Five Ways Burglars Break into Retail Stores and How to Protect Yourself

Unfortunately for law-abiding citizens, criminals are always looking for new ways to break into properties and steal valuables. A common target for criminals is retail stores. This is because there are usually a large amount of valuables in a store, typically in the form of cash and merchandise. For this reason, it is very important that retail store owners take the time to understand how criminals work so that they can protect themselves and their properties.
If you own or operate a retail store, it’s important to take steps to secure your property. By knowing how criminals break into retail stores, you are able to better protect yourself.

Here are five ways criminals break into retail stores to commit retail theft:

Through the front door

Often, criminals enter a retail store in the same way that everyone else does: through the front door. Unfortunately, criminals typically cause a lot more damage with their entrance. They frequently damage locks, pry doors off of hinges or break glass in order to access a property.

Through windows

Windows are another common entry point for criminals. A common crime is the “smash and grab” robbery where a criminal smashes through a glass window  or door and quickly grabs as many valuables as possible in a small amount of time.
Security gates can be incredibly effective against criminals who attempt to force their way into a retail store through the front door or windows. These criminals do not worry about setting off the store’s alarm system. Their goal is to be in and out of the property before anyone can respond to the alarm. Security gates slow them down, making smash and grab robberies much less successful. Plus, security gates are also a visible means of physical security, so they deter criminals from considering the property a target just by being installed.

Using the back or side door

When you’re protecting your property, don’t just think about the front doors and windows. Criminals often target side doors, back doors and many other entry points. These entrances are usually in less visible areas, meaning that a criminal is much less likely to be spotted breaking into side or back door than if he or she chose to enter through the front.
To protect yourself, install lighting in these areas to make them more visible and arm these doors with physical security tools to deter criminals.

Disguised as a shopper

Shoplifting is another common way that criminals steal from retail stores. In order to reduce these crimes or retail theft, it’s important to take steps to spot potential shoplifters, keep your eyes on them and react to any suspicious behavior.
You can also reduce shoplifting by placing small yet valuable items in locations where they cannot easily be stolen. Items such as vitamins, razor blades and small electronics that have a high value despite their small size should be placed behind the counter, behind gates or in a secure cabinet.

Using more Sophisticated Tactics.

While many retail burglaries are of the “smash and grab” variety, some criminals use more sophisticated tactics when breaking into retail stores. These criminals disable alarm systems, pick locks and tamper with security cameras in order to get in and out of a property without being spotted.
Physical security tools such as gates and bars are effective against these types of crimes. They slow criminals down and make it substantially more difficult to access areas that contain high value items. They are also very difficult to tamper with or disable.

For more tips on layering security, important for both homes and businesses, download our 10 Critical Points to Securing your Shop, your Employees, and your Goods eGuide.
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