Introduction to Retail Store Security
If you manage or own a retail store or retail business at a shopping centre or just a stand-alone store, then I am sure you must have seen or had experienced stock theft in the past.
Maybe you are new, or about to go into a retail business, and you’d like to understand how you can better improve your store security. Before I move any further; I would like to let you know our write up, and knowledge of retail store security or retail business security comes from many years of retail working in the retail and shopping centre security industry. So, we are going to share vital security tips, ideas and advice on how to protect, minimize shrinkage, prevent theft and loss of merchandise and also save you money.
Retail security tips; our focus today would be on after-hours retail theft, breaking into retail stores, businesses, shopping centre, and kiosks, and how to prevent such from happening to your retail business.
Our Retail Security Hire Services:
- Loss Prevention Officers (Coverty and Overt)
- Retail Store Static Guards
- Retail Store Overnight Guards
Also, see the following:
Simple Retail Store Security Tips
CCTV Cameras: This is one of my favourite options. Most would-be thieves/burglars always survey the retail business or retail store before they carry out their act. One of the first things they look for is whether you have got inside-store CCTV cameras. They also check if you have got any external CCTV cameras outside your store or business.
The moment these criminals notice cameras, whether inside or outside the retail store, the chances of them stealing or breaking into your business dramatically reduces, and in most cases, they would prefer to target a retail store or retail shop that has got no CCTV cameras.
There are two essential reasons why criminals would prefer not to steal from a retail store or retail business with CCTV Cameras. Firstly, they don’t want to be identified and arrested by the police after their crime. Secondly, 30% – 50% of offenders caught committing retail theft are repeat offenders. So that means the police are most likely going to identify them very easy. They also might be breaching their parole, that’s why CCTV is critical to have in and outside your store. If you can’t afford to install a working CCTV-cameras, get the cheap dud-CCTV-camera’s, it’s very cheap, and it’s a good deterrent too.
Alarm Monitoring: If you are worried about the after-hours security of your retail store, kiosk or retail business, then alarm monitoring is another cheap alternative. Get in touch with an alarm monitoring and response company, ask them how to go about installing alarm sensors in your store.
Any time there is an intrusion, or anything suspicious triggers the alarm, a signal will be sent to the monitoring company who will then dispatch a security patrol to your store or business to have a look and see what’s going on.
Signage: Getting a sign and displaying at the front entrance of your store, business or even at the back-end if your store is on the roadside, it’s an excellent deterrent too.
Such signs could be as follows; ‘There is 24/7 CCTV surveillance on this business, X.Y.Z Security Company protects this retail store. Cash is not kept on this premises, this business has got a regular security patrol etc.’ Try and get a good deterrent security sign; such signs are very cheap, and they do a great job keeping criminals off your business, retail store.
Cash Register: If your retail store or business is close to the walkway or footpath, then I will advise you adopt this method after trading hours; to remove all your daily-takings home, pull out the cash register so passers-by can see it is open and empty. At first, it may sound like a bad idea, but most cash register that is left pulled-out and empty sends a psychological message to any would-be burglar, and that all cash has been removed from the store or business.
Display Items: Especially for jewelry stores, or any retail stores or business that sells expensive merchandise. My advice is always to remove any expensive items that you might have displayed around your store windows, or that is open-view for passers-by after trading hours. A lot of theft happens because the opportunistic offender got tempted by what they see; so take away any expensive merchandise that could be in the view of the public during after-hours.
Kiosk: If you are the owner of a retail kiosk in a shopping centre or local market; you will know that a significant amount of burglary happens after trading hours. One of the reasons is some kiosk owners often leave in plain-view expensive machinery and merchandise at their kiosk after-trade.
My advice is this, expensive machinery needs to be removed from the kiosk after-trade, or properly hidden. Proper wrapping of all kiosk stocks or goods, so no stock is left exposed to passers-by to see and get tempted to steal. If possible, always get a secured display cabinet that can be locked once you have completed trade for the day.
Locks and Shutters: This is very important, I have seen on many occasions, retailers or business owners after a long day of work leave their store or business without adequately securing their shutters and locks.
Sometimes it is just a one-off mistake, but I will advise after the day’s trade that you always double or triple check your retail store or retail business locks or shutters are adequately secured. I have seen where questionable characters wander around at night, trying their luck to see if they can find any retail store or business not correctly secured.
Also, if you are having issues with your locks or shutters, make sure you or your staff member remains in the store or business until a locksmith arrives and fix the problem. If you are unable to get after hours locksmith, please call a retail security company near you and request for overnight security guards.
In the long run, it will cost you less to hire an overnight security guard at your store or business, than to let a criminal damage your entry doors/shutters, and possibly steal merchandise worth thousands of dollars; leaving you with loss of trade hours, many hours of insurance company paperwork or claims.
Extra Staff: During the busy time of the week, or a busy season of the year, I encourage you to hire additional casual staff – extra eyes and hands in your store are also a good deterrent.
Retail Security Guard: At first hiring Security Guards for your business could seem like an expensive idea, but the presence of Retail Security Guards at your business is an excellent deterrent against theft or shoplifting.
I have written a whole blog about dealing with shoplifters; please check this link for that blog.
If you sell expensive merchandise in your retail business, and you are worried about the security of your property or store. I will advise you to hire overnight security guards for your business, kiosk or store. It could from 11pm to 6am, or hire at a strategic time or season that you believe criminal activity is likely to occur around your retail store or business location.
You could also hire the security guard as a one-off, seasonal or what you think is best for your business. Hiring Security Guards for your business does not only act as a deterrent it is likely to reduce your insurance premium too.
Retail Store Security | The Police
The Police: Always report any incident or attempted incident at your retail business to the Police, have a chat with your local Police and see how they can assist you in improving your retail store/business security. The police officers just like the security guards, have dealt with allot of incidence, and they are a great source of security tips and advice; they will assist you with some of the best security advice for your retail business.
Feel free to check this link for Australian Police crime prevention tips that might be useful for your business
Retail Store Security Conclusion
The security of your retail store or business is very important. So always be ahead in improving the security of your business. You don’t have to be a victim of burglary or shoplifting before you invest in retail security. Take the right security step now. The more secure your retail business is, the less likely your retail store or retail business will be targeted by criminals.
To learn more or understand why retail security or retail business security is something you should give a thought or take seriously, please check this link for information on the $50 billion worth of retail losses due to criminal activities.
We are a retail store security company in Melbourne and we are specialists in retail security services. We also provide the following security guard services solution:
- Retail Shopping Centre Security Guards
- Retail Loss Prevention Officers
- Corporate Security Services
- Concierge Services
- Private Functions Security
- Major Event Security
- Festivals Security Services
- Residential Security Guards
- Static Security Guards
- Asset Protection Security Guard
- Construction Security Guard
- Facility Management Security
- Party Security Guards
- Schools Security Guard
For more security tips and ideas, please find a copy of our recently published book Security Adventure Service.
We are a licensed Retail Security Company by the Victorian Police, our rates are very affordable, and we only provide the best retail security guards that will fit right with our client’s business and brand.
Photo by Marko Dukic on Unsplash
Written by Job Moses