Main menu

Techniques & Advice

It is important that retailers ensure their businesses are as secure as possible.

The purpose of these tips is to:

  • increase the effort required by the criminal
  • increase the risks faced by the criminal
  • reduce the rewards for the criminal
  • remove the provocation for the criminal
  • remove the excuses for the criminal

It is always important that you consider any legal implications before carrying out improvements. You should also be aware of any health and safety, staff welfare and insurance implications.

Exterior

A poorly maintained exterior and surrounding environment will give the impression that a shop has few security measures. Try to ensure that the exterior of the store is tidy and well lit. It may be possible to share the cost of such action, or equipment such as CCTV, with other neighbouring traders.

Steel fencing, railing or walls 2.5m make effective boundaries and clear signs denoting “authorised personnel only” will remove excuse for a potential criminal being there.

All openings such as doors and windows are potential weak points. It is important that door and window frames do not have gaps. When updating door and window fittings, make sure they conform to the relevant security standards:

  • Door-sets should be tested to the British Standard BS PAS 24;
  • Sites that are medium to high risk should use doors, grilles and shuttered tested to LPS 1175;
  • Doors should be fitted to five-lever mortise locks tested to British Standard BS 3621;
  • Door glazing should be at least 6.8mm laminated glass;
  • Windows in site that have low or medium risk should meet the British Standard BS 7950;
  • Window locks that use keys should be used in all accessible windows;
  • If using bars or shuttered check with planning and fire regulations.
Interior

You should consider how best to protect assets, stocks and alarms.

Assets:

Assets can include computers, mobile phones, printers etc. Make sure that you record the make, model and serial number of each piece of equipment. You can even permanently mark equipment to enable it to be traced. Use marking equipment of the standards LPS1224 and LPS 1225.

Other useful tips to protect your assets:

  • Set up passwords for computers;
  • Making sure equipment stored securely;
  • Encourage staff to be vigilant;
  • To protect information you should store a copy securely off site;
  • It may be cost effective to fit a fire-resistant safe to store files;
  • If computers have access to internet or eternal email, ensure you have an up to date firewall and anti-virus software;
  • Well placed signs can put off criminals.
  • It is important to remember that it is not just your equipment that has value but also the information stored on it.

Stock:

It is important that you know how an accurate idea of how much stock you have in your business.

  • Keep records of your stock and do regular stock checks;
  • Try to keep stock away from the doors;
  • Where practical, put goods where it would need a ‘noticeable action’ to take them;
  • Keep items easy to steal or high value beyond till or in display cases;
  • Make sure each delivery stock matched the delivery note, invoice or receipt.

Alarms:

If you have an alarm fitted, make sure that your alarm works, is always used and checked regularly. Ensure that your alarm is fitted to the European standard EN 50131. Police will only respond to alarms fitted and monitored by companies accredited by either the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) or the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB). See http://www.securedbydesign.com/ for more information.

People

If you have staff members working alone, you can reduce the risk to them by having:

  • Personal alarms;
  • Radio link schemes;
  • CCTV;
  • Automatic warning devices.