I am nominating the collaboration between ‘i to i solutions’ and Drake Supermarket’s (Katarina Demasi Security Administrator & Jim Corbett Loss Prevention Manager).
The technology which is being trialled in the Drakes’ Salisbury North store is a form of AI technology, which is integrated in the cameras, and picks up on ‘suspicious gestures’ which are being made by customers/people, when they are down certain aisles. This form of AI is called ‘AI Gesture Recognition’.
Detection Cameras are integrated within existing cameras, and they spot hand or body motions. Machine learning steps in, breaking down the image to figure out the edges and positions of hands. Which then sends out an alert on an app called ‘Telegram’, which we then use to review – using our CCTV program. Not only can we do this, but the app also sends us an alert and allows our shop floor team to ‘keep an eye out’ on the offender when they are in the store, whilst maintaining their own safety.
As we have been picking up on certain gestures which have led to shoplifts, we have been sending these onto the developers at ‘i to i solutions’, which has helped them evolve and better improve the gestures.
The software has been in place at Drakes for over a year now, and in particular, worked extremely well since August 2024.
The main reason I am nominating this collaboration is because of the positive outcome it has had for Drakes and helping tackle the ever-evolving issue of ORC and Retail Loss.
In August, Katarina picked up on a certain gesture which led to a shoplift incident. The POI, turns out, was well known to police and was known to be doing certain deals between Salisbury North and Murray Bridge, appearing in both stores whilst doing his deals in the suburbs, not in the store. However, he was coming into the store and shoplifting items of high value.
This particular POI was involved in 11 events, totalling $652 worth. Whilst in dollar value, this isn’t too significant, this outcome still demonstrates a great and positive outcome for every collaborator involved: for us – Drakes, our staff and customer safety, as well as connecting dots (evidence) to help police make a successful arrest. Since this incident, we have found four other POI come about from the AI technology gestures, which is once again, helping us keep on top of our prevention methods, and helping keep our staff safe, by having the ability to intercept shoplifters in a safe manner when they receive an alert.
Whilst the technology is still evolving and has development and improvements it needs, it is really proving to be helpful for us here at Drakes and we are really supportive of it being used and rolled out into more stores in the future.
A particular mention to the team at ‘i to i solutions’ who do their utmost best to support us in making this technology work. Their customer service is genuine and prompt, and they are always thorough when answering any queries we have, and ensuring they provide us with the best solutions possible. We really hope that their hard work can be recognised through this retail risk collaboration award, and that this will give them (as newcomers) an opportunity of exposure, to other business’s which may be like us, wanting to tackle Organised Retail Crime and Loss in a safe, timely and evolving fashion, using AI Technology.