Although crime in Ames often seems nonexistent, Sgt. Randy Kessel of the Ames Police Department said Ames is following national trends in shoplifting.

“Whenever you have a major shopping center like North Grand, you will have a fair amount of shoplifting,” Kessel said.

Ron Beyer, security manager at North Grand Mall, 2801 Grand Ave., said a shoplifting problem exists at the mall, but stores are not always aware of it.

“This is something that needs to be addressed and from a training standpoint,” he said. “We’re working on it.”

Anytime a store catches a shoplifter, the thief should be prosecuted, although some stores are afraid to press charges, Beyer said.

“They don’t have to leave the store,” he said. “If you see them conceal an item, you can apprehend them.”

Beyer said if a store sees a shoplifter, police should be alerted immediately. North Grand Mall security then can be called in to assist.

Kessel and Beyer both said shoplifters are not always easy to spot. Many times, shoplifters travel in small groups of two or three people, Beyer said.

“People don’t always dress the part,” he said.

Beyer said North Grand Mall has shoplifters from various levels, such as one-time juvenile offenders to professional thieves who make return visits to stores.

“Once we had a guy who grabbed two pairs of jeans off a rack and asked for a refund on them, and we stopped him,” Beyer said. “He did the same thing at another store with a box of shoes. That’s a professional; he’ll be back here again.”

Still, Kessel said businesses are doing a good job of training their employees to recognize the signs of shoplifting.

“Businesses are better managed today, and it shows in the training and alertness of the staff,” he said. “Corporate, store and assistant managers have improved in training their staff on important security measures.”

Kessel said improved training is a major way to prevent shoplifting from occurring. Another preventive measure is technology, he said.

“Technology, like sensory devices on garments, is keeping stores a step ahead,” Kessel said. “Merchandisers are now knowledgeable enough on what is being taken to prevent it.”

Beyer said electronic devices are not the answer. Employees need to be aware of who is in the store and where they are at all times.

“They need to greet people at the door and let them know that [the employees] are there,” Beyer said.

Kessel said “one stop shopping” stores such as Target, Kmart and Wal-Mart, where consumers can buy a variety of goods, have a higher risk for theft and require more preventive measures.

“The propensity of the Kmarts and the Wal-Marts to be more susceptible to smaller-item theft exists,” he said. “An updated security staff, more cameras and monitors, as well as more security officers on the floor definitely help.”

Store layout is another key factor in shoplifting rates, Beyer said.

“If the store is laid out properly and the mirrors are used well, they can work,” he said. “Cash register placement is extremely important in the layout.”

Beyer said North Grand Mall has one shoplifting rule that has been somewhat successful.

“The one tool we have here is whenever someone shoplifts, they can never go into that store again,” Beyer said. “If they do, they are arrested for criminal trespassing and can be banned from the property for 90 days to a year to life.”

Kessel said shoplifting will not disappear completely any time soon, as long as there’s “anything small enough to put in a pocket or coat.”

With shoplifting, he said, size does matter.

“You’re not going to steal a TV and put it under your coat,” Kessel said. “Size more than anything is the difference.”

Beyer said North Grand Mall is working on programs to get the stores working together to help curb shoplifting problems.

“We’re all victims because we all pay for it as prices go up,” he said.