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Theft Prevention in Retail Security
There’s an old saying, “Locks only keep out the honest people.” In retail, this is absolutely the truth. There have been a lot of studies into the behaviors of people that commit crimes such as vandalism and theft. These studies provide valuable insights as to practical ways we can prevent and discourage theft at our retail location. You’ve read the facts. Businesses sustain billions of dollars in losses due to retail theft every year. What’s more important is that when your business sustains a loss, you’re the one that’s out money. These losses are very significant these days, as compared to, say 15 years ago. With the advent of today’s internet consumers, competition among retailers, mark-up (where existent, as there are some items which are sold at cost or below, just so they can make money on accessories, as loss leaders) are to the bone. Additional losses can make or break a store’s ability to survive.
The Factors That Create Theft: Opportunity, Desire, and Ability
Let’s look at the three factors which create a theft; Opportunity, Desire, and Ability. When you have those three ingredients, the perfect storm is in place for theft. The bad news is we can only control one of those. We cannot control a person’s will to steal from us. And, we cannot control their ability to steal. Remember, locks only keep out the honest people. We can do a lot though, to control the opportunities we leave for people to steal from us.
Opportunity
Opportunities abound, an unlocked door, a poorly lit area, blind spots in your location, or not enough staff to cover the entire floor. An entire science has sprung up addressing those situations, called CPTED, (pronounced “Septed”) or, “Crime Prevention through Environmental Design” in which the full goal is to design an environment in which the opportunities for criminal behavior are reduced or removed. Although this takes place at the blueprint and design level, there are still several things that we can use to make our locations less inviting for opportunistic thieves. For example, things that are in one’s line-of-sight. Stop for a moment, and put yourself in the shoes of someone that wants to steal from you. If YOU were going to steal from your store, how would you do it? Look at areas in your store. Are there blind spots? How might you reduce them? Are there banners and posters or tall display racks that are obscuring your ability to spot a theft in progress? Looking at the floor plan of your location might reveal easy to fix problem spots. Moving that high dollar item to another location might make a big difference.
Cameras Can Deter Theft
Cameras may seem like a great deterrent to crime, but the truth is, studies show that they have a limited effect on it. Cameras are still important. Cameras document crimes. A crime that is well documented has a better chance of being solved and the offender(s) being brought to justice. Cameras are not a first line of defense, but are very important as an overall part of your security plan. Do use them where items that are most at risk are. Make sure that you have a strong camera line of sight and use a resolution that can capture details of a suspect. Multiple cameras are best. Never use dummy cameras, as many criminals have learned to tell the difference between real and fake, and the good ones will see your “security” efforts as a joke, and rob you for spite.
Security Guards offer a Visible Deterrent
Human assets are very important. This can range from uniformed security guards that act as a visual deterrent to those who are dressed in plain-clothes who understand the human psychology and can spot “tells” or unconscious behaviors of those who are about to steal from you, are invaluable. Your own staff can help as well. Instituting policies such a no handbag policy, or a backpack check-in at the front desk, can serve both as a message that you are serious and aggressive about preventing theft, as well as prevent “snatch and stuff” thefts of items.
Signage Can Help to Deter Theft
Signage informing customers that they are being watched by cameras can have a mixed effect. It could make people feel intruded upon, and on the other hand it could be enough of a hint to encourage small time thieves to find another place to ply their trade. It could also challenge them to find the weak spot in your camera coverage, while leaving you with a false sense of security, so implement these ideas only in conjunction with other preventative measures. Tools such as spider wraps, sensors and magnetic strips are somewhat effective, but only in place with a greater risk management strategy.
Retail Theft is Best Prevented by Layering Approaches
Working from an approach that removes opportunities involves several measures. A layered approach involving equipment, people, policies and design, has shown to have the greatest impact in reducing crimes of theft. There are many ways to go about this which far exceed the scope of this one article, so feel free to talk to security professionals, concerning your needs and budgets. Not only will you save money in the long run, but you’ll also make your business safer for your customers and employees.
About the Author
Jeffery Singletary is the owner of Centron Security in Houston Texas. Backed by more than two decades of law enforcement and security experience, Centron Security, a Houston security company, has the expertise to meet your retail security guard needs.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 281-664-1297 or email jeffery@centronsecurity.com
Safeguard Trade Secrets With Wireless Spy Cameras
It’s three in the morning. Nobody in town is awake except for some hungry bats, a few singing crickets, and a coffee-guzzling security guard inside a factory that is more fortified and secure than Fort Knox. Then suddenly, an intruder appears on the guard’s screen. The trespasser leaps towards the floor of the airtight vault, from overhead air ducts. On instinct, the guard reaches over the control panel, and presses the button. As a blaring sound resonates throughout the entire compound, an army of specially-trained armed guards quickly secure the compound. They surround the intruder, cuff him, and then lead him away.
What had the intruder tried to steal? Top-secret military documents? The blueprints of state-of-the-art data storage technology? The answer is none of the above. What the intruder is after is the secret recipe for Colonel Cluckman’s Famous Fried Chicken! Thanks to wireless spy cameras, however, the colonel’s recipe remains a trade secret.
A Secret Only Dirty in the Telling
A trade secret is any instrument, model, blueprint, or production process that gives a business an edge over the competition. Only a company’s owner and a chosen few are aware of them. Regardless of the form of a trade secret, however, companies must actively prevent them from being leaked. Some do this with the help of tools such as wireless spy cameras.
What qualifies as a trade secret? Several factors should be considered. Trade secrets must involve data of significance to a company, so a CEO’s favorite color or food does not count. Also, revealing trade secrets to the public is only problematic in cases involving some sort of violation. Is buying a competitor’s product and then testing it in a lab to uncover certain trade secrets legal? Yes. Lastly, a formal contract between an employer and an employee is not always needed to protect a trade secret.
Cola Caper
In a recent case of illegal trade secret sharing, two former workers of a major soda producer were sentenced to a federal prison and fined close to $50,000. Their crime? They were caught on tape stealing some of their company’s classified documents and a new product sample. Later, they tried to sell those items to an undercover federal agent.
Questions, Questions
In the aforementioned case, the victim company of trade secret theft announced that its security system would be assessed. In particular, a wireless spy camera can help protect a company’s trade secrets at its first line of defense: the factory. Today, thieves steal not only products from factories but trade secrets as well. Wireless spy cameras help prevent such a theft from occurring. At the same time, it assists in securing the safety of workers and allows monitoring from a remote site. Wireless spy cameras being wireless, they are very easy to install. When creating a system of wireless spy cameras to protect your trade secrets, you should think about the following considerations.
1. What type of security system do you currently have?
2. How large is your factory or factories?
3. Do you produce one or multiple types of products?
4. Is there a huge demand for the products that you produce?
5. Have you had trade secrets stolen in the past?
6. What is the greatest security threat to having trade secrets stolen?
Factory-made Security
After assessing your security needs, you must create a plan to protect your trade secrets with the use of surveillance equipment such as wireless spy cameras. In particular, cameras should monitor visitors, the production area, and storage places.
It is no secret that companies rightfully strive to protect their trade secrets. Wireless spy camera helps them achieve this mission.
About the Author
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