Moving from Reactive to Proactive Retail Crime Prevention Strategies

Retailers are dealing with an increase in organized retail crime in their stores, as well as an uptick in other crimes happening just outside their doors. Now, more than ever, it’s important to look at crime prevention strategies and reevaluate how decisions are made to help keep the shelves stocked and employees and shoppers safe. Shifting from reactive to proactive strategies that are grounded in data is one way to reduce crime. Here’s how.

1. Enforce Policies and Procedures 

When possible, policies and procedures related to crime prevention should be developed using data and then continually enforced to help prevent crimes. Policies—like who has permission to open and close the store, who may hold keys to the store, what to do in case of a theft or an emergency, who may handle money, and whether background checks are completed on employees—are sometimes created in a vacuum without considering the actual data indicating the true risk of these crimes. Thereafter, the policies are not always followed. Any lapse by managers or employees can leave stores vulnerable to crime.

When developing procedures, it’s also important to consider things like what employees know about security, how cash is deposited at the bank, rules around keeping doors locked at all times, and even where signage may go so as not to block employees’ view of parts of the store or outside.

2. Develop Data-Driven Training Programs, then Train and Retrain 

While some rules and procedures may seem like common sense, it’s easy for employees and managers to ease up on rules and relax their focus and awareness. Both new and seasoned employees should take part in crime prevention training. Training can include:

• How to open and close a store
• What they may and may not share about cash amounts on the premises
• What they may and may not share about security in the store
• What to do in cases of suspicious activity
• How to report theft or other crimes after they’ve occurred
• Reminders about who may access management offices or who has access to entry codes

 3.  Make Data-Backed Decisions on Staffing and Security 

In addition to ensuring employees are properly trained and that policies and procedures are enforced, every retailer should consider deterrents like cameras, alarm systems, and guards. But not every retail location is created equally. Even with the increase in crime over the last two years, some stores are at much higher crime risk than others.

 Using crime risk data can help you understand:

• How to benchmark shrink and loss
• Where to use EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance)
• Where and when to lock up inventory
• How to define self-checkout guidelines
• The best protocols for package and delivery safety

Learn more about how retailers are using CAP Index CRIMECAST Data and Reports to make better security decisions.