Stopping Retail Crime This Summer
The warm weather is finally here. This means sunshine, relaxation, fun, and maybe even a vacation. However, crime doesn’t take a break just because the summer is here. In fact, certain types of crimes are actually more likely to take place in the summer. One type of crime that becomes more common is retail crime.
There are many reasons why retail crime often increases during the summer months.
Summer Vacations
During the summer months, a lot of people take vacation. This can mean that your store will be shorter staffed than usual. Summer vacations can also mean sales slowdowns in some industries. If your retail store typically does slower sales during the summer, you may have fewer staff members on duty in order to cut costs. Criminals take advantage of retail stores that appear short-staffed as they know that the likelihood of being caught shoplifting, for example, is much lower if there are fewer staff members on hand.
School’s Out
There are fewer kids in school during the summer, which means that there are more kids out and about. Unfortunately, kids get bored, especially teenagers. This means that they are more likely to steal or vandalize properties during the summer months.
Better Weather
Criminals are just like nearly everyone else. When it’s bitterly cold or pouring rain, they’re less likely to want to go outside. Once the weather warms up, they head back out and crime rates increase.
Retail Crime Prevention Tips
To reduce the likelihood of your property being struck by criminals, you’ll need to take steps to protect your store. There are many ways to do this.
- Train Staff
- Teach your staff that there is a possibility for increased crime during the summer months. Tell them to keep their eyes open for shoplifters and give detailed instructions on what they should do if they are suspicious of someone in the store.
- Also stress the importance of greeting every person who walks into the store and asking anyone who has been wandering around the store for a while if they need assistance. While this can be tough to do if your store is understaffed due to summer vacations, it’s important for crime prevention.
- For your part, try to make sure that there is always adequate coverage in your store, even if some people are on vacation. You may want to consider hiring temporary staff if necessary.
- Use Physical Security
- There are many ways that physical security tools can protect your property. For example, physical security gates on bars and windows can dramatically reduce the likelihood of a smash and grab robbery. This can be crucial for protecting your store when it is closed for business, such as during a summer vacation.
- Small yet valuable items can also be locked inside cabinets or behind gates. This reduces shoplifting opportunities and can help staff protect merchandise when there are fewer staff members in the store due to summer vacations.
By understanding why some types of crime increase in the summer, and taking steps to secure your property and your assets, you can ensure that this summer is a fun and enjoyable one, not one that is marred by retail crime.
