Increased Security Ahead Of Black Friday

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (WUSA) -- Black Friday is big business but it's also a day where retailers potentially could lose a lot from fraud and theft.

The troubled economy has lead to an increase in these types of crime.

Retailers are on high alert with 135 million shoppers expected to participate in the traditional holiday shopping kick-off.

Retailers lost 36 and a half billion dollars last year from theft in stores according to the National Retail Federation.

It's up roughly 1 and a half percent from 2007
The trend continues to climb this year.

The loss eventually makes its way to you, the consumer.

The Best Buy near Landmark Mall in Alexandria, Virginia, where they're amping up security to make sure you have a safe Black Friday and they don't get taken

9NEWS NOW found employees busy stocking shelves with only a few hours left for prep work. The store is closed for Thanksgiving and will open at 5 a.m.

Luis Castillo is the general manager the store. He says, "I can't remember the last time I got sleep."

Castillo says security in the early morning hours will begin before you even walk through the doors on Friday.

He says, "We will put up ropes and manage crowds that way. The line will wrap around the building."

Shoppers will enter single file to avoid a mass rush.

Castillo points to a staging area outside the doors where customers will be handed a shopping cart. He says that alone will slow shoppers down.

He also says they'll be given numbered on color coded tickets to remove any guessing in finding your items.

Castillo says, "If I have a yellow ticket I'm going to look for the yellow balloons.

Once inside the store, Castillo says it's important to eliminate temptations for the consumers. He says someone could slip a tiny iPod shuffle or phone in their pocket.

Their solution?

Castillo says, "Very simple. The method of putting it in a box. It's easier to leave it accessible for consumer, they don't have to wait for an employee to get a key to get to the product and we protect the product in a secure box. They can grab it, go to the register and buy it.

Another layer of security will be the ones up above.

Castillo says, "The big eye in the sky."

Numerous surveillance cameras monitor every inch of the store.

Castillo says, "When you have an item lost, your employee and company loses. Everyone is in a lose lose situation including the customer.

The National Retail Federation says of the $36.5 billion nationwide in losses, nearly half, $15.9 billion dollars come from retailers' own employees. So Best Buy says it's important to keep them happy too. They say they work hard to make a good working environment for their employees. For instance, Castillo says that's why we don't open on Thanksgiving Day.

The National Retail Federation says the huge losses not only affect prices, they make return policies stricter.