with footage attached to each alert.

We have an AI that can identify suspicious activity in a live video stream, Mowji said. So we can alert retailers when people are shoplifting or partaking in suspicious activities in their stores in real time with video footage attached to that alert, so they have the proof in the hand.

McLamb says the alerts give employees an opportunity to intervene before merchandise leaves the store.

He recalls one incident in which a person was caught on camera concealing screwdrivers and hammers in his pants before heading toward the exit.

McLamb says he stopped the person, recovered the merchandise and called police.

Mowji says the technology is intended to help businesses address a growing retail theft problem.

Over $100 billion problem that's getting worse every year, Mowji said. We felt that it was a good opportunity for us to go out and deliver a solution, a real-world solution that business owners can benefit from.

For McLamb, the system also provides an extra set of eyes, allowing employees to spend more time helping customers while staying aware of what's happening throughout the store.

He believes attentive customer service can also help discourage theft.

Being aware of who's in the store, what's going on in the store, especially giving them outstanding customer service because they're less likely to steal anything, if you're right there with them, McLamb said.