According to a study conducted by the National Retail Federation, 9 out of 10 retailers have been the victim of a retail theft within the last year. As a store owner, it is critically important that you take measures to prevent retail theft and make sure your business is not low-hanging fruit for criminals.
Proper Staff Training
Have a plan and procedures set in place to limit the risk of retail theft and make sure your employees know what to do. If a robber sees that multiple people are manning the storefront and have eyes on them consistently no matter where they are in the store, it makes it much less likely they will attempt to steal any inventory. Keep the whole store well lit during business hours and if possible install motion-sensing lights to deter after hour burglary.
Video Surveillance System
Once your team knows the procedures adding security cameras is a great way to enforce compliance and make sure employees and customers know they are being watched. Like a “Beware of Dog” sign, adding security cameras with additional signage is a great deterrent of criminal activity and prevents your store from becoming low-hanging fruit for thieves. Make sure your camera is placed properly to secure your Point of Sale (POS) and any other high-risk areas in your store. Additionally, being able to identify an intruder after the fact or assess an incident with security footage is a great benefit that can save you a lot of time and money.
Door Access Control
Access control systems give you complete control over who can access your store and inventory. Instead of worrying about employees losing a key, you can give all your employees individual access codes, keypads, or fobs. Not only does this prevent keys from being lost, stolen, or copied but also gives store owners a complete record log of who accessed what areas and when. Combine this with proper video surveillance technology and you significantly limit opportunities for theft.
Break-In Protection
Thieves will often scout out your retail store to best understand where your security is vulnerable. Break-ins after hours are very common among commercial facilities. Adding door alarms to your security system is a great way to combat this risk. Door alarms also make it easier to monitor the traffic in your store while still maintaining fire safety compliance.
Securing a retail facility is vitally important but with so many variables involved you always want an expert to help assess your specific situation. The Flying Locksmiths are retail security experts and our team would be happy to help you install security technology including access control systems, door alarms, security cameras, and much more to prevent theft while keeping your business running smoothly. Contact us today!