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By Delia Paunescu: Assistant Editor

 
Officer Shelley Broderick of the Fairfax County Police Department in Va. is working on the case involving Village Eye Center and four other optical retailers in the area. She told VM that between June and November, five separate establishments were affected.

Below, she shares her advice on how to curb shoplifting and what to do if you’ve been a victim.

• “It appears there’s a market for high end optical frames on the street. I don’t know what they’re doing with them prescription-wise, but we’re seeing both sunglasses and Rx frames being stolen.”

• “For any business, not just optical, typical anti-theft measures including security alarms, a camera system and trained employees who are paying attention are all imperative.”

• “Employees have to be aware who’s in their store and what those people are doing.”

• “When we see a case like this, it’s always helpful to know exactly what was taken and what the suspects look like. Security footage is also very important.”

dpaunescu@jobson.com