How to Keep Criminals Away from your Retail Store
If you own or manage a retail store, you might think that criminals strike properties randomly. You might believe that there’s nothing you can do to prevent a criminal from robbing your property and you may think there’s nothing you can do to make your retail store less attractive to criminals. The reality is that there is a lot that you can do to deter criminals from striking your property. In fact, you can actually intimidate criminals and cause them to actively avoid your property if you take the right steps.
Here are four ways to intimidate criminals into leaving your retail store alone.
Use Physical Security
Physical security tools place a barrier between criminals and your property. Not only does this make it significantly more difficult (and more time consuming) to gain access, but physical security gates also serve as a visual crime deterrent. Criminals can immediately spot a property that has gates installed and they often avoid these properties, instead choosing properties that haven’t installed such effective retail security tools.
Talk to People in your Store
When a customer walks into your retail store, staff should look them in the eye and say hello. If someone has been in the store for a long time without making a purchase, a staff member should ask them if they need any help. Not only is this good customer service (which could help improve customer satisfaction and increase sales) but it can also deter shoplifters.
This is because shoplifters want to commit their crimes without being spotted. They want to slip items into their pockets or bags without anyone noticing them. When you say hello or ask them if they need help, you’re letting them know that you’re watching them. This discourages them from attempting a crime.
Be Well-Lit
Appropriate lighting also keeps criminals away. During the evening, ensure that your property is lit properly. You may wish to use motion-activated lights, depending on where your property is located.
Criminals tend to look for locations that are not well-lit so that they can work without being spotted. For instance, if your store is not well-lit from the outside, a criminal can hide in the shadows and spend significant time tampering with your locks, since no one will see them. Criminals also often wait in the darkness to jump and rob employees leaving retail stores with bank deposits, merchandise, etc.
Good lighting also improves the quality of the footage captured by security cameras, many of which do not capture sharp details in low light.
Organize Your Store
A store that is well organized is a store that is protected from criminals. There are several reasons why. First of all, when your store is clean and well-organized, you can better see what is happening. If your property is disorganized and confusing, criminals have more places to hide and commit crimes.
Plus, if the shelves in your retail store are organized, you’ll notice something missing right away. This means you might be able to catch the criminal with the stolen item before they leave the store.
