The vast majority of crimes in New Zealand are property crimes instead of crimes against people. Statistics put it at around 70%. 7 out of 10 burglaries are residential and this should come as no surprise as most commercial premises have alarm systems, CCTV, access control systems and monitoring. But that doesn’t mean you can be complacent when it comes to protecting your retail premises.
We’ve noticed that too many retailers have outdated alarm systems. This is being noticed by professional criminals who are using increasingly sophisticated methods to beat these old-fashioned devices. There’s also a tendency for business owners to install cheap residential alarms in commercial premises but they won’t provide the protection they’re after. For example, additional sensors might be required for retail premises. We’re talking about things like vibration or inertia sensors for safes and adjoining or exposed walls, door contacts for securing roller doors, fire exits and internal doors, glass break detectors for early warning of intruders breaking windows and specialized passive infrared detectors and outdoor beams.
With all this in mind, get in touch with us and we’ll carry out an inspection of your current business security set-up and suggest upgrades where required. In the meantime, here are a few tips from the NZ Police on what you can do to boost security at your retail business:
- Keep your front window clear – remove all posters etc
- Position the cash register near the entry and greet every customer as they enter. By acknowledging them, they know you’re aware of their presence.
- Position shelving to give you a clear view down each aisle
- Use large mirrors so you can see every part of your store
- Never display small merchandise at the back of the shop. Keep it close to the front counter,
And when it comes to safer cash handling, the NZ Police have these suggestions.
- Don’t become predictable by sticking to the same routine. Vary your banking time every day.
- Never carry cash in a bag with a bank logo
- Only ask adult staff to do the banking and it’s best if they go in pairs
- If driving to the bank, lock the doors and take a different route each day
- If you’re walking to the bank, take the quickest and most direct route
- Carry a mobile phone at all times
- Be alert of other people and vehicles – if you see the same person in the same car every time you do the banking, be highly suspicious.
We hope these tips help you create a safer working environment for everyone at your retail business. And don’t forget to contact us to ask about an upgrade of your current security alarms.