Keep Your Business Safe: The Latest in Retail Theft Prevention

It’s not easy being a shoplifter these days. According to the 26th Annual Retail Theft Survey from Jack L. Hayes International, retailers are catching more thieves and dishonest employees than ever before. As apprehensions and recovered dollars increase the world of retail benefits, what’s contributing to these improvements in the industry? What tools and security measures are helping stores catch crooks faster and more effectively?

To help answer these questions, let’s take a look at some of the advanced security measures in place for retail theft prevention today and what they could mean for the coming year.

Video Security

As anybody in a high-cash-volume environment can testify, it’s hard to have eyes everywhere at once. Enter video security. With a digital video monitoring system, retailers have a way to see what’s happening at all times. If someone tries to swipe a product or if an employee tries to steal from the cash drawer, video surveillance makes it easy to catch the perpetrator and recover lost funds.

Why this matters for the future: Stores that are looking to reduce crime should invest in video surveillance, both on the shop floor and in back room areas. With proper monitoring, it’s much easier to catch thieves.

Commercial Safes

When it comes to protecting on-hand cash, a commercial safe is crucial. Not only does it visually deter criminals from stealing money, but it also makes stealing money difficult for criminals to do. From traditional safes to under-counter safes to floor safes, these lockable security devices go a long way towards protecting retail funds.

Why this matters for the future: Having various types of safes on the market today means there are many ways for retailers to implement cash protection in their shops. Every store can benefit from a lockable device to secure cash.

Employee Screening

Retailers of all kinds are learning that one of the best defenses against internal theft is simple employee screening. That’s why, today, many stores will screen their potential hires which prevents some thefts before they can occur.

Why this matters for the future: As checking employees becomes more commonplace, applicants will expect to be checked out and stores will be doing their due diligence to conduct screenings.

On-Site Security

It’s increasingly common for stores, particularly high-end stores or stores with high security risk, to keep an on-site guard at the entrances and exits. Simply having a patrol officer on-site can deter would-be thieves from taking something.

Why this matters for the future: Another way for stores to add security is through an in-person security worker who sends the message that security matters there.

Electronic Tags

Most shoppers are familiar with how electronic tags work and know they’ll set off an alarm if they try to walk out of a store with tagged merchandise. Because only store personnel can safely remove tags, shoppers are less likely to walk out with the items.

Why this matters for the future: Electronic tags give retailers a simple, easy-to-monitor way to protect clothing, jewelry and other products.

What security precautions is your retail business taking today to protect against theft? How could adding some of the tools above further secure and protect your business? Moving into the new year, the more ways you can deter thieves, monitor your business and catch shoplifters or dishonest workers, the better.

Keep Your Business Safe: The Latest in Retail Theft Prevention