Nearly 9% of small businesses were victimized by theft and burglary in 2016. This data, which came from Chicago-based insurance company Insureon, also revealed that a business owner might suffer a personal loss of approximately $8,000 due to a theft or burglary incident.
Though business owners can file claims from their insurance providers, some prefer to recover their losses out of their own pockets to keep their premiums low.
But the choice to do such shouldn’t be taken lightly. According to SafeWise, businesses are four times more likely to be burglarized than homes. Hence, if your retail store gets broken into more than once, it could mean either more personal losses or higher insurance premiums.
Therefore, you should be strict on security, even if you don’t sell fancy items. After all, burglars might be after your cash and equipment, not your products.
Different Types of Retail Burglary
It would help to know how burglars work for you to determine whether your retail store is at risk. The West Yorkshire Police in the U.K. identified three types of retail burglary, explained as follows:
- Smash and Grab
That is the most common style of burglary, in which the offender would use paving stones or anything alike to shatter windows. They may also use scaffolding pipes or power tools to overcome grilles and padlocks. Some burglars would only take the window displays, but usually, they’d also nick high-value stocks. More aggressive burglars may even ram into a store using a vehicle.
Smash and grab burglaries are more common in stores that are accessible from the front, meaning those that aren’t situated inside secure tall buildings.
- Opportunistic
Opportunistic burglars may sometimes use the smash and grab tactic, but they’re usually more subtle, preferring to enter a store through vulnerable access, like a roof-light or staff door. They’d only take what’s within their reach.
Shops that do not carry expensive items are the most at risk of this type of burglary since they don’t usually strengthen their security.
- Sophisticated
Sophisticated offenders find ways to overcome security systems. They may “confuse” alarms, destroy strobe lights, or even dodge them simply by studying the security system’s patterns or obtaining inside information.
The usual target of sophisticated burglars is luxury shops, where high-value items could be stored in a safe.
Burglar Deterrents For Retail Stores
As proven by the three different types of retail burglary, even low-value items can be coveted, so business owners have no excuse for being lax on security. Even if your store is situated inside of a well-secured building, it could still be vulnerable, because if burglars manage to avoid the building’s alarms, then your unbolted shop will practically be a present up for grabs.
You don’t have to purchase a highly-complicated security system. Even low-tech methods can effectively deter burglars already. The trick is to keep them unobtrusive so that a burglar wouldn’t spot them.
As your first line of defense, use a door lock that is impossible to be cracked by lock picks. Then light up the exteriors of your premises at night; this will discourage burglars because they’d think that they’re being seen.
Hire a surveillance professional for your security cameras. Their products have more creative ways to detect suspicious activity, with some even boasting smart technology.
And to be ultimately sure that no burglars can escape if they do manage to nick from you, keep a police speed gun. Some types come equipped with a camera, allowing you to take photos of the vehicle’s license plate so you can track them down easier.
Don’t wait until it’s too late to protect your retail store. Invest in the safety of your merchandise to safeguard your success as well.
