How Crime Rates Spike In Summer and What to Do To Prevent Becoming a Victim
South Carolina Summer is Nearly Here!
Summer brings:
- swimming
- boating
- surfing
- hiking
- fishing
and an uptick in violent crime.
Yes, you read that right.
In summer months, crime rates go up!
Most of our readers live and work in either Horry County or Georgetown County – just like we, owners at Strand Security, do – and this all makes sense
More Daylight. Warmer Weather. Opportunity for Crime Rises.
While you would think that winter and darkness invite more crime, it’s the exact opposite.
Most home invasions happen between the hours of 10 AM -2 PM anyway!
As people spend more time outdoors, they are exposed to more people and thus crime rates can go up, especially in places where petty theft opportunities start (beach, boat docks, outdoor restaurants, tourist shopping strips etc.)
As far a summer crime spikes, here are the three most common reasons!
1
When looking at when violence was significantly higher, it turns out that during the summer crimes rates spike, compared to winter, spring and fall seasons.
Unfortunately, that includes crimes like rape and sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault. Among adults, simple assault is also more common in summer than in other months.
How to prevent this from happening to you?
- Go out in groups
- Have a plan, know where you are headed!
- Be aware of where you go and where you park
- Don’t wear expensive watches or jewelry, or flaunt them if your do
- Don’t bring wallets or purses to the beach and leave them unattended
- Share your location with friends and family when going on vacation
- While running or walking, don’t wear earbuds or headphones
You can not prevent all crime, but you can be vigilant about preventing crime. Most criminals go for unsuspecting victims and look for opportunities: they are not looking to confront hyper-aware people!
2
As the summer season heats up, so do property crimes. More tourists on the Grand Strand means more vehicles, more people and more possessions! Household burglary rates go up in summer as more vacation homes are now occupied!
Burglary is 11% more common in the summer than in the winter and for our area in South Carolina that makes total sense. Homes that are empty in winter, now have people with electronic equipment, computers, expensive phones, bikes, boats and surf boards, just to name some property that is easily stolen!
If you are vacationing on the Grand Strand, or have ‘toys’ like boats, bikes and surfboards, make sure to lock them up when you are not around! Crime of opportunity is always there, but with extended daylight hours, there is more time for criminals to steal!
3
Next, let’s address beach crime. With over 60 miles of beachfront on the Grand Strand, beach crime rates increase drastically in summer months, as more people come to Myrtle Beach to vacation. While it’s tempting to bring ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ to the beach, especially if you have a large family, let us recommend you leave valuables at home, or in a safe at your vacation rental!
Beach crimes are an equal opportunity crime! No matter who you are, if you leave your things on the beach unattended you run the risk of getting your things stolen. Chairs, shoes but also surf boards, wallets, purses and phones!
TO be safe, always leave someone at your beach station to watch over your things, or leave all valuables behind. Don’t assume that those around you will speak up when someone will try to walk off with your property. Most beach-goers don’t and won’t as they might not see it, or not know whether to intervene, or not.
Preventing petty beach crime is as easy as not bringing anything of value with you for a day of fun!
4
As mentioned in #2, the nicer weather brings us outside with our outdoor toys. Boats, surf boards but also motercycles, bicycles, basketball hoops, eBikes, sports equipment, tools and surround sound home systems. Yes, your nice new Sonos speaker could be stolen as well.
The first line of defense is a home security system with both indoor and outdoor cameras, the second line of defense is locking thing up when not in use! We know this is easier said than done because… kids! Right? We know kids leave bikes out, toys out and forget to put them back inside.
A home security system, a security sign, visible security cameras – these deterrents all help prevent crime of opportunity!
Don’t become a Summer Crime Statistic!
Prevention, prevention, prevention.
Now that you’ve read this blog, be aware. Share with your family. Make a plan. We encourage you to have fun, but also choose your activities wisely and always lock up expensive toys and sports equipment as well as all your tech!
If you need help, give us a call! Stay safe and have a wonderful summer.
URC Smart Commercial Automation for Crooked Hammock Brewery in North Myrtle Beach
Strand Security Got the Tap from Crooked Hammock Brewery!
“The Crooked Hammock Brewery challenged us to design a system that was easily repeatable and incredibly intuitive while delivering innovative entertainment experiences. ” ~ Chuck Bryant
We are proud of this work our team completed at Crooked Hammock Brewery, an award-winning brewer located at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach.
URC Smart Commercial Automation in North Myrtle Beach
In 2021, we were asked to install a complete smart commercial automation system for a new restaurant in North Myrtle Beach.
We are honored to have worked with this company and are thrilled that the end results are amazing!
The Specs of this Project URC Smart Commercial Automation Project in North Myrtle Beach!
Strand Security installed to following components at Crooked Hammock Brewery:
Commercial Automation Allows for Creating Beer, Food and Good times for Guests
What can automation do for your restaurant? Automation frees up time to serve the customer, better and faster!
Automated systems are used to:
- automate audio and video systems for guests
- showcase brewing practice, dining and the coastal experience
- unify control and automation across locations
- eliminate simple tasks through automation
- monitor and control from afar
Strand Security Is THE Choice for Smart Commercial Automation on the Grand Strand!
This is not the first and not the only commercial space we’ve installed URC and smart technology for. We do these types of installs everywhere on the Grand Strand in Horry County and Georgetown County!
Strand Security works with business owners and property management companies to install, support and monitor alarm systems, digital camera systems and telecommunication networks 24/7. We also provide overhead Projection, Plasma, LCD, LED displays along with AUDIO Sound Systems for restaurants and sports bars.
Commercial security systems can be customized to fit the unique security and monitoring requirements of your business. Commercial camera systems provide an affordable way to provide an additional layer of security to your monitored system. Strand Security will make camera system recommendations based on factors such as location (outdoor/indoor), lighting and environmental conditions, desired results of surveillance, and budget.
Is you have questions, please call us today!
The full write up can be read here:
https://www.cepro.com/projects/integrator-strand-security-urc-crooked-hammock-brewery/
What’s Not To Love About Livin’ on the Grand Strand?
Endless Beaches, Sunrises and Balmy Weather
What’s NOT to love about living on the Grand Strand?
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area, aka The Grand Strand, is what we call ‘home’. Strand Security is a locally owned AND locally operated small business. We live where we work, we work where we live.
We love the simple, southern life after moving south over 10 years ago from Maryland.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’d like to share 5 reasons why we love living it up on the Grand Strand.
1 South Carolina Beaches
South Carolina beaches, need we say more?
The Grand Strand boosts over 60 miles of beaches, from Little River on the North Carolina border down to Pawleys Island! Public beaches, private beaches, two State Parks and lots of activities.
- Fishing
- Surfing
- Boating
- Kayaking
- Parasailing
- Crabbing
- Swimming
- Sunbathing
- Diving
- Walking
and so so much more!
If you love the sand between your toes, the Grand Strand is the perfect place to live as you’ll have year-round access to beach activities!
2 Southern Food Choices Galore
The Grand Strand is home to hundreds of restaurants. No matter your taste, you’ll find it here. From Seafood restaurants in the SC Seafood Capital of Murrells Inlet to Franchise Restaurants at both Broadway at the Beach and Barefoot Landing, to speciality restaurants all over the Grand Strand. There is something for everyone. Lots of southern food and charm to be found!
3 The Best Outdoor Living
We love, love, love that we can be outside year-around. We might not be able to use our pool in the winter time, but it’s certainly warm enough to play golf or go for a beach walk. Our kids wear shorts and t-shirts during all seasons and we can run, bike and walk most days.
Who doesn’t love sitting on their porch for most of the year?
4 Subtropical Climate
Talking about the weather… the Grand Strand has a subtropical climate. The ocean temperature is affected by the gulf stream, making August water temperatures range upwards of 80F! Say what?
Especially for those who have lived in the North East, say goodbye to cold water temperatures and start enjoying the warm ocean waves.
5 Affordable Housing and Taxes!
Last but not least, living on the Grand Strand is affordable, cheap even compared to other areas of the US.
Housing is affordable and new home construction is at an all-time high. South Carolina taxes are some of the lowest we’ve seen, making relocating to the Grand Strand a great option for those who work remote, or those looking to retire!
What Do You Love About the Grand Strand?
Now that we’ve shared why we love the Grand Strand, we’d love to know from you what you love about it! If you are in need of home security, new cameras, a home theatre, a business security solution, central vacuum or smarthome technology, give us call today!
3 Tips to Keep Your Staff and Customers Safe in the Parking Lot
Myrtle Beach Crime on Businesses
The crime rate in Myrtle Beach, the Grand Strand, Horry County and Georgetown County is high. Business owners on the Grand Strand and in the Myrtle Beach area need to stay vigilant to keep their staff and customers safe from harm.
Crime on businesses include
During some of these incidents, the safety of staff and customers was in jeopardy.
What is a business owner to do?
We have 3 tips to share with you today. Tips that will simultaneously deter criminals and will give your staff and customers peace of mind.
Parking Lot Safety 101
First, let’s go over some basic parking lot safety tips for those who park their cars.
- Do not talk on the phone while walking through a parking lot. Instead, stay alert.
- Do get out your keys before you approach your car and be ready to enter your car.
- Do not sit in your car in the parking lot. Instead, start your car and drive away.
- If the parking lot is empty when you enter it, park underneath security lights.
- If you are approached in a parking lot, immediately return to the building and ask for an escort to your car.
- Always lock your car.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- Don’t park next to a large van or truck.
- If you feel unsafe, return to the building.
- If you notice loitering, report it to management.
1) Commercial Security System with Cameras Keep Staff and Customer Safe
The first and best tip we have for you to keep your staff as well as your customers safe it to hire a security company to install a complete commercial security system.
A professionally installed system will allow you to keep tabs on inventory, customers and staff as they work for you.
Such a system would include security cameras and a mobile app integration, as well as smart technology to keep all the part working together to allow you to monitor from afar.
Having video recording of a possible crime will help speed up the stolen product recovery process. Cameras as well as security signs with a “monitored by XYZ Security Company” help to deter criminals from even approaching your business!
2) Add Security Lights in Strategic Spots in the Parking Lot
Not all security systems include lighting: we highly recommend installing security light systems in your parking lot. Some of the lights should include sensor flood lights that are activated as criminals approach the building.
Other lights should provide ample light for customers and staff to feel safe enough to walk to their car in the dark.
3) Offer Self Defense Classes for All Your Employees
Last but not least, we give you one more tip to keep your staff and customers safe in the parking lot.
Organize a self-defense class for your staff. This can be a powerful way to make your staff feel more secure, more confident and more self-assured when working late at night or alone. Self-defense classes are a great team building activity!
Don’t Wait Until it’s Too Late: Offer Staff and Customer Protection TODAY!
Many of our customers come to us as victims of crime. We are always so sorry to hear about their ordeal and their trauma. Some, not all, crime is preventable. Putting safeguards in place before a crime takes place can prevent a lot of heartache, headaches and trauma, and we aren’t even talking money yet!
Please contact us today and we’ll get your staff and customers the best protection we can offer!
Who Installs the Best Grand Strand Commercial Security and Automation Systems?
Commercial Security Systems for Grand Strand Businesses
Did you know that Strand Security has been installing Commercial Security Systems on the Grand Strand for over 10 years?
We are not only experienced, we have well-trained staff members who know exactly how to get the job done right! If you need a commercial system, choose Strand Security.
Automation Systems for Grand Strand Businesses
Technology keeps changing: new businesses opening up don’t just need a commercial security systems, they also want automation, the latest security cameras, the best technology and the most reliable brands!
We at Strand Security have been installing Smarthome technology for years, and that includes automation for commercial sites as well. We have installed URC technology for many happy customers along the Grand Strand.
URC technology connects all systems, including POS, audio/stereo, security cameras, security systems.
Learn more about URC here.
Commercial Security Cameras
Why would a new business invest in high quality, well-performing security cameras?
There are many reasons including:
☆ to ensure staff safety at all times
☆ the prevention vandalism of property
☆ safety of guests and customers
☆ real-time notifications of break ins
☆ monitoring of building for fire
and more!
Smart business owners get smart technology and security cameras!
Prevention is the key!
New Business Development in North Myrtle Beach
North Myrtle Beach has been a hotspot for new business development for years! In the past, we’ve worked with several new businesses particularly some that have taken up ‘residence’ at Barefoot Landing. We are thrilled that once again, one sich new business has chosen Strand Security for all their commercial security and automation needs.
Are you looking for a business to partner with? Give us a call today!
Crooked Hammock Brewery in North Myrtle Beach
Last but not least, a HUGE shoutout to Crooked Hammock Brewery in North Myrtle Beach! It was an honor and huge pleasure to partner with you on all systems.
If you are in the area, make sure to go check out this new business – Spring is here: enjoy it!
Come Talk Commercial Systems with Us!
We are here to help you navigate all things commercial security and automation.
Call us for a quote or with any questions!
10 Reasons To Love the Grand Strand
We at Strand Security are celebrating 10 years on the Grand Strand!
So many wonderful things have happened to our Strand families, our business and within our community! We can’t think of a better way to celebrate than to share our wonderful community with you.
We arrived in 2010 to start a new life in South Carolina; to kick off this year-long celebration, let’s count the ways we love the Grand Strand.
1) Love The Grand Strand for Its Beaches!
With over 60 miles of beaches, the Grand Strand spans from the Winyah Bay in the south to Little River in the north; it is an arc of beach land on the Atlantic Ocean in South Carolina, United States.
With over 60 miles of beaches, you will find a beach you love.
This area includes two State Parks; Huntington Beach State Park and Myrtle Beach State Park, as well as many smaller municipalities with beachfront access.
2) Love The Grand Strand for Its Golf Courses!
Did you know…
The Grand Strand is home to 90 (yes, ninety) golf courses?
That’s a huge number and a huge variety of places to play. There is a course for every golfer, whether you are a beginner or a life-longer player, or somewhere in between
While we are at it, we looked for the number of minigolf courses. While it was harder to find a number, it is at least 30 by this account.
Ready to tee up?!
3) Love The Grand Strand for Its Entertainment!
While the beach and golf are the two main attractions for tourists, there are many more ways to entertain the family when visiting, or living on the Grand Strand.
That includes
- Broadway at the Beach with a Ropes Course, Wonderworks (Science Museum) and Dave and Buster’s
- Barefoot Landing with The House of Blues and Lulu’s
- Hollywood Wax Museum
- 810 Bowling
- Ocean Boulevard
- The Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk
- Brookgreen Gardens
- Myrtle Beach Pelicans
and so much more! Did we mention the golf courses?
4) Love The Grand Strand for Its Nightlife!
When the sun goes down the fun begins.
Fireworks can be seen on many evenings at Broadway at the Beach and/or Barefoot Landing, attracting thousands of visitors to come to eat and play.
Don’t forget to check out Family Kingdom as the fun just begins when the sun disappears! Ride the old wooden coaster ‘The Swamp Fox’ or try your luck playing carnival games.
5) Love The Grand Strand for Its Autism Friendliness!
Did you know…
Surfside Beach is the world’s first certified autism-friendly destination
While it was always known as ‘the family beach’, Surfside Beach now has another beautiful title to uphold. Surfside Beach was listed as one of the Top 10 best family beaches!
6) Love The Grand Strand for Its Beauty!
- Gorgeous homes.
- Beautiful parks.
- Wonderful flowers and native trees.
- Friendly People.
- Sunshine on most days.
The Grand Strand is simply a beautiful place to visit and live.
7) Love The Grand Strand for Its Restaurants!
No matter your taste, there’s a place for you at one of the many tables on the Grand Strand.
While the Grand Strand offers large chain restaurant access like Margaritaville, TGI Fridays, 5 Guys and Friendly’s, there are plenty of spots that less overcrowded and less corporate.
No matter your taste, when living on the Grand Strand you will eat well.
8) Love The Grand Strand for Its Seafood!
Murrells Inlet is called the Seafood Capital of South Carolina!
It wasn’t always as family-friendly as it is today though. In the 1800s, pirates hid in the inlet creeks waiting to plunder unsuspecting English ships. You may have heard of one in particular called Blackbeard.
While you can go fishing, crabbing or even scuba diving, why not lay on the beach all day and come eat seafood at night in one of many restaurants on the Marsh Walk?
9) Love The Grand Strand for Its Southern Hospitality!
“Southern hospitality is a phrase used in American English to describe the stereotype of residents of the Southern United States as particularly warm, sweet, and welcoming to visitors to their homes, or to the South in general.”
And friendly we are!
If you’ve never experienced it, you’ve been missing out.
10) Love The Grand Strand for Its Low Cost of Living!
We simply can’t deny that living on the Grand Strand is… grand! While Strand Security and our family have been residents for 10 years, we’ve realized what a great deal we have here in the south!
Homes are affordable, as are groceries and other living expenses; the cost of living in South Carolina due to low taxes is a huge attraction for new residents. The lure of these beautiful yet affordable southern homes brings many northerners to our beloved Grand Strand.
What Do You Love About the Grand Strand?
Please tell us why you love the Grand Strand!
Keep an eye out for many more ’10 Reasons To Love…’ articles in 2020!
How To Protect Your Business Assets With a Commercial Security System
Does Your Business Own or Lease Expensive Equipment?
Dentists need chairs to treat their patients.
Average cost: $3000+
Their x-ray machines?
All the way up to $65,000
How about construction companies? They have hundreds of thousands worth of equipment on job sites!
Say what?
Whether your business needs commercial kitchen equipment, specialized vans or trucks, lifts, computers or tools, this equipment costs money. A lot of money.
Insurance Will Cover Replacement Cost In Case of Loss.
If you lease, rent or have bought expensive business equipment to run your business, we assume you have insurance to cover the cost of replacing these tools and machinery.
What business owners forget and frequently run into is that replacing those items in case of a fire, theft, or vandalism, slows down their productivity level and can harm their business in the short or long term, can even financially ruin it.
Insurance Won’t Cover Lost Time and Productivity.
Therefore, it is in everyone’s best interest to PREVENT accidents, thefts, burglaries, and vandalism.
A business that has to take time out to renovate, reconstruct, or reorder/repurchase equipment is a business that’s not productive, not running at their capacity.
How To Prevent Accidents and Incidents in the Workplace
It’s a multi-step process
- Training
- Technology
- Implementation
- Inspections
- Fix and Adjust Plan
- Retraining
The owner or CEO of the company has to understand that time lost is money lost. Money that can be used to prevent incidents with a risk-identifying plan.
In other words, in order to prevent incidents, you have to spend money – on training, inspections and technology.
How To Protect Your Business Assets With a Commercial Security System
How does a commercial security system help protect your business?
Let’s count the many ways!
- Security cameras can spot shoplifters, vandals, and loiterers inside or outside your property, prompting you to take immediate action.
- Vehicle trackers can help locate your stolen vehicle and products, as well as track the driver’s stats and driving record.
- A monitored alarm system alert authorities immediately in case of burglary, fire or vandalism.
- Panic buttons help employees stay safe; help is only one push of the button away
Spend Money To Save Money
While this might not be what you want to hear, a solid business plan should reveal to you that this is the ONLY way to go to protect your investment; of time, money and effort in starting and running a business.
Don’t be caught without insurance.
Don’t be caught without a commercial security system.
Protect what’s rightfully yours, so you can keep it and enjoy it.
Seven Solid Reasons You Need a Business Security System
Are You A Local Grand Strand Business Owner?
Whether your business is here in South Carolina on the Grand Strand or elsewhere if you are a business owner with a business with a physical location including
- warehouse
- store
- medical facility
- restaurant
- office suite
- office building
- shed
- trailer
or any other building – you are in need of a business security system!
To start any business takes an investment of time and money.
We know because we are business owners ourselves. If you have invested your hard-earned money and/or life savings into a new business venture, don’t you want to make sure this investment is protected against all sorts of crime and accidents?
Crime Statistics for Myrtle Beach, Horry County and Georgetown County.
The local crime statistics aren’t pretty.
The Myrtle Beach area is a fast-growing area with many transient families and individuals. We are also a tourist hot-spot; millions of non-residents come to visit our shore and golf courses every year. They not only bring their families and money to spend, they also attract criminals.
To learn more about daily Myrtle Beach criminal activity, or any city you live in, check this out.
You can also you NeighborhoodScout to check on crime near you.
To learn more about why Myrtle Beach was listed on ‘Most Dangerous City’ reports, read this.
Learn To Protect Your Investment!
When you start a business, there are many things to consider.
You have to
- write a business plan
- create a budget
- get funding
- purchase equipment
- hire staff
- market yourself
and much much more.
One of the most frequently dropped but important tasks is getting the right insurance coverage up front and installing a business security system.
And of course, always lock your doors!
You Need a Business Security System
If you own a business, you need a business security system.
If you own a business, your responsibility isn’t just for yourself, but also for those you employ.
The personal safety of your employees is now in your hands, is now your responsibility.
Just this one fact alone should have you pick up the phone and call us immediately. You can not go back and prevent a crime once it has happened. You can not go back and prevent someone from getting hurt once they’ve been hurt. You can not go back and give someone back their life if their life was taken during a robbery.
Equipment, buildings, inventory and your fleet can be replaced and if you’ve got the right insurance, without too much hassle. People lives is a whole different matter.
Let’s look at a few reasons to call Strand Security and get a business security system installed by the end of the year!
7 Reasons To Install a Commercial Security System
Here are 7 solid reasons to install a business security system!
- Deter crime before it happens
- Keep vandals and squatters out
- Protect your employees and customers
- Deter employee theft
- Save money on insurance
- Alert authorities in real time when a crime happens
- Gather evidence in case of a crime
We’d be happy to discuss any of these with you at any time. Let’s get you protection.
Give us a call today!
Why Do I Need a Commercial Security System?
Do You Own a Business on the Grand Strand?
If you are a local Myrtle Beach area business owner, let’s talk security!
Crime rates in the Myrtle Beach area vary from town to town, neighborhood to neighborhood, but the reality is that with a transient community like Myrtle Beach which hosts millions upon millions of tourists every year, these tourists also lure crime and criminals to our area!
If you are a local business owner, it stands to argue that you’ve been confronted with some sort of crime at your place of business.
Have you dealt with
✔️employee theft?
✔️counterfit money?
✔️ loitering around your building?
✔️vandalism?
✔️break-ins?
If you have, we are very sorry you’ve had to deal with this type of crime. We want to offer you a solution.
Please read on.
Do You Value Your Business Investment?
As a locally-owned and locally operated business, we fully understand the sacrifices and investment of time and money it takes to get a business off the ground.
We understand you are building something for the future, for your family, for your community.
We know this because we are living it alongside you.
If you value your business investment, we need to talk about security!
Do you have a few more minutes?
How To Protect Your Local Business Location and Reputation
Our slogan is “your security, our business” and we mean it!
We install, support and monitor residential alarm systems to protect local Grand Strand area families. What not everyone knows is that we also install, support and monitor commercial security systems.
We are ready to partner with you and protect your business investment, your employees and you!
Let’s talk about how a commercial security system can protect the physical location of your business as well as your reputation!
Why You Need a Commercial Security System
As business owners, we understand you can’t be everywhere all the time! You put your trust in your employees, yet all responsibility still rests on your shoulders.
A commercial security system will take away, in a way shoulder some of the responsibility for you!
We offer Total Connect Video Services for your convenience because we know how busy you are!
With this service, you can view your business from your iPhone, iPad, Droid, Blackberry or laptop from almost anywhere and
- check on employees activities and their behavior
- monitor critical equipment remotely, no matter where you are and what time of day it is
- view your business in real-time, or with event triggers
- gather evidence against employee theft or errors and outside criminal activities
- find out how busy your business is when you are away
and much much more!
Your Security, Our Business!
We work with business owners as well as property management companies.
Here are some of the ways we can help protect and secure your investments;
✔️ Monitor alarm systems
✔️ Digital camera systems
✔️ Telecommunication networks 24/7
✔️ Overhead Projection
✔️Plasma, LCD, LED displays along with AUDIO Sound Systems (for restaurants and sports bars)
and much more!
Isn’t it time you give us a call?
How to Prevent Inventory Loss in Your Business
Theft Can Cripple Your Business!
Whether you own a restaurant, a retail store, an accountancy or any other business, if you have employees and customers, you can lose inventory. Not all loss can be accounted for. Not all loss can be prevented. However, theft on a larger scale is mostly preventable and that’s what this article is all about!
According to Loss Prevention Media one sure way to limit your losses is to remove the opportunity for malicious loss
Individuals typically consider four questions before embarking on an act of theft.
First, what is the risk of being caught?
Second, how easy will it be to carry out the act?
Third, is the likely reward worthwhile?
Four, if I do get caught, what is the likely punishment?
Once we have a better understanding of how and why theft takes place, we can go about putting systems in place to prevent theft from happening.
How To Stop Thieves from Stealing From Your Business!
I would think you’d agree with me that preventing theft is better than catching a thief in the act.
Therefore the first tips deal with prevention:
- Install surveillance cameras. Make sure these cameras are located strategically throughout your place of business and trained upon places where theft is most likely to take place (cash register, back room, front door). Often, just seeing these cameras in your place of business will deter a thief.
- Install a security system. This system should be monitored during off hours as to keep the place of business secure while it’s closed.
- Put up signs. In prominent places around the workplace, display signs with security cameras and/or security monitoring. Again, if a potential thief sees these signs, they are more likely to skip your establishment and go somewhere else to steal.
- Train your employees. Sometime during the hiring process, talk about loss prevention and theft consequences. Make it clear there is a ‘no tolerance’ policy in place. In your newsletters and employees meetings, reiterate loss prevention techniques and tips and remind them of your surveillance cameras.
- Hire a loss prevention consultant. If you are losing inventory at an alarming rate, hire someone to find out where and how your inventory is disappearing. It’s not always obvious how and where thieves strike.
- Lock up! This might seem like an easy thing to do, but you’d be surprised how many business owners deal with (new) employees who forget to set the security alarm system at the end of the day or forget to lock up the business correctly after their shift.
The next tips deal with catching a thief in the act of stealing (in case your ‘warning signs’ didn’t work)
- Hire a loss prevention specialist. This person should be tasked with watching surveillance video in real time and thus should be able to catch thieves and employees in the act of shoplifting. If you have a large business, you might need to hire a team of loss prevention specialists.
- Electronically tag your products. Tag your (most expensive) products with electronic monitoring devices. Install gates at your exits to catch thieves.
- Train your employees. Every employee should recognize the signs of a shoplifter or thief and should know all steps involved in catching the thief in the act. This requires yearly training on your part – making sure everyone is on the same page and know how to handle any situation.
- Install panic buttons. In strategic places all throughout your place of business, install panic buttons for the safety of your employees and the security of your business.
Taking Action to Prevent Inventory Loss Will Save You Money!
Not all theft can be prevented.
Not all thieves can be caught.
However, having a clear plan in place on how to handle situations as they occur will help tremendously. Investing a bit of money into your business for a security system, surveillance cameras and loss prevention employees might in the end, save you money, and time and lots of headaches along the way.
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