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The incidence of shoplifting and retail store theft has continued to rise since the 1980s. Small stores are more vulnerable to various types of theft because of the lack of security in the store’s premises. Knowing this, store owners should take the necessary steps to better the security present in their store.
The good news is that there are numerous ways by which you can take charge of increasing the security at your store. If you have been a victim of shoplifting or theft in the past and want to ensure that it never happens again, read on! This blog post will share some easy tips to protecting your store from thieves.
Tips to Prevent Shoplifting at Your Small Retail Business
For small businesses, every penny counts. Shoplifting and stealing will not help the bottom line of your business, especially if it happens often. Having a shoplifting incident occur may be frightening and alarming. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent this kind of thing from happening again.
1 - Be Hands-On
Taking the wheel and making sure that you are always on top of the situation will help ensure that you know what is happening in your store. Making sure to greet and observe customers as they enter the store will indicate to them that the store owner, no less, is watching them. This will deter them from doing anything unlawful while in your store.
2 - Screen Your Applicants
Many times, shoplifting incidents may be because of an “inside job.” You can be able to prevent this from happening by carefully screening each applicant that comes into your store looking for a job. .”
3 - Improve Lighting
You may not be aware of any dark nooks and crannies in your store where it may be easier to hide stolen goods under loose clothing or in bags. Improving the lighting in your store to get rid of these “blind spots” will help prevent theft from happening. Changing any busted light bulbs is a quick and easy way to ward off potential thieves because they know that you can see all corners of your store.
4 - Have More than One Employee Per Shift
Some theft incidents happen because there is only one person in the store at a time. Increasing the number of people on a shift (especially at night if your shop is open 24 hours) will make it more difficult for shoplifters to get their way.
5 - Upgrade Your Security System
Lastly, you can never go wrong with upgrading your security system. Ensuring that you have comprehensive security equipment and staff will ward off any criminals looking to rob small stores for their own gain.
Conclusion
Although this is not an all-inclusive list to help increase security at your shop’s premises, these tips will definitely contribute to a positive change in making your store a safer place to be. To ensure that you are doing everything you can to better the safety of your employees and prevent theft, working with a reliable security company will make a world of difference.
If you are looking for professional security services for your store, work with S&S Investigations and Security, Inc. We have continually provided comprehensive professional security services to South East Texas businesses and institutions for over two decades to a wide assortment of clients. Contact us today and feel safer in your store!