Throughout the US, a recent spate of smash-and-grab robberies have been affecting many retail businesses and other smaller commercial enterprises; depriving them of the sense of security they may once have had. The financial and emotional impact this has, and continues to have on small businesses, shouldn’t be underestimated, and affects not just the business owner, but the employees and other customers, too.
Getting together in small gangs (although sometimes it’s upwards of 20 criminals), armed thieves break into retail businesses when they’re closed (and in some cases, when they’re open); seemingly by whatever means will cause the most damage, and in whatever way will get them access the quickest. Working swiftly, they target counters and displays and simply grab whatever they can get their hands on, typically selecting the products with the highest value. When the business owner and employees arrive at the premises the next day, they’re left to clean up the mess, pay for repairs to property and the building itself, compile an inventory of missing goods and file a report with the local authorities. Not only is all of this extremely stressful for everyone involved, but it can be costly, too.
Could your retail business be vulnerable to smash-and-grab thieves? If your business has been targeted by robbers already, then hopefully you’ve sought advice from a professional security expert and taken steps to prevent it from happening again. If you’re concerned that your shop may be vulnerable to theft but you haven’t yet been targeted by thieves, however, now is a good time to consult with a security pro and do everything you can possibly do to stop it from ever happening to you and your retail business.
Below are a few ways to try and protect your business from thieves who will stop at nothing to rob you of everything you’ve worked hard to achieve:
• Have security alarms and CCTV cameras professionally installed
• Make sure no employee is left alone to work in the store
• Keep your business illuminated inside and out, especially when the store is closed and empty
• Don’t keep too much cash on site
• Use high security safes
> for cash and other items of high monetary value, or high importance
• Choose a safe that’s recommended by a local safe expert, and ask their advice as to where it should be placed within the store
• Hire a 24/7 security guard
• Formulate a robbery plan and make sure that all employees are aware of it, and understand it fully
While some businesses may still be targeted by thieves, a combination of all or some of the above tips, will mean that their attempts are either unsuccessful, or you may even deter them altogether. Ultimately, it will mean that you can keep your business and its employees as safe as possible, at all times.
For more information regarding any of the above safety measures, your local locksmith and office safes expert are on hand to guide you.
Author, Freelance writer