> “Take a seat, the door is unlocked and you can leave at any time.”
Why wouldn't everyone just leave at that point? That's what I'd do, since if I'm being investigated, then my job there is over anyway regardless of my guilt or innocence. I'd have nothing to gain by volunteering to be interrogated.
People think that if they refuse to talk, they'll look guilty. An innocent person would want to clear their name so they'll sit for the interview. If the person really is guilty, they'll probably get tripped up somehow during the questioning and get cornered. Of course they can still leave at any time but they think that as long as they keep talking, eventually they'll convince the investigators that they are innocent.
Loss prevention isn't like the cops, they actually want to catch the thief because if they don't, the thief continues to operate. Cops just need someone to pin it on. Crime continues regardless of whether or not someone was wrongly convicted so what does it matter that one guy got away as long as the public thinks you're doing a good job? LP looks bad if theft continues, no one is applauding them for doing their job.
> An innocent person would want to clear their name so they'll sit for the interview.
I can see that. I think they're misguided, but I can understand the impulse.
> Loss prevention isn't like the cops, they actually want to catch the thief because if they don't, the thief continues to operate.
I'm deeply skeptical. Probably because of my own experience with this. When I was a teen, I was wrongly accused of stealing in the workplace, was subjected to interrogation, declared guilty and fired. I wanted to clear my name so badly that I went to the trouble of taking a lie detector test and sending them the result.
I learned to never cooperate if I'm ever in that situation again. There's no point. Just quit and move on with your life.
Tom Segura has a standup bit in one of his specials about cop reality shows, and how people think talking to the cops is going to work out great for them. "Lawyer up. You can't handle that s**. Everybody's like, 'I'm gonna talk to the cops, and straighten this whole thing out.' You're gonna do 25 to life. Have fun with that, man."
you do a couple of things to distract them on the way, like lead them around to a harder to reach room, ask them unrelated questions e.g. "did you see that goofy guy at the counter this morning", and give the impression that you want to hear their side of the story.
most people will comply esp. if slightly distracted or thrown off a little; the serious hoodrats would be picking a fight or pushing back and the pros would already be walking out the back door ASAP
“Take a seat, the door is unlocked and you can leave at any time.”
[1] https://www.w-z.com/private-sector/