Flash mob — a group organized through social media to suddenly assemble in a public place.
This holiday season retailers should be alerted for a potential risks posed by criminal “flash mobs” that might suddenly swarm stores to steal merchandise during the shopping season.
In a statement, Marsh (NY) noted that thieves that take advantage of flash mob techniques to organize and overwhelm stores present a risk: 10% of retailers surveyed by the National Retail Federation this summer reported being victimized by at least one criminal flash mob event over the previous 12 months, with the occurrences often resulting in injuries to customers or employees, theft and property damage.
By using social media, criminals can direct large groups of individuals to specific locations to disrupt business and traffic, with the chaos that sometimes results escalating to a level that can’t be controlled by loss prevention, mall security or police.
Professionals suggest several steps retailers could follow to prepare for or respond to a flash mob, including monitoring social media sites to identify potential threats and reviewing business interruption plans and insurance programs, as well as training employees on how to respond to disorderly conduct, assault, theft and looting; developing appropriate internal and external communications plans prior to an event; and communicating regularly with local law enforcement.
Have fun shopping and don’t forget to send a card to your friends at Paperless Insurance.