Preventing Smash & Grab Robberies and Shoplifting at Sporting Goods Stores
Sporting goods stores are common targets for criminals. There are many reasons why. One is that many sporting goods stores sell high value merchandise. This means that a criminal can break through a window or door and quickly steal a lot of expensive merchandise in just a matter of minutes. In these smash and grab robberies, criminals are able to gain access, steal what they’re looking for, and leave the scene before authorities can respond and arrive.
Another reason why robberies are common at sporting goods stores is because it is relatively easy to sell the stolen merchandise on the black market for a considerable profit. Criminals know this, and they strike sporting goods stores with this fact in mind.
An additional concern with sporting goods stores is that many of the items in the store can be used as weapons. For example, if a criminal is able to get his or her hands on a baseball bat or hockey stick, they can use these items to help them gain access to the rest of the store or even to threaten or harm people. In sporting goods stores that sell firearms, this fact becomes even more important. If you sell firearms at your sporting goods store, it is important that you take all necessary precautions to prevent these items from ending up in the hands of a criminal.
One excellent way to keep a sporting goods store secure is by installing physical security tools such as security gates.
How Security Gates Protect Sporting Goods Stores
As mentioned, many store robberies are what are called “smash and grab” robberies. In these crimes, criminals break through doors and windows, enter a property, and then steal what they can get access to. These crimes are common because they can be completed quickly and often without any specialized tools or skills. Even if your sporting goods store has an alarm system installed and even if police are contacted as soon a break-in takes place, it still takes time for the police to arrive. By the time they get there, the criminals will be long gone – taking your valuable merchandise with them.
When you install physical security gates at your sporting goods store, you place a strong and visible barrier between criminals and your property. This makes it significantly more difficult to break into a location. Most criminals will not bother with the time and effort needed to gain access to a store that is protected by security gates. They know that their chances of getting in are very low and that they are much more likely to be caught in the act during their attempt, since it will take them a very long time.
Security gates also prevent shoplifting. If you lock valuable items behind gates inside your sporting goods store, you make it so that anyone who want to access these items will need to speak to store staff. This makes shoplifting much more difficult and it keeps your assets safe. Locking items behind security gates inside the store also prevents them from being grabbed and used as weapons by criminals.
