Theft at craft shows

I saw this article

http://www.handmadeology.com/tips-for-preventing-theft-at-a-craft-show/

and it reminded me of several events from my years of selling/managing farmer's markets. I think too often vendors become comfortable at the markets they sell at and become careless.

I can recall selling strawberries at a busy street fair at night 6 or 7 years ago. My neighbor was selling honey and was doing fairly well that night. He was by himself and had a single table in his booth. As he was busy talking to customers, a young man ran into his booth (mind you a single table with a cash box sitting in plain sight) and grabbed the cash box and ran. The market was so happening with crowds and loud music that the vendor could not ask for help right away. The young man had gotten away with all of the money the man had made that evening, to make matters worse, the vendor had left an envelope with the money he had made in his morning market and the money from the night before. The young man did not get caught and the vendor was out over $1200.

The vendor could have taken some simple steps to prevent this theft:

• He could have put up the sidewall on the back of his EZ Up.
• He could have had another table or 2 to make a "u" shape within his booth.
• Used his pockets or a vendor apron to hold his cash box instead of an exposed cash box.
• He could have brought some extra hands to look out, even if it was his wife, brother, nephew, son, kid that lives across the street, etc.
• He shouldn't have left his other money in the cash box. When doing back to back markets, the vendor should try to find a consistent spot to store the cash. I always preferred to lock it inside the glove box of the truck.
  
  

Please be careful when you are selling. Keep a lookout for people that are "hanging out" behind booths or sitting for a long period of time just observing the market. Most thefts occur when the market is busy and there are large amounts of people crowded in a booth.

Very good tips! I always have my husband with me, keep the cash box under the table (behind a table cloth) and if I've been busy, I'll move it around under the table as well, just to make sure it's not in exactly the same spot all day so people that are observing wont know *exactly* where it is, making it harder to grab and run. Also once I get x number of dollars (usually around ever $100) I take that out and put it in my pocket. Could be difficult if you're busy, but worth it!

I stash the $20s in a pocket and keep just $1s, $5s and a few $10s in the cash box, under the tablecloth, and like Krystal, move it around throughout the day. That still makes me nervous though - going to wear a divided apron at next weekend's fair and keep most of the small bills for change there. I work my booth alone, and when it's busy it's hard to watch everything. I've been lucky, all of us vendors keep an eye out for one another's booths, and if anyone tries anything fishy I think one of us would notice right away. Good tips, and good to remember, thanks!

I was talking with a vender a few years ago about stealing. But is was not cash but product. They lost alot do to kids or groups of people. It was a set up a group would come in distract the vender and one of the other or more would pocket product. That gets very costly real fast.

I use a waitress apron to keep all of my cash in. It has three pockets so I can keep my money in one, pen and receipt book in one and my calculator in the third. I keep an empty checkbook cover handy and and put the extra cash in that so the customers have no idea how much I actually have on me.

I find keeping my money directly on me gives me one less thing to keep an eye on. Not to mention I can give people their change when I'm out in front of the booth instead of having to get back behind it.

It sure would be great if everyone on the planet could be trusted!

Something to really think about....The past couple craft shows I was in, selling my quilts I've noticed that people have started using cc and don't always carry cash with them. Lost a few sales by not having the Square. So I updated my phone and signed up with Square.com. No cash & boxes to worry about. Easy Peasy!