How to Stop Shoplifting

According to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention, thieves steal $35 million worth of goods from retailers every single day.

Shoplifting is a growing epidemic that can be minimized if you followed these tips.

1. Invest in Security – Don’t make it easy for shoplifters. Invest in security camera surveillance and other security features such as mirrors, alarms and even security guards.
2. Hire Honest Employees – Find honest employees that care about their job. Good employees are more likely to notice and report thefts on the spot.
3. Lock Up Expensive/Popular Merchandise – Don’t give shoplifters easy access to popular and expensive merchandise. Keep it locked up.
4. Be Strategic with Electronic Security Tags – Make electronic security tags less noticeable by hiding them inside the packaging or along the back or sides of the merchandise.
5. Monitor Hidden Corners and Fitting Rooms – Monitor fitting rooms or other areas of your store where shoplifters can hide and steal merchandise.
6. Prosecute Shoplifters – Make it a policy to fully prosecute all shoplifters. It will help to set the tone at your business.
7. Have Employees Talk with Shoppers – Having employees approach and talk with shoppers makes it tougher for them to steal anything. Have your employees greet the shoppers and ask if they need any help.

These seven tips will help you to prevent shoplifting at your business.

At Hue & Cry Security Systems, we provide businesses with security camera systems and other security technologies that help to protect your business. To discover how we can help you, contact us at 800-762-3196.

Hue & Cry Closed For Thanksgiving – Safe Shopping Tips For Black Friday

The business offices of Hue & Cry Security Systems will be closed November 24-25 for Thanksgiving.

Our Central Alarm Monitoring Center and Security and Fire System Repair Service will remain open as usual.  If you have any questions for our business office, feel free to contact us on our contact page.  We will be back open at normal business hours on Monday, November 28.

We hope you have a great Thanksgiving with family and friends!  For those of you doing some holiday shopping this week, here are some important shopping safety tips.

9 Black Friday Safety Tips

If you plan on doing any shopping on Black Friday or this weekend, be sure to follow the consumer safety advice below.

1. Shop with Family and Friends – You’re safer in numbers and less likely to be a target for thieves.

2. Keep Your Shopping Bags Near You – Whether you’re in a store, at lunch or in a restroom, keep your shopping back near you at all times.

3. Keep Shopping Bags Out of Sight in Vehicle – If possible, drop shopping bags off at home before visiting another store.  At the very least, keep items out of sight in your vehicle.

4. Lock Your Vehicle – During the holidays, double check to make sure that you have locked your vehicle’s doors and enabled the car alarm.

5. Watch Your Purse/Wallet – Keep your purse zipped up and near you at all times.  For men, keep your wallet in an inside coat pocket or in a font pocket.

6. Avoid Help from Strangers – It’s better to get help from store representatives or family and friends.  Some “helpful” strangers may turn out to be thieves.

7. Don’t Carry Large Amounts of Cash – Limit the amount of cash in your purse or wallet.  Also be very discrete when counting money.

8. Pay Attention to Surroundings – Don’t get too distracted while shopping.  Always pay attention to your surroundings.

9. Leave the Kids at Home with Family – It’s better to leave the kids at home with family or friends.  If you take the kids out shopping, have a plan in place in case you get separated.

5 Online Shopping Safety Tips

If you’re considering doing any online shopping, you’ll want to make sure you follow these safety tips.

1. Shop at Reputable Websites – Shop at familiar websites and online stores.  Always make sure the website starts with HTTPS:// when you’re making a purchase.

2. Pay with Credit Cards – Avoid paying with a debit/check card.  This will help to protect your checking account.  The safest bet is using pre-paid credit cards.

3. Shop on Your Computer – Don’t shop on a public computer at a coffee shop or at a library.  You never know who could be watching you.

4. Never Store Credit Card Information – Many online stores allow you to store credit card information for easy access.  This is not safe.  You never know when someone can hack into the account.

5. Avoid Deals Too Good to be True – Be on the look out for email scams and other online cons.  Don’t respond to any suspicious emails with deals that seem to good to be true.

Enjoy the Holiday Season!

While it’s important to be safe this holiday season, remember to also enjoy your time with family and friends.

At Hue & Cry Security Systems, we’re a family owned and operated business.  We understand what’s important to families.

For more great security tips, read these other posts on the Hue & Cry Security Blog.

The Top Five Holiday Travel Tips For Airports

Holiday Driving Safety Tips That Will Keep Your Family Safe

Homeowners: Be On The Lookout for Door-to-Door Scam Artists

Things To Consider When Buying Business Security Cameras

When buying security camera surveillance systems, it’s important that you understand exact what you’re getting and why you want it.

Some people have expectations for their camera surveillance systems that are simply not possible or would require a different type of system entirely. To prevent this, everyone should know what their cameras can and cannot do before deciding to buy them.

Know What You Want To Monitor – What areas of your business do you want to monitor with your security camera and how good does the quality need to be? Different cameras are good for different things and selecting the right one can make the difference between an effective system and a useless one.

Understand The Risks of Security Cameras – Security cameras provide an expectation of protection from people entering your business. That’s why fake security cameras can be a legal risk. If people expect protection but don’t get it, your business can suffer the consequences.

Let People Know You’re Monitoring Them – Part of the usefulness of security cameras is that they prevent people from committing crimes because they don’t want to be filmed. Use signs to make sure that your employees and customers are well aware of your security cameras.

Don’t Expect To Record Voices – In most areas, video recording is completely legal but recording conversations without someone’s permission is against the law. That’s why CCTV systems do not offer audio functions.

Quick Guide For Preventing Shoplifting In Your Store

According to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention, more than $13 billion worth of goods are stolen from retailers each year. Retailers can protect their store by enacting a few tried and true tips. We recommend store owners do the following:

• Try to understand the techniques shoplifters use to steal items
• Discuss with your employees the best practices that deter the threat of shoplifting
• Make your retail establishment a shopper-friendly experience

Shoplifters often steal merchandise out of sight in a fitting room or a part of the store where it is difficult to see them. Locking fitting room doors and arranging your store so there are clear views where no one can hide are two cost-effective ways to deter theft.

Incorporating your staff into your shoplifting prevention plan is another cost-effective solution. Employees should greet customers when they enter the store and pay attention to suspicious activity. It is less likely that someone will steal if an employee is able identify them. Providing incentives, such as bonuses or discounts, to employees also helps keep them on high alert.

Sometimes shoplifters will switch price tags on items to receive a significant discount. It is important for cashiers to be aware of the actual price of items.

While training your employees is a good first line of defense, incorporating business security solutions and a camera surveillance system adds an extra layer of security, deterring potential shoplifters. Another effective method is placing security tabs on high-priced items.

Security is important, but so is good customer service. Don’t let your shoplifting plan overwhelm you, your employees or your customers.

Common Business Security Myths

There are a lot of myths out there about business security solutions that leave many businesses vulnerable to fraud, robberies, and even employee theft. These common myths, that may seem harmless at first, can lead to major problems that are not easily repaired.

Here are some of the most common myths:

People Only Sue Big Companies with Fraudulent Claims

We’ve all heard the stories about people suing McDonalds because their coffee is too hot, or someone claiming to have broken their neck in a major retail outlet when really they are completely fine. But what about smaller companies, are they ever really sued with fraudulent claims?

This myth makes the claim that people only sue large businesses because that’s where the money is at. Unfortunately, the reality is that small and mid-sized businesses are also regularly targeted with fraudulent claims. The worst part is that these businesses are much more vulnerable because they can’t afford expensive lawyers and a large settlement could put them out of business.

Shoplifting Only Happens In Low Income Areas

This is a common and completely untrue myth that claims that people in richer areas are much less likely to be stolen from than in poorer areas. Unfortunately, the facts show that expensive stores in fancy shopping malls are just as likely to be stricken by shoplifters as anywhere else. Additionally, since the products they sell are so much more valuable than in lower end stores, there is an added incentive to steal.

Vendors Keep Perfect Records and Are Completely Honest

Many people don’t ever consider vendors a potential source of shrinkage when looking at where they are losing money. For some reason, while businesses are quick to blame customers or even employees, the activities of the vendors are seen as beyond suspicion.

The truth is that vendor fraud is estimated to account for 5.2% of overall shrinkage. It’s important that you watch your vendors carefully to prevent theft.

People Only Steal Inventory and Cash

The reality is that there are a lot of ways that people can harm your business without actually taking something physical.

Without proper business security systems and camera surveillance systems, customers can make false injury claims, employees can “under ring” sales or not work when they should be, and vendors can make errors that hurt your bottom line. When tracking what your company is losing from theft, be sure that you can measure all of the damage, not just the physical loss.

Increase Your Business Security with These Simple Steps

No matter what type of business you have, keeping it secure and preventing criminal activity is vital both to the safety of your employees, and to the success of your company.

• Start with a plan. Setting goals and measureable objectives helps you understand your needs and track your security progress.

• Make security a priority. Business security systems should be a top priority for any business.

• Run background checks on employees before hiring them. Running a thorough background check on your employees helps prevent employee theft and avoid problems.

• Use visible security measures. People are less likely to engage in criminal activity if they know that they are being watched.

• Use surveillance cameras in ALL important areas. Recording all activities where cash or inventory is handled via a camera surveillance system can help to identify and prosecute thieves. Be sure to always keep your cameras well maintained as you don’t get second chances to stop criminals.

• Always prosecute criminal activity. By pressing charges against any criminal activity, no matter the cause or amount stolen, you send a clear message that you do not take theft lightly.

• Check your plan regularly. Regularly check the results of your security efforts and make alterations when you find things that are not working.