Feb 25, 2008 12:00 PM, By MICHAEL GARRY

Hannaford Bros. and Pathmark are using intelligent systems that interpret video images to identify employee theft and shoplifting By: By MICHAEL GARRY

At any major casino, trained security professionals are stationed in a video surveillance room closely observing the activity at the high-stakes gaming tables for hints of fraudulent behavior that would put the casino at risk.

While the individual stakes are decidedly lower at supermarkets, the cumulative impact of fraudulent activity — by shoppers and especially by store employees — weighs heavily on the industry. The Food Marketing Institute's 2007 Supermarket Security & Loss Prevention report put the median shrink figure for food retailers at 1.52% of sales (down from 1.69% the previous year); about 39% of shrink is attributed to employee theft, while 32% is tied to shoplifting.

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