Golf Theft Brings Retail Theft to the Fore-Front

Golf Digest reports how golf retail theft is nothing new, but criminals have taken things to a whole new level.

There's a drastic increase in both general theft and smash-and-grabs, where the front glass doors of a retail store are destroyed and clubs are snatched away. From physical objects to vehicles, criminals are using whatever they can find to smash through the front of golf retail stores.

The vice president of cybersecurity and loss prevention for the Worldwide Golf Shops, Mike Mata, explains how "the game has become so popular. The market is so much bigger than it used to be, the equipment is so desirable and the stuff is just so easy to move."

Golf Digest also notes, "Maybe the biggest factor is that golfers are eager to take advantage of even the slightest discount. Online selling sites like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp and Amazon have provided the perfect vehicle for dealing stolen goods without any questions asked."

These thefts can have negative repercussions on the retail prices of golf clubs and golf balls, but there are currently no clear methods of tracking the impact. Stores are also hurt by the fact that they need to "restock the inventory of premium clubheads from multiple manufacturers in the quick timeline necessitated by golf’s revolving product cycles."

In order to prevent crime or retrieve stolen goods, "the leading golf retailers are monitoring thefts closely and are engaging with law enforcement," according to Golf Digest. If a thief gets arrested, it's likely because the retailers involved have handled much of the legwork to find the culprits. This typically includes surveying "new" club sales on resale websites and, "in Mata’s case, going undercover to catch someone selling clubs stolen from one of Worldwide’s stores."

Many states are also mandating new legislation that requires sellers to share more information on auction sites, "presumably to dissuade the thieves." Additionally, states like California have "increased the funding of the CHP’s special taskforce on organized retail crime, which should continue to pay benefits by making it clear to criminals that there’s a new point of emphasis."

Although many thieves have been caught lately while hoarding and selling stolen goods, stolen products can also be shipped and sold internationally, making criminals even more difficult to trace.

The solution to this problem requires help from the platforms that sell used and discounted merchandise. For example, "OfferUp will inform customers of their responsibility to contact law enforcement about potential stolen goods being sold on its site, but that only goes so far. OfferUp has a team investigating so-called 'bad items and users on the platform,' but it also states that 'to ensure user privacy' it will not disclose personal details of sellers 'without substantiated requests from [law enforcement] officials.'"

There are other drastic measures taking place to help curb the likelihood of crime, namely changing up the ways that golf retail stores work experientially. It's understood that "golfers need to waggle clubs in the aisle, make a few swings in a hitting bay, or test on a huge putting green," and Golf Digest states that turning the experience into an appointment-only atmosphere "with everything locked down like baby formula or razors" doesn't always work as a business model, "but some sellers like Club Champion and GOLFTEC are doing just that."

Perhaps there are other methods to help prevent and decrease the amount of theft occurring in golf shops and general retail stores. The New York Post reports firsthand how shoplifting rings are set up across different cities and enlist help from homeless people to walk into stores and steal items from a list.

As Ted McCaffrey, omnichannel champion and retail expert, states, "Tagging these items with RFID, and setting up Smart Exits will provide the authorities with the data to make these criminals an 'offer they can't refuse.'"