Security Tips

Protect Your Customers, Staff, Business And Stock.

Be polite to the shoplifter!

No the heading is not wrong it really does say be polite to the shoplifter, let me give you an example.

A suspect enters the store you notice the person and find him/her suspicious, you then see they pick up a bottle of wine and place it in his/her bag, you could just yell, confront the person and ask for the goods back, this could lead to a confrontation in the store.

Changing the way you approach the situation can make a difference a little tip you can try, "Excuse me miss/sir I see you put the Echo Falls white in your bag would you like the berries one to go with that they are a perfect pair if you pass me the white out of your bag I will go scan them on the till for you".

This puts the shoplifter in an awkward position, it defuses the situation and gives you the chance to receive the goods back, your voice level and calmness is what matters when trying this technique.

Not saying it will work all the time for everyone but give it a try and see if you can make it work for you.

As a business owner you may never eliminate crime and shoplifting, but there are some steps you can take to help protect yourself against theft and anti social behaviour.

Invest in a properly managed CCTV system & make sure proper signage is displayed.

Use bright lighting to ensure you get a clearer image of any suspect.

Consider placing a wall mounted CCTV monitor near to a till and entrance points.

If you are a retailer try and use low level aisles so your staff can see customers at all times, use mirrors to reduce blind spots.

Manage the obstructions in your business and avoid shelving or displays so high that they obscure surveillance.

Do not place displays of tempting goods close to door.

Use Catch a Thief UK to analyse your raw footage to identify crime.

Your staff are amongst your most important and effective defences against crime so ensure you provide them with proper training.

If you are a retailer try and keep high value goods behind a counter or near checkout areas.

Consider investing in a security guard or join a retail crime prevention scheme such as, "Catch A Thief The Online Guard"

Use Catch a Thief UK as a visible deterrent to help prevent crimes to your business.

If your store has a fitting room, introduce restrictions on access and have a attendant monitor all stock going in and coming out. Be sure to check changing rooms frequently for garments left behind. Pay special attention to discarded price tags, security tags and hangers- these may be an indication that shoplifting has already occurred. This will enable you to do a check back on your CCTV.

Use the Catch a Thief UK service who will display, images and videos of suspected criminals that commit crime to you and your business.