If you’re running a retail business, theft is one of the most frustrating things you can deal with. Shoplifting, employee theft, robbery, and burglary are all serious problems that cause great distress and loss of profits. Fortunately, there are many ways to protect your business from theft. Of course, nothing is perfect and able to prevent theft every time; however, when you have multiple prevention methods in place, it becomes much harder for someone to take advantage of you. So, what are some ways to protect your retail business from different kinds of theft? Here are a few that we offer here at Advanced Lock and Security.
CCTV (closed circuit television) security camera systems are one of the best ways to prevent shoplifting. Shoplifting often occurs when you’re not looking, and that’s where CCTV cameras come in. You can’t always look everywhere at once–but CCTV cameras can. Not only can you see real-time video of different areas of your business at the same time on a computer screen, but you can also go over the recordings. CCTV allows you to keep an eye on suspicious activity in one part of your business without neglecting other areas. Plus, modern CCTV cameras have made great advances over those available in years past. They can be used for more than just monitoring, but also identification. If someone succeeds in shoplifting, robs your store, or breaks in after hours, the clarity of the images from the cameras can allow you–and the police–to discover the identity of the offender, so they can be brought to justice.
Exit alarms are another simple and effective way to help prevent shoplifting. It’s important for your business to have an emergency exit, but keeping such an exit unprotected is like an invitation to shoplifters. By using an out-of-the-way door to make their getaway, shoplifters don’t have to take exits that are more heavily monitored and easier for you to reach. Making sure that your emergency exit has an alarm is crucial, as lets you–and everyone else–know when it’s opened. Not only that, but some exit alarms even have additional features to prevent shoplifting. Some, for example, delay opening for a few seconds after they’re pushed; others will sound an alarm if they’re propped open for too long. After all, even well-meaning employees can do this for convenience without thinking of security.
Unfortunately, not all employees are well-meaning. No matter how good your screening process is, there’s always a chance that 
one of your employees might try to steal from you. CCTV can go a long way towards preventing this, but you might also consider using either master keys or card access control systems to protect expensive stock or important documents. Master keys limit who gets access to which areas of your establishment; card access control systems do the same, while also allowing you to see who accessed areas restricted by the card access control system. This way, if something goes missing, you’ll be able to see who was in that area around that time.
Burglaries are, of course, another sad possibility. Modern CCTV cameras can help you identify burglars, but it’s much less stressful and expensive to prevent them in the first place. Old doors and locks are a promising sight to a burglar, because they’re more likely worn down and easier to break into. Loose doors and locks can be pried, shaken, and snapped, and experienced burglars carry the tools to do just that. By repairing locks that have become worn out, and by replacing older or weaker doors, you send the message that your business is protected and not an easy place to break into.
Of course, there are also things that you personally can do without our help to prevent some types of theft, particularly shoplifting. Practices like greeting all customers and making sure they know they’ve been seen, placing inventory in such a way that it’s visible to you and not hidden behind walls or objects, and making sure that all areas open to the public are well lighted and not out of the way. However, it’s a very good idea to have extra help that can do the things you can’t. At Advanced Lock and Security, we’re glad to be able to offer that help to you, so you can keep your business–your livelihood–safe.
