The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, January 7, 1981--Page 3 'U' Cellar rents 'doorman' Bookstore ADe 0 investing in equipment to deter thefts By RITA CLARK Students buying coursebooks at the University Cellar will meet an elec- tronic guard at the door waiting to cat- ch shoplifters. The "detective" is a new security system installed at the campus. bookstore to deter thefts. THE UNIVERSITY Cellar loses roughly $100,000 to $200,000 a year to shoplifters-about three to five percent of its $4.8 million gross-according to Assistant Manager John Sappington. He said the Cellar has thought about increased security measures over the last three or four years, but nothing had been .formulated until recently. "Some of our employees were not comfortable with the idea at first," Sappington said. The security system-much like the one found in University libraries-was not instituted to alienate customers, Sappington said, but was installed "so that we can continue to give students lower-priced items."- BRUCE WEINBERG, personnel manager at the Cellar, said that because the system is obvious, poten- tial shoplifters are deterred im- mediately. No shoplifters have been apprehen- ded since the new system began, said Dave Logan; a Cellar employee. We are not tout to catch people, but to deter so we can keep prices down," he said. "So far it's going very smoothly." Cellar General Manager Tudor said he is confident that if the system works, the store can continue to offer discount The word's outonampus... If you want to be in the know, you should be reading The Daily the latest in news, sprts, les offaires ocademiques, and e CALL 764-055O to order your subscription today I Daily Photo by MAUREEN O'MALLEY PATRONS OF THE University Cellar pass through the new electronic monitoring system yesterday. Cellar officials say they hope the equipment will deter would-be thieves. prices. INVISIBLE TAGS are attached to every item of merchandise. As the customer checks out at the register, the clerk desensitizes the item via a small box on the counter. If an item has not been properly desensitized or if it is being stolen, an alarm will sound when the customer passes through a booth at the store exit where a security guard is posted. "Because it is a new system to us, a few times our clerks haven't properly desensitized the items, causing the alarm to go off, which has annoyed a few customers," said Bradley. He said that this problem will diminish as em- ployees become more familiar with the equipment. Currently the security system is being rented with the option to buy, Sappington said. ' If purchased the machinery would cost the Cellar $25,000 to $30,000. However, 90 percent of the rental cost-$450 a month-would go toward the purchasing of the equip- ment. "WE EXPECT the equipment to pay for itself," Sappington said. Because it has an approximate 85 to 95 percent ef- ficiency rate, he said, it could pay for itself in a single year. Bradley said the Cellar will be able to determine the system's effectiveness in May when it takes inventory. Student reaction generally was favorable toward the new system. "It doesn't bother me, I think they probably need it," said LSA sophomore Carol Lestock. "They probably get robbed blind without it. It makes sense to me," said graduate student Rich Quateman. THE DECENTRALIZING process, however, does add time to the checkout line. In an effort to compensate for this,, the Cellar has formed a check approval line outside the ballroom. "By having the check approved before the checkout line, it means less onus on cashiers," Sappington said. "That way the cashiers don't have so much to concentrate on." General Manager Bradley said check approval is very important because "we had over $10,000 written in bad checks last September." One unanticipated problem caused by the check approval tables is the incon- venience to the offices on the same floor as the Michigan Union Ballroom where the temporary tables. are located. Bradley said the Cellar hopes to solve the difficulty . Project Community has several of- fices on the second floor.sEllen Offen, who works with Project Community, said she has positive feelings toward the arrangement, but she said shewas afraid the commotion in the hall would disturb students registering for Project Community. "They (University Cellar employees) have been extremely accommodating. When I first talked to them, they im- mediately moved their tables further from our doors. And now they have posted a person to make sure our door is clear. I think that is very considerate of-them," Offen said. PLANNED PARENTHOOD 912 N. Main St., Ann Arbor "Pregnancy Testing (same day diagnosis) *Problem Pregnancy Counseling o Complete Contraceptive Clinic (women and teens) * Birth Control Information / Education . Vasectomy Services * Early Abortion Services " Board Certified, Licensed Gynecologists COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL * Our 47th Year * (313) 769-8530 / Ann Arbor t HAPPENINGS- FILMS Ann Arbor Film Co-op-Philadelphia Story, 2, 4, 7, 9 p.m., Michigan Theater; Enter the Dragon, 7, 9 p.m., Aud. A, Angell. Cinema Guild-Silent Movies, 7 p.m.; Comedies, 9 p.m., Lorch Hall. Cinema II-Lady Killers, 7, 9p.m., Nat. Sci. Aud. "PERFORMANCES Ann Arbor Civic Theater-My Fair Lady, 8 p.m., Mendelssohn Theater. ounci: The race is on Continued from Page 1) dilat'h the Fiffh Ward, Glenn Mensching, said they have not started campaigning seriously because they have no competition in the primaries. THIRD WARD Republican candidates Virginia Johansen and Kenneth Newble will meet in a February primary for a chance in the April election against Democrat Cheryle Grif- fin. Republican Councilman Louis Senunus is not seeking reelection in the Third Ward. In the traditionally Republican Fourth Ward, the only ward without a primary this year, Democrat Mary Burger will challenge incumbent Republican E. Edward Hood, who has been on city council since 1979. 'The most pressing issue iii this election, I think, is the economy-taxes," Hood said. . The other major issue is that of development... we just can't have a sea of concrete," he said. The Fourth W rd has been the site of many recent development plans. Democrat Sheila Cumberworth and Libertarian Men- sching will take on the winner of the Fifth Ward primary between Republicans A.J. LaLonde and Louis Velker. Both Republicans ran unsuccessfully last year against Coun- cilwoman Joyce Chesborough in a primary last year. Like other candidates; Cumberworth also cited develop- ment and safety as campaign issues, claiming "mismanagement (of the city) is the underlying cause." Republican Councilman Gerald Bell declined to run again for a council position representing the Fifth Ward. T. . , bmp / -w- ' . .. .. V-- ---- .A N, IN ki - - - ." r i rte.. I-,- I t OPEN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY UNTIL 9:00 P.M. 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