We were talking to you yesterday about shoplifting which had increased in 2022. About 20,000 thefts were recorded in 2021 in Belgium. Experts believe there are 10 times more. Some stores use new technologies to spot them. In particular particularly intelligent cameras.
This new artificial intelligence only needs 18 seconds to spot a suspicious movement. Instantly, the surveillance video is sent to the store team. Benoit Bouton, manager of a supermarket, is on the microphone of RTL info 1 p.m. He illustrates:I see in the application that a larceny is being committed. The person fills his backpack with 5 shampoos. Afterwards, we just have to go and intercept him after the checkouts. We have to wait after the checkouts. If he doesn’t want to return the products or pay for them, I have to call the police. Unfortunately, in Belgium, you can’t open the bags.”
But not all suspicious movements necessarily involve theft. For these cases, a feature has been integrated. “I received a very suspicious alert. The person puts products in their bag, but I know them. He comes every day, he’s a neighborhood agent.” Benoit then has to press the RAS button (nothing to report) on the application that manages video surveillance. For Benoit, it’s a significant saving of time and energy.
It is an anti-theft solution that is invisible
Every day, more than 5 thefts are reported to him. “It makes life easier for my employees and for me. Above all, it’s for stress. I have someone now, an artificial intelligence, who takes care of monitoring for me. I’m no longer just a vigilante , but a store clerk who can actually do his job.” In 2022, shoplifting increased by 23% in Brussels. Jessica Genaert, development manager, says: “The novelty here is technology, namely artificial intelligence. It is an anti-theft solution that is invisible. The fact that we can confront the customer with the theft and that we recover the goods is really a innovation.”
In Belgium and Luxembourg, more than fifty companies have opted for this monitoring system.