Incidents of abuse and violence against staff leaped 40% during that period, from 41 incidents per 1,000 staff to 51. Accounting for more than half (53%) of fraud crimes – equating to £100m of losses – cybercrime is a growing problem too.
Fortunately, technology is becoming better at detecting and combating retail crime. CCTV and intruder alarms have long been key weapons, along with the obvious deployment of human eyes and ears in the form of security guards. But video surveillance is getting more sophisticated, with higher resolutions and video analytics software, which actually performs functions beyond loss prevention. Heat mapping, queue management and people-counting functions allow retailers to optimise product displays, the layout of their store and the number of tills they open up, for instance.
“But getting the right technology is tricky,” says Professor Martin Gill, an expert in criminology and director of Perpetuity Research and Consultancy International. “There is a lot out there and things change quickly; it can be difficult to keep up. And offenders use technology too, and rather effectively, committing offences from afar. These people can be difficult to detect and even more difficult to prosecute.”
Professor Gill led a study looking at the future of loss prevention.
Simon Stokes, founder of installation firm Assured Fire & Security, has offered some advice to installers who want to win business in the retail sector. He says they must be as adaptable as possible when it comes to pricing as well as meeting the customer’s specific requirements. “The retail sector’s transactional, high-repeat-business model reflects in their requirements of suppliers. Often their selection is based on a combination of cost, flexibility and ability to tailor services.”
Security leaders gathered in London recently to discuss risk in a time of increasing volatility and uncertainty.
Deane Sales, Group Sales Director at Amthal, delves into the latest ONS shoplifting figures and examines how the industry can unite to support retailers during these challenging economic times.
In this article, Newgate take a look at the problem of retail crime in the UK and the preventative measures that businesses can take.
Peoplesafe show their support for The Retail Trust Retail campaign saying there are 6.8 million employees concerned for their safety either at work or commuting in the UK which is “unacceptable”.
Download the 2023 Video Surveillance Report exploring trends in AI, software, and key challenges ahead for video surveillance cameras & CCTV.
The latest on the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, also known as Martyn’s Law, set to improve safety at publicly accessible locations.
IDIS has partnered with French cosmetic and beauty brand Yves Rocher, to help expand its growing network of stores.
The Government has brought together police and retailers to launch the Retail Crime Action Plan and Project Pegasus to tackle shoplifting.
Triton Security has expressed concerns over the recent call by Policing Minister, Chris Philp, for members of the public to make citizen arrests on shoplifters.
Crowdguard provides an overview of the ramraid protection measures it has put in place for two of Gucci’s London outlets.
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A guide to the fire risk that isn’t going away but can be managed. An e-book from IFSEC Insider and in association with Firechief® Global Read More
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Understand how the multi-residential market is embracing digital access control for security and convenience in this exclusive whitepaper. Read More
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